Rhode Island

PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- ADMINISTRATION - Changes the teacher and state employees' retirement benefit calculations' cutoff date from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2012, for all retirement members eligible to and who retire on or after the new July 1, 2012, cutoff date.

TAXATION -- PERSONAL INCOME TAX - Allows a modification to federal adjusted gross income for all public pension benefits administered by the Employees Retirement System of Rhode Island.

PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS - Increases the yearly amount of money that retired teachers, who had been certified driver education teachers, could earn from fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) to twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), without a reduction in their retirement benefits.

DELINQUENT AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN -- PROCEEDINGS IN FAMILY COURT - Prohibits a peace officer, as defined in § 12-7-21, from employing threats, physical harm, deprivation, deception, coercion, or psychologically manipulative interrogation tactics during the custodial interrogation of a juvenile.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DECISIONS, SPECIAL FINDINGS AND ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGES - Adds the doctrine of assumption of risk to the current comparative negligence statute.

TAXATION -- EMPLOYER TAX CREDITS FOR RETIREMENT PLAN ESTABLISHMENT, PARTICIPATION AND AUTO-ENROLLMENT - Establishes employer tax credits for establishing a retirement plan for employee participation with auto-enrollment.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- LITIGATION LENDING AGREEMENTS - Makes litigation loan agreements subject to state usury laws.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- HAZING - Enlarges definitions of prohibited acts that constitute hazing, make principals, coaches, athletic directors and others responsible for knowingly failing to take reasonable measures to prevent hazing and punishes serious injury.

DELINQUENT AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN -- PROCEEDINGS IN FAMILY COURT - Prohibits any questioning of a juvenile who is suspected of delinquent or criminal behavior, unless the parent of guardian of the juvenile is present, or unless an attorney is present or the juvenile and their parents have waived their presence.

DELINQUENT AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN -- PROCEEDINGS IN FAMILY COURT - Permits the family court to retain jurisdiction over juveniles and allow the family court to order juveniles detained in the training school until the age of twenty-one if the court finds that it is in the best interest of the child.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- STATE POLICE - Amends the pension benefits for both current and former Rhode Island State Police members.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES - Provides coverage and increases individual and group insurance rates of reimbursement for ambulance services.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- EVIDENCE - Provides that for purposes of all civil actions, the fair and reasonable charge for certain medical and dental services is the amount billed by the licensed healthcare provider.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- CAUSE OF ACTION - Permits a signed release to be transmitted to the party responsible for paying the settlement or their attorney by electronic means.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES - Requires the DCYF director to disclose to the school nurse where a child is enrolled, when that child has been placed in foster care.

INSURANCE -- MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE -- MANDATORY ARBITRATION PROVISION - Increases the minimum claim amount necessary to require a matter involving motor vehicle liability be submitted to mandatory arbitration.

PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS - Includes the deputy chief of inspection and inspector within the provision of law related to retirement on service allowance relating to correctional officers.

LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES - Prohibits an employer, employment agency, labor organization, or employee, to commit any act declared to be an unlawful employment practice; individuals would be held personally liable for such conduct.

PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- CONTRIBUTION AND BENEFITS - Permits paid members on the state labor relations board to continue to receive their retirement benefits.

DELINQUENT AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN -- PROCEEDINGS IN FAMILY COURT - Prohibits family court from detaining or committing any youth, 12 years or younger, to training school, for any offense other than murder, first degree sexual assault, or an attempt to commit such offenses there is no other reasonable placement.