2022 -- S 2893 SUBSTITUTE A | |
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LC005738/SUB A | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- STAY INVESTED IN RI | |
WAVEMAKER FELLOWSHIP | |
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Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Gallo, Goodwin, Cano, Murray, Zurier, and Seveney | |
Date Introduced: April 26, 2022 | |
Referred To: Senate Finance | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Sections 42-64.26-3, 42-64.26-4, 42-64.26-5 and 42-64.26-12 of the General |
2 | Laws in Chapter 42-64.26 entitled "Stay Invested in RI Wavemaker Fellowship" are hereby |
3 | amended to read as follows: |
4 | 42-64.26-3. Definitions. |
5 | As used in this chapter: |
6 | (2)(1) "Applicant" means an eligible graduate who applies for a tax credit for education |
7 | loan repayment expenses under this chapter. |
8 | (3)(2) "Award" means a tax credit awarded by the commerce corporation to an applicant |
9 | as provided under this chapter. |
10 | (5)(3) "Commerce corporation" means the Rhode Island commerce corporation established |
11 | pursuant to chapter 64 of title 42. |
12 | (6)(4) "Eligible expenses" or "education loan repayment expenses" means annual higher |
13 | education loan repayment expenses, including, without limitation, principal, interest and fees, as |
14 | may be applicable, incurred by an eligible graduate and which the eligible graduate is obligated to |
15 | repay for attendance at a postsecondary institution of higher learning. |
16 | (1)(5) "Eligible graduate" means an individual who meets the eligibility requirements |
17 | under this chapter. |
18 | (7)(6) "Eligibility period" means a term of up to four (4) consecutive service periods |
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1 | beginning with the date that an eligible graduate receives initial notice of award under this chapter |
2 | and expiring at the conclusion of the fourth service period after such date specified. |
3 | (8)(7) "Eligibility requirements" means the following qualifications or criteria required for |
4 | an applicant to claim an award under this chapter: |
5 | (i) That the applicant shall have graduated from an accredited two (2) year, four (4) year |
6 | or graduate postsecondary institution of higher learning with an associate's, bachelor's, graduate, or |
7 | post-graduate degree and at which the applicant incurred education loan repayment expenses; |
8 | (ii) That the applicant shall be a full-time employee with a Rhode Island-based employer |
9 | located in this state throughout the eligibility period, whose employment is for work in one or more |
10 | of the following covered fields: life, natural or environmental sciences; computer, information or |
11 | software technology; advanced mathematics or finance; engineering; industrial design or other |
12 | commercially related design field; or medicine or medical device technology. |
13 | (9)(8) "Full-time employee" means a person who is employed by a business for |
14 | consideration for a minimum of at least thirty-five (35) hours per week, or who renders any other |
15 | standard of service generally accepted by custom or practice as full-time employment, or who is |
16 | employed by a professional employer organization pursuant to an employee leasing agreement |
17 | between the business and the professional employer organization for a minimum of thirty-five (35) |
18 | hours per week, or who renders any other standard of service generally accepted by custom or |
19 | practice as full-time employment, and whose wages are subject to withholding. |
20 | (9) "Healthcare applicant" means any applicant that meets the eligibility requirements and |
21 | works as a full-time employee as a high-demand healthcare practitioner or mental health |
22 | professional, including, but not limited to, clinical social workers and mental health counselors |
23 | licensed by the department of health, and as defined in regulations to be promulgated by the |
24 | commerce corporation, in consultation with the executive office of health and human services, |
25 | pursuant to chapter 35 of this title. |
26 | (10) "Healthcare fund" means the "Healthcare Stay Invested in RI Wavemaker Fellowship |
27 | Fund" established pursuant to § 42-64.26-4(b). |
28 | (12)(11) "Rhode Island-based employer" means (i) an employer having a principal place |
29 | of business or at least fifty-one percent (51%) of its employees located in this state; or (ii) an |
30 | employer registered to conduct business in this state that reported Rhode Island tax liability in the |
31 | previous tax year. |
