2022 -- S 2752 | |
======== | |
LC004894 | |
======== | |
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022 | |
____________ | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE | |
CORPS | |
| |
Introduced By: Senators Mendes, and Calkin | |
Date Introduced: March 24, 2022 | |
Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND |
2 | GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
3 | CHAPTER 162 |
4 | RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE CORPS |
5 | 42-162-1. Purpose. |
6 | The purpose of this act is to create the Rhode Island climate corps to implement a work |
7 | program that would provide employment doing climate resilience and adaptation work. |
8 | 42-162-2. Rhode Island climate corps created. |
9 | (a) There is hereby created an organization, the name of which is the Rhode Island climate |
10 | corps, which is to be developed and administered by ServeRI. |
11 | (b) The purposes of the Rhode Island climate corps are to: |
12 | (1) Increase the opportunities for Rhode Islanders to devote up to a year of service to Rhode |
13 | Island communities; mobilize the service sector as an innovative solution to clear and pressing |
14 | environmental problems that negatively impact Rhode Island communities; and |
15 | (2) Provide rural and underserved communities in Rhode Island with volunteer resources |
16 | to help address critical health, human, public safety, educational, and environmental needs; and |
17 | (3) Strengthen civic engagement of participants and in communities through volunteer |
18 | service. |
| |
1 | 42-162-3. Definitions. |
2 | Definitions. As used in this chapter: |
3 | (1) "Corps member" means an individual who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and |
4 | who has committed to not more than twelve (12) months of full-time, part-time, or flex-time service |
5 | in the Rhode Island climate corps. |
6 | (2) "Program host" means a state entity, municipality, or nonprofit organization located or |
7 | with a physical presence in Rhode Island that has committed to hosting corps members through the |
8 | Rhode Island climate corps. |
9 | (3) "ServeRI" means the Rhode Island commission for national and community service, as |
10 | required under section 201 of the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993 and |
11 | authorized by the Rhode Island general assembly, pursuant to section 1 of chapter 395 of the 2017 |
12 | public laws, entitled, "The Rhode Island Commission for National Community Service." |
13 | 42-162-4. Program host eligibility and duties. |
14 | (a) The following conditions shall apply to the Rhode Island climate corps: |
15 | (1) ServeRI may provide funding to eligible program hosts that have experience |
16 | administering national service grants and engaging Rhode Islanders in formal service programs in |
17 | order to enable those hosts to support corps members and undertake eligible projects. |
18 | (2) Program hosts that receive funding from ServeRI through the Rhode Island climate |
19 | corps shall use the funding received to meet costs incurred by hosting and supporting corps |
20 | members in their service who are participating in eligible projects. |
21 | (3) Corps members shall be the responsibility of their program hosts and shall not be |
22 | employees, or considered to be employees, of the State of Rhode Island for any purpose throughout |
23 | the duration of their service. |
24 | (4) ServeRI and program hosts shall, to the extent practicable, ensure that corps members |
25 | are placed in projects that match their interests, geographic constraints, skills, and abilities. |
26 | (5) Program hosts shall seek to enroll as corps members individuals who reflect the |
27 | diversity of gender, racial, ethnic, sexual, social, and disability status of Rhode Islanders. |
28 | (6) Project eligibility shall be determined by ServeRI and may include weatherization, |
29 | environmental restoration, and other climate-related projects. Innovative strategies and |
30 | partnerships are encouraged. |
31 | (b) In administering the Rhode Island climate corps, ServeRI shall coordinate with |
32 | appropriate organizations in the served communities, shall explore service-based solutions that |
33 | build community capacity to combat climate change, and may engage with existing national service |
34 | programs. |
| LC004894 - Page 2 of 4 |
1 | 42-162-5. Report. |
2 | On or before April 1 annually, ServeRI shall report to the general assembly on the Rhode |
3 | Island climate corps. |
4 | 42-162-6. Appropriation. |
5 | The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to |
6 | ServeRI in fiscal year 2023 for the purpose of administering the Rhode Island climate corps. |
7 | 42-162-7. Climate corps membership goals. |
8 | Within one hundred eighty (180) days following the passage of this act, ServeRI shall seek |
9 | to establish in 2024 the first class of corps members. |
10 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC004894 | |
======== | |
| LC004894 - Page 3 of 4 |
EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE | |
CORPS | |
*** | |
1 | This act would create the Rhode Island climate corps to implement a work program that |
2 | would provide employment doing climate resilience and adaptation work. The climate corps would |
3 | be developed and administered by ServeRI. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC004894 | |
======== | |
| LC004894 - Page 4 of 4 |