R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-15-16: Annual grant for teachers retiring prior to July 1, 1949.

(a) The general assembly shall annually appropriate a sum sufficient to pay an additional annual retirement grant of two thousand dollars ($2,000) for a payment of a pension of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) annually to every retired teacher who qualified for either a pension or retirement benefits under the provisions of this chapter, and who retired prior to July 1, 1949.

(b) This grant shall be an annual state grant and shall be in addition to any and all amounts being paid from any state pension or retirement system and in addition to any payments from a retirement or pension system of any city or town.

(c) All money appropriated in accordance with the amended provisions of this chapter for the retired teachers shall be administered by the department of elementary and secondary education.