32 | (10)(12) "Service period" means a twelve (12) month period beginning on the date that an |
33 | eligible graduate receives initial notice of award under this chapter. |
34 | (13) "Fund" "STEM/design fund" refers to means the "Stay Invested in RI Wavemaker |
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1 | Fellowship Fund" established pursuant to § 42-64.26-4(a). |
2 | (11)(14) "Student loan" means a loan to an individual by a public authority or private lender |
3 | to assist the individual to pay for tuition, books, and living expenses in order to attend a |
4 | postsecondary institution of higher learning. |
5 | (4)(15) "Taxpayer" means an applicant who receives a tax credit under this chapter. |
6 | 42-64.26-4. Establishment of fund -- Purposes -- Composition. |
7 | (a) There is hereby established the "Stay Invested in RI Wavemaker Fellowship Fund" (the |
8 | "fund") ("the STEM/design fund") to be administered by the commerce corporation as set forth in |
9 | this chapter. |
10 | (b) There is hereby established the "Healthcare Stay Invested in RI Wavemaker Fellowship |
11 | Fund" (the "healthcare fund") to be administered by the commerce corporation as set forth in this |
12 | chapter. |
13 | (b)(c) The purpose of the fund STEM/design fund and healthcare fund is to expand |
14 | employment opportunities in the state and to retain talented individuals in the state by providing |
15 | tax credits in relation to education loan repayment expenses to applicants who meet the eligibility |
16 | requirements under this chapter. |
17 | (c)(d) The fund STEM/design fund and healthcare fund shall consist of: |
18 | (1) Money appropriated in the state budget to the fund; |
19 | (2) Money made available to the fund through federal programs or private contributions; |
20 | and |
21 | (3) Any other money made available to the fund. |
22 | (d)(e) The fund STEM/design fund shall be used to pay for the redemption of tax credits |
23 | or reimbursement to the state for tax credits applied against a taxpayer's the tax liability of any non- |
24 | healthcare applicant that received an award. The healthcare fund shall be used to pay for the |
25 | redemption of tax credits or reimbursement to the state for tax credits applied against the tax |
26 | liability of any healthcare applicant that received an award on or after July 1, 2022. The fund funds |
27 | shall be exempt from attachment, levy or any other process at law or in equity. The director of the |
28 | department of revenue shall make a requisition to the commerce corporation for funding during |
29 | any fiscal year as may be necessary to pay for the redemption of tax credits presented for |
30 | redemption or to reimburse the state for tax credits applied against a taxpayer's tax liability. The |
31 | commerce corporation shall pay from the fund such amounts as requested by the director of the |
32 | department of revenue necessary for redemption or reimbursement in relation to tax credits granted |
33 | under this chapter. |
34 | 42-64.26-5. Administration. |
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1 | (a) Application. An eligible graduate claiming an award under this chapter shall submit to |
2 | the commerce corporation an application in the manner that the commerce corporation shall |
3 | prescribe. |
4 | (b) Upon receipt of a proper application from an applicant who meets all of the eligibility |
5 | requirements, the commerce corporation shall select applicants on a competitive basis to receive |
6 | credits for up to a maximum amount for each service period of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for |
7 | an associate's degree holder, four thousand dollars ($4,000) for a bachelor's degree holder, and six |
8 | thousand dollars ($6,000) for a graduate or post-graduate degree holder, but not to exceed the |
9 | education loan repayment expenses incurred by such taxpayer during each service period |
10 | completed, for up to four (4) consecutive service periods provided that the taxpayer continues to |
11 | meet the eligibility requirements throughout the eligibility period. The commerce corporation shall |
12 | delegate the selection of the applicants that are to receive awards to a fellowship committee to be |
13 | convened by the commerce corporation and promulgate the selection procedures the fellowship |
14 | committee will use, which procedures shall require that the committee's consideration of |
15 | applications be conducted on a name-blind and employer-blind basis and that the applications and |
16 | other supporting documents received or reviewed by the fellowship committee shall be redacted of |
