Rhode Island General Laws Title 16. Education § 16-16-8. Credit for service as a state or municipal employee

(a) Any member who shall have rendered service as a state employee as defined by the provisions of chapter 17 of this title and chapters 8--10 of title 36 or who shall have rendered service as an employee of a participating municipality, as defined by chapter 21 of title 45, shall be entitled to credit for his or her service for the various purposes of this system, provided the member shall have been a contributing member for that period. All contributions made by the member shall be transferred in toto to this system for the periods of service and the retirement system shall calculate the full actuarial value of the accrued benefit with the former employer. If the full actuarial value of the accrued benefit with the former employer is greater than the total employee contributions transferred, the retirement system shall also transfer the difference between full actuarial value of the accrued benefit with the former employer and the employee's contributions from the account of the former employer to the account of the current employer. In any case in which a member shall have received a refund or refunds of contributions made to the system, the allowance of the credit for service shall be conditioned upon the repayment of the full actuarial cost as defined in § 36-8-1(10). Any service as defined in this section for which no contributions were made may be granted provided the member pays to the retirement system the full actuarial cost as defined in § 36-8-1(10). The retirement board shall fix and determine the rules and regulations needed to govern the provisions of this section.

(b) Any member who shall have rendered service both as a teacher under § 16-16-12, and service under § 36-10-9.2(a), shall be eligible to elect to combine the member's service under § 16-16-12, and service under § 36-10-9.2(a), to determine the member's retirement eligibility date under § 16-16-12. For any member making this election, the member will receive a single benefit equal to the accrued benefit computed under § 36-10-10.2, plus the accrued benefit computed under § 16-16-13.