Title 45, Title 45 and Cities

The holding of any section or sections or parts of this chapter to be void, ineffective, or unconstitutional for any cause shall not be deemed to affect any other section or part hereof.

In addition to the retirement system established under the provisions of chapter 21 of this title, any municipality may accept this chapter in the manner stated in § 45-21-4. Withdrawal from the system is in the same manner as stated in § 45-21-5 subject to the provisions of § 45…

The optional retirement system established in this chapter is administered in the same manner provided in chapter 21 of this title; credits for prior service and collection of contributions are determined through reference to that chapter; provided, that where the provisions of t…

(a) Retirement of a member on a service retirement allowance for members eligible to retire on or before June 30, 2012, shall be made, subject to paragraph (a)(11) below, by the retirement board as follows: (1) Any member who has attained or attains age seventy (70) shall be reti…

(a) Members who are laid off for any reason, and not on leave without pay, may purchase layoff time up to one year service credit for retirement purposes, provided the member did not withdraw his or her retirement contributions while on the layoff, and returns to active service. …

(a) Upon retirement from service pursuant to § 45-21.2-5, a member receives a retirement allowance which is a life annuity terminable at the death of the annuitant and shall be an amount equal to two percent (2%) of final compensation multiplied by the years of total service, pro…

Upon retirement from service pursuant to subdivision (1), (2), or (5) of § 45-21.2-5, a member of the South Kingstown police department receives a retirement allowance which is a life annuity terminable at the death of the annuitant, and is an amount equal to the sum of two and o…

Upon retirement from service pursuant to subdivision (1), (2), or (6) of § 45-21.2-5, a member of the Johnston police department receives a retirement allowance which is a life annuity terminable at the death of the annuitant, and is an amount equal to the sum of two percent (2%)…

Upon retirement from service pursuant to chapter 45-21.2-5, a member of the Richmond police department shall receive a retirement allowance which shall be terminable at the death of the annuitant, and shall be an amount equal to the sum of two and two thousand seven hundred twent…

Any member in active service who has five (5) years or more of total service and who is not otherwise eligible for retirement may, upon the member’s application or upon application of the employer, be retired on an ordinary disability retirement allowance, subject to the restrict…

Upon retirement for ordinary disability, a member receives a retirement allowance equal to the rate prescribed for service retirement; provided, that no member retiring with less than ten (10) years of total service receives a benefit less than the member would have received if t…

(a) Any member in active service, regardless of length of service, is entitled to an accidental disability retirement allowance. Application for the allowance is made by the member or on the member’s behalf, stating that the member is physically or mentally incapacitated for furt…

Upon the death of any regular and permanent police official, police chief, or police officer, or any regular and permanent fire fighter, fire chief, or fire official who has retired from the service of any city or town which has not accepted chapter 21 or 21.2 of this title, sixt…

Upon the death of any regular and permanent police official, police chief, or police officer, or any regular and permanent fire fighter, fire chief, or fire fighting official who, at the time of his or her death, was eligible to retire from the service of any city or town which h…

The general assembly finds and declares the following: (1) All Rhode Islanders deserve retirement security, including those who have spent their careers serving their communities as first responders and municipal employees; and (2) The city of Central Falls has shown great resili…

(a) The provisions of this section shall apply only to locally administered plans within the city of Central Falls hereinafter referred collectively as the “Central Falls plan.” (b) On or after July 16, 2019, Central Falls may accept the provisions of this chapter, by resolution …

(a) The provisions of this section shall apply only to locally administered plans within the city of Central Falls. (b) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, on or before August 31, 2019, Central Falls may accept the provisions of this chapter by an ordin…

(a) Subject to the provisions of §§ 45-21.4-2(b) and 45-21.4-3(b) being met, on December 31, 2019, the system shall be responsible for administering the Central Falls plan, including the administration of any supplemental payments as provided in § 45-21-67, and Central Falls shal…

The general assembly finds and declares the following: (1) All Rhode Islanders deserve retirement security, including those who have spent their careers serving their communities as first responders, school, and municipal employees; (2) The town of West Warwick’s pension plans ar…

(a) The provisions of this section shall apply only to the locally-administered plan, excluding police and fire within the town of West Warwick, hereinafter referred to as the “West Warwick plan, excluding police and fire.” (b) No later than August 31, 2021, West Warwick and the …

(a) The provisions of this section shall apply only to the locally-administered plan, excluding police and fire, within the town of West Warwick. (b)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, no later than August 31, 2021, West Warwick and the West Warwick…

(a) The provisions of this section shall apply only to the locally-administered plan for police and fire within the town of West Warwick hereinafter referred to as the “West Warwick plan for police and fire.” (b) No later than August 31, 2021, West Warwick may accept the provisio…

(a) The provisions of this section shall apply only to the locally-administered plan for police and fire within the town of West Warwick. (b)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, no later than August 31, 2021, West Warwick may accept the provisions of…

Subject to the provisions of §§ 45-21.5-2(b) and 45-21.5-3(b) being met, no later than July 1, 2022, the system shall be responsible for administering the West Warwick plans and West Warwick shall transfer to the system the accumulated contributions of each member entering the sy…

Subject to the provisions of §§ 45-21.5-2(b), 45-21.5-3(b), 45-21.5-4(b), and 45-21.5-5(b) being met, the funding improvement plan submitted by the town of West Warwick on March 29, 2014, shall have a funding improvement period of twenty (20) years for purposes of § 36-10.2-8.

