Directs the council on elementary and secondary education to develop recommendations for a high school curriculum to prepare students for successful postsecondary education and careers in computer science.
HB 5766 proposes to reinstate cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for individuals receiving retirement benefits from the state retirement system. These adjustments would become payable to retirees and beneficiaries under a specific condition. The bill's key mechanism specifies that COLAs will be granted only when the retirement system's annual investment return exceeds ten percent.
Provides that the statute of limitations for second-degree sexual assault shall be 10 years from the date of the offense, or, in the case of a victim who is under the age of 18, ten years from the victim’s eighteenth birthday, whichever is later.
Amends the administrative procedures act and provides that on the review of an agency decision by a court upon appeal, the court shall decide questions of law without deference to any previous determination or interpretation of the law by the agency.
HB 5764 amends the General Laws concerning the state retirement system's contributions and benefits. It requires a reamortization of the state pension fund, specifically impacting the determination of the employer contribution rate. This means the payment schedule for the state's pension obligations will be recalculated starting with fiscal year 2026. The bill directly affects the state's financial management of its public officers and employees' retirement system.
Reduces the current varying percentages for early retirement penalty for teachers, municipal and state employees to a cumulative annual reduction of 3% and monthly reduction of .25%.
Provides that a defendant's third and subsequent violation of domestic violence offenses, including both prior felony and misdemeanor convictions, would be punishable as a felony.
HB 5669, titled the "Domestic Violence Prevention Act," expands the definition of domestic violence to include certain animal cruelty offenses. The bill specifically adds crimes such as unnecessary cruelty, malicious injury or killing, and abandonment of an animal to the list of acts considered domestic violence. This applies when these offenses are committed by one family or household member against another, and the animal is owned or cared for by a household member. The bill aims to broaden the scope of protections under existing domestic violence laws by recognizing these acts as forms of domestic violence.
Allows retired election officials to work for the state board of elections on a temporary basis in any year in which a statewide, congressional or referendum general election is held.
HB 5737 amends the laws regarding additional benefits, specifically cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), for retired Workers' Compensation Court judges and their surviving spouses or domestic partners. The bill establishes different rules for calculating these adjustments based on the judge's retirement date. Some COLAs are a fixed percentage of the original allowance, while others are tied to the Consumer Price Index or the retirement system's investment returns. It also introduces conditions for adjustments based on the retirement system's funding level and includes a one-time benefit adjustment for certain retirees.
Prohibits the distribution, transfer, or possession of any material that depicts a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is obscene and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
Allows any peace officer working in a Rhode Island school as a full or part-time resource officer to work in excess of the seventy-five (75) working days in a calendar year, and not have an interruption in their benefits.
