2013 -- S 0027

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LC00358

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Senator Joshua Miller

     Date Introduced: January 16, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-59-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-59 entitled "Board of

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Governors for Higher Education" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-59-9. Educational budget and appropriations. -- (a) The general assembly shall

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annually appropriate any sums it deems necessary for support and maintenance of higher

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education in the state and the state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders

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upon the general treasurer for the payment of the appropriations or so much of the sums that are

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necessary for the purposes appropriated, upon the receipt by him or her of proper vouchers as the

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board of governors for higher education may by rule provide. The board shall receive, review,

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and adjust the budgets of its several subordinate committees and agencies and for the office of

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higher education and present the budget as part of the budget for higher education under the

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requirements of section 35-3-4.

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      (b) The office of higher education and the institutions of public higher education shall

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establish working capital accounts.

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      (c) Any tuition or fee increase schedules in effect for the institutions of public higher

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education shall be received by the board of governors for allocation for the fiscal year for which

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state appropriations are made to the board of governors by the general assembly; provided that no

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further increases may be made by the board of governors for the year for which appropriations are

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made. Except that these provisions shall not apply to the revenues of housing, dining, and other

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auxiliary facilities at the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and the Community

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Colleges including student fees as described in P.L. 1962, ch. 257 pledged to secure indebtedness

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issued at any time pursuant to P.L. 1962, ch. 257 as amended.

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     (1) Provided, further, that commencing September 1, 2013, a public transportation fee of

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fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be assessed and collected each semester on students attending a Rhode

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Island institution of public higher education, including the University of Rhode Island, the

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Community College of Rhode Island, and Rhode Island College, in accordance with the

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following schedule:

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     Date assessment begins: Applicable class fee is collected from:

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     September 1, 2013: Freshman and sophomores;

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     September 1, 2014: Freshman, sophomores and juniors;

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     September 1, 2015 and thereafter: Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

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     The student identification card issued to each student shall be prepared to serve as a pass

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for transportation services furnished and/or operated by the Rhode Island public transit authority

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for each semester when the fee imposed by this subsection is paid. The Rhode Island public

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transit authority shall work with the respective Rhode Island institutions of public higher

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education to enable student identification cards to be prepared to serve as a pass for the applicable

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semester.

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     (d) All housing, dining, and other auxiliary facilities at all public institutions of higher

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learning shall be self-supporting and no funds shall be appropriated by the general assembly to

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pay operating expenses, including principal and interest on debt services, and overhead expenses

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for the facilities. Any debt service costs on general obligation bonds presented to the voters in

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November 2000 and November 2004 or appropriated funds from the Rhode Island capital plan for

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the housing auxiliaries at the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College shall not be

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subject to this self-supporting requirement in order to provide funds for the building construction

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and rehabilitation program. The institutions of public higher education will establish policies and

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procedures which enhance the opportunity for auxiliary facilities to be self-supporting, including

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that all faculty provide timely and accurate copies of booklist for required textbooks to the public

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higher educational institution's bookstore.

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      (e) The additional costs to achieve self-supporting status shall be by the implementation

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of a fee schedule of all housing, dining, and other auxiliary facilities, including but not limited to,

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operating expenses, principal, and interest on debt services, and overhead expenses.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 39-18 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Public Transit

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Authority" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     39-18-25. Use of student identification card as a transportation pass. – The authority

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shall work in conjunction with the board of governors for higher education and with the

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respective Rhode Island institutions of public higher education to enable student identification

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cards to be prepared to serve as a pass for the applicable semester as provided for in section 16-

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59-9.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00358

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

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     This act would authorize and direct the board of governors for higher education to assess

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a transportation fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) per semester to students attending a Rhode Island

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public institution of higher learning. The student identification cards issued to students assessed

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these fees would be modified to serve as a pass for services furnished and/or operated by the

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Rhode Island public transit authority.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00358

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