17 | the applicant's name, street address, and other personally-identifying information as well as the |
18 | applicant's employer's name, street address, and other employer-identifying information. The |
19 | commerce corporation shall determine the composition of the fellowship committee and the |
20 | selection procedures it will use in consultation with the state's chambers of commerce. |
21 | Notwithstanding the foregoing, the commerce corporation shall create and establish a committee |
22 | to evaluate any healthcare applicant for an award in the same manner as prescribed in this |
23 | subsection. The executive office of health and human services ("EOHHS") shall be represented on |
24 | the committee and provide consultation to the commerce corporation on selection procedures. |
25 | Notwithstanding EOHHS's consultation and representation in the selection of healthcare applicants, |
26 | the commerce corporation shall administer all other aspects of a healthcare applicant’s application, |
27 | award, and certification. |
28 | (c) The credits awarded under this chapter shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of |
29 | the education loan repayment expenses paid by such taxpayer during each service period completed |
30 | for up to four (4) consecutive service periods. Tax credits shall be issued annually to the taxpayer |
31 | upon proof that (i) The taxpayer has actually incurred and paid such education loan repayment |
32 | expenses; (ii) The taxpayer continues to meet the eligibility requirements throughout the service |
33 | period; (iii) The award shall not exceed the original loan amount plus any capitalized interest less |
34 | award previously claimed under this section; and (iv) The taxpayer claiming an award is current on |
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1 | his or her student loan repayment obligations. |
2 | (d) The commerce corporation shall not commit to overall STEM/design awards in excess |
3 | of the amount contained in the STEM/design fund or to overall healthcare awards in excess of the |
4 | amount contained in the healthcare fund. |
5 | (e) The commerce corporation shall reserve seventy percent (70%) of the awards issued in |
6 | a calendar year to applicants who are permanent residents of the state of Rhode Island or who |
7 | attended an institution of higher education located in Rhode Island when they incurred the |
8 | education loan expenses to be repaid. |
9 | (f) In administering award, the commerce corporation shall: |
10 | (1) Require suitable proof that an applicant meets the eligibility requirements for award |
11 | under this chapter; |
12 | (2) Determine the contents of applications and other materials to be submitted in support |
13 | of an application for award under this chapter; and |
14 | (3) Collect reports and other information during the eligibility period for each award to |
15 | verify that a taxpayer continues to meet the eligibility requirements for an award. |
16 | 42-64.26-12. Sunset. |
17 | No incentives or credits shall be authorized pursuant to this chapter after December 31, |
18 | 2022 2023. |
19 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC005738/SUB A | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- STAY INVESTED IN RI | |
WAVEMAKER FELLOWSHIP | |
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1 | This act would expand the provisions of the Wavemaker Fellowship program to include a |
2 | healthcare fund for healthcare applicants that meet the eligibility requirements and works as a full- |
3 | time employee as a high-demand healthcare practitioner or mental health professional, including, |
4 | but not limited to, clinical social workers and mental health counselors licensed by the department |
5 | of health, and as defined in regulations to be promulgated by the commerce corporation, in |
6 | consultation with the executive office of health and human services, pursuant to chapter 35 of this |
7 | title. |
8 | It would also provide that the Wavemaker fellowship fund shall be used to pay for the |
9 | redemption of tax credits or reimbursement to the state for tax credits applied against the tax |
10 | liability of any non-healthcare applicant that received an award. The healthcare fund shall be used |
11 | to pay for the redemption of tax credits or reimbursement to the state for tax credits applied against |
12 | the tax liability of any healthcare applicant that received an award on or after July 1, 2022. |
13 | No incentives or credit shall be authorized after December 31, 2023. |
14 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC005738/SUB A | |
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