2018 -- H 7938

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LC005176

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATED TO EDUCATION - MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS [SEE TITLE 16

CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

     Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Marshall, Corvese, Lima, and McKiernan

     Date Introduced: March 09, 2018

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-52-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-52 entitled

"Maintenance of Order on Campus [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of

Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-52-2. Appointment of campus police.

     (a) The board of governors for higher education may appoint one or more persons who

may act as police officers upon the property and highways of state colleges and universities

subject to the control of the board. The campus police officers shall protect the property of each

college or university, suppress nuisances and disturbances and breaches of the peace, and enforce

laws and regulations for the preservation of good order. They shall have the same powers and

authority as that conferred upon municipal police officers, including the power to arrest persons

for violations of state criminal statutes or for violations of city or town ordinances of the city or

town in which the institution is located. They shall not carry firearms unless expressly authorized

by the board of governors subject to the training requirements of this section. Additionally, any

campus police officer observing the violation of any rule or regulation of the board adopted

pursuant to this chapter, including but not limited to parking and traffic regulations, may issue a

summons in the manner and form set forth in § 31-27-12 or § 31-41.1-1 returnable to the district

court, the police court of the city or town where the violation occurs, or the traffic tribunal as

provided by law.

     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all fines and penalties recovered for

violation of rules and regulations made under authority of this section shall be accounted for by

the appropriate authority, which shall forward all fines or penalties for nonmoving traffic

violations to the general treasurer for use by the college or university on whose campus the

citation or violation was issued in accordance with § 16-32-27.

     (c) Campus police and peace officers shall, prior to October 1, 2018, complete a course of

firearm instruction as provided by the Rhode Island police officers commission on standards and

training, with approval of the commissioner of public safety and shall be subject to in service

training requirements of chapter 28 of title 42 and the standardized training requirements of § 42-

28.2-8.3.

     (d) The board of education shall adopt rules and regulations for the purposes of

implementing the provisions of this chapter.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATED TO EDUCATION - MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS [SEE TITLE 16

CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

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     This act would mandate arming campus police at public higher educational institutions.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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