2021 -- S 1006

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MAKING REVISED APPROPRIATIONS IN SUPPORT OF FISCAL YEAR

2022

     Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, and Goodwin

     Date Introduced: December 07, 2021

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     (Governor)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16 of Article 1 of Chapter 162 of the Public Laws of 2021 is hereby

amended to read as follows:

     The appropriations from federal funds contained in Section 1 shall not be construed to

mean any federal funds or assistance appropriated, authorized, allocated or apportioned to the State

of Rhode Island from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund, and the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund

enacted pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2. For fiscal year 2022, State

Fiscal Recovery Fund monies apportioned to the State of Rhode Island pursuant to the American

Rescue Plan Act of 2021, P.L. 117-2, are hereby appropriated in the following amounts for the

stated departments and purposes set forth below. The state controller is hereby authorized and

directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of such sums or such

portions thereof as may be required from time to time upon receipt by him or her of properly

authenticated vouchers.

     Executive Office of Commerce $74,500,000

     Of this amount, $32,000,000 shall be allocated to a program of financial and technical

assistance to small businesses and COVID-impacted industries, $15,000,000 shall be allocated

under the administration of the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation to the

development of affordable housing units, $13,000,000 shall be allocated to a program of assistance

to the tourism, hospitality, and events industries, $12,000,000 shall be allocated toward the

acquisition of properties for redevelopment as affordable housing and supportive housing,

$1,500,000 shall be allocated to expanding housing navigation and stabilization services to address

the rise in pandemic-related homelessness, $500,000 shall be allocated to broadband services which

may include coordination, mapping, and development of a statewide plan to provide broadband

access to unserved and underserved households and businesses, and $500,000 shall be dedicated to

expanding programmatic and administrative capacity for affordable housing in Rhode Island.

     Executive Office of Health and Human Services $13,000,000

     Of this amount, $7,500,000 shall be allocated to support relief to pediatric providers in

response to the decline in visitation and enrollment caused by the public health emergency. Of this

amount, $5,500,000 shall be allocated to early intervention providers in response to a decline in

enrollment for early intervention, family home visiting, and screening programs.

     Department of Children, Youth, and Families $12,500,000

     This amount in its entirety shall be allocated to support workforce stabilization

supplemental wage payments to eligible direct care and supporting care staff of contracted service

providers.

     Department of Human Services $13,000,000

     Of this amount, $12,700,000 shall be allocated to pay semiannual retention bonuses for

direct care staff at childcare centers and licensed family providers in response to pandemic-related

staffing shortages. A total of $300,000 shall be reserved for family childcare incentive start up and

technical assistance grants. The Director of Human Services and the Director of Children, Youth

and Families may waive any fees otherwise assessed upon childcare provider applicants who have

been awarded the family childcare provider incentive grant.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MAKING REVISED APPROPRIATIONS IN SUPPORT OF FISCAL YEAR

2022

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     This act would appropriate federal funds awarded to Rhode Island as part of the State Fiscal

Recovery Fund (SFRF) by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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