Withdrawal of any West Warwick plan that has joined the municipal employee retirement system pursuant to this chapter shall be as provided in § 45-21-5 and subject to §§ 45-21-6 and 45-21-7. Any such withdrawal shall not relieve West Warwick from the liabilities arising from its …

For the purpose of promoting health, safety, morals, and the general welfare of the various areas in the state of Rhode Island through the effective development of these areas, the following powers for the establishment of joint municipal planning commissions are hereby granted.

The governing bodies of two (2) or more municipalities may, by ordinance or resolution, authorize the establishment and participation or membership in, and support of, a joint municipal planning commission. The number and qualifications of the members of the planning commission a…

(a) The governing bodies of municipalities have the authority to appropriate funds for the purpose of contributing to the operation of a joint municipal planning commission. A joint municipal planning commission, with the consent of all the governing bodies, may also receive gran…

(a) Every joint municipal planning commission may prepare and maintain a comprehensive plan, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, for the guidance of the continuing development of the area encompassed by the participating or member municipalities. (b) These plans an…

Every joint municipal planning commission shall encourage the cooperation of the participating municipalities in matters which concern the integrity of the comprehensive plan or maps prepared by the commission, and, as an aid toward coordination, all municipalities and public off…

Wherever a joint municipal planning commission has been or is being established to serve the Rhode Island portion of an area, which for planning purposes constitutes a logical planning area and extends beyond the boundaries of the state, the commission may admit to membership cou…

This chapter shall be known as the “Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Regulation Act”.

(a) State agencies shall develop their respective programs and conduct their respective activities in a manner consistent with the findings, intent, and goals established under this chapter. (b) The chief shall develop standards to assist municipalities in the incorporation of th…

(a) There is established a program of technical and financial assistance for municipalities to encourage and facilitate the adoption and implementation of comprehensive planning throughout the state. The program is administered by the chief. (b) The chief shall develop and admini…

(a) A municipality must maintain a single version of the comprehensive plan including all amendments, appendices, and supplements. One or more complete copies of the comprehensive plan, including all amendments, shall be made available for review by the public. Availability shall…

(a) The municipality is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the plan. (b) All municipal land use decisions shall be in conformance with the locally adopted municipal comprehensive plan subject to § 45-22.2-12(b). (c) Each municipality shall amend its zoning ordi…

If any provision of this chapter or of any rule, regulation or determination made under it, or the application to any person, agency, or circumstances, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the chapter, rule, regulation, or determination and the a…

(a) All lawfully adopted comprehensive plans shall remain in full force and effect but shall be brought into conformance with this chapter prior to July 1, 2017. (b) Nothing contained in this chapter is construed to supersede or diminish any regulatory or planning authority grant…

(a) Findings. The general assembly recognizes these findings, each with equal priority and numbered for reference only, as representing the need for effective planning, declares that: (1) Comprehensive planning by municipal government is necessary to form a rational basis for the…

As used in this chapter the following words have the meanings stated herein: (1) “Agricultural land” means land suitable for agriculture by reason of suitability of soil or other natural characteristics or past use for agricultural purposes. (2) “Capacity” or “land capacity” mean…

(a) The comprehensive plan is a statement (in text, maps, illustrations, or other media of communication) that is designed to provide a basis for rational decision making regarding the long-term physical development of the municipality. The definition of goals and policies relati…

(a) Except as set forth herein, the comprehensive plan must utilize a minimum twenty-year (20) planning timeframe in considering forecasts, goals, and policies. (b) The comprehensive plan must be internally consistent in its policies, forecasts, and standards, and shall include t…

(a) A municipality shall exercise its planning authority over the total land and inland water area within its jurisdiction. (b) Any combination of contiguous municipalities may, upon formal adoption of an official comprehensive planning and enforcement agreement by the municipal …

(a) The preparation of a comprehensive plan shall be conducted according to the following provisions in addition to any other provision that may be required by law: (1) In addition to the duties established by chapter 22 of this title, local planning board or commission, to the e…

(a) There is established a program of comprehensive planning review to promote the preparation and implementation of local comprehensive plans, and to provide technical and financial assistance to accomplish this purpose. The program also ensures that all local comprehensive plan…