It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. The regional school district incorporated pursuant to Chapter 55 of the Public Laws of 1958, as amended, known as the Chariho Regional School District, is hereby empowered, in addition to authority previously granted, to issue general obligation bonds and notes to an amount not exceeding fifty-five million one hundred sixty thousand dollars ($55,160,000) from time to time under its corporate name and seal. The bonds of each issue may be issued in the form of serial bonds or term bonds, zero coupon bonds, capital appreciation bonds, or compound interest bonds or a combination thereof and shall be payable either by maturity of principal in the case of serial bonds or by mandatory serial redemption in the case of term bonds, in annual installments of principal, the first installment to be not later than five (5) years and the last installment not later than thirty (30) years after the date of the bonds. The amount of principal appreciation each year on any bonds, after the date of original issuance, shall not be considered to be principal indebtedness for the purposes of any constitutional or statutory debt limit or any other limitation. The appreciation of principal after the date of original issue shall be considered interest. Only the original principal amount shall be counted in determining the principal amount so issued and any interest component shall be disregarded.

SECTION 2. The bonds shall be signed by the treasurer and the chairperson of the regional school district committee and shall be issued and sold in such amounts as the regional school district committee may authorize. The manner of sale, denominations, maturities, interest rates and other terms, conditions and details of any bonds or notes issued under this act may be fixed by the proceedings of the regional school district committee authorizing the issue or by separate resolution of the regional school district committee or, to the extent provisions for these matters are not so made, they may be fixed by the officers authorized to sign the bonds or notes. The proceeds derived from the sale of the bonds shall be delivered to the treasurer of the regional school district committee, and such proceeds, exclusive of premiums and accrued interest, shall be expended (a) in the following amounts to finance the construction or renovation (as set forth below) and the improvement, alteration, repair, furnishing and equipping of the following schools and school facilities in the regional school district: (i) $40,500,000 to finance the construction of a new high school, (ii) $4,360,000 to finance the renovation of a portion of the existing high school to convert the high school into an elementary school, (iii) $2,500,000 to finance additions to and renovations of the Ashaway School, (iv) $2,800,000 to finance additions to and renovations of the Hope Valley School, (v) $2,900,000 to finance the renovation of the Charlestown School, and (vi) $2,100,000 to finance the renovation of the Richmond School (the "Projects"), (b) in payment of the principal of and/or interest on temporary notes issued under section three, (c) in repayment of advances made pursuant to section four, (d) in payment of costs of issuance associated with the issuance of bonds or notes hereunder, and/or (e) to finance capitalized interest. No purchaser of any bonds or notes under this act shall be in any way responsible for the proper application of the proceeds derived from the sale thereof. The proceeds of bonds or notes issued under this act, any applicable federal or state assistance and the other moneys referred to in sections six and nine, shall be deemed appropriated for the purpose of this act without further action than that required by this act. This bond issue authorized by this act may be consolidated for the purpose of issuance and sale with any other bond issue of the regional school district heretofore or hereafter authorized, provided that, notwithstanding any such consolidation, the proceeds from the sale of the bonds authorized by this act shall be expended for the purposes set forth above. The treasurer and the chairperson of the regional school district committee, on behalf of the regional school district, are hereby authorized to execute such instruments, documents or other papers as either of them deem necessary or desirable to carry out the intent of this act and are also authorized to take all actions and execute all documents or agreements necessary to comply with federal tax and securities laws, which documents or agreements may have a term coextensive with the maturity of the bonds authorized hereby, including Rule 15c2-12 of the Securities and Exchange Commission and to execute and deliver a continuing disclosure agreement or certificate in connection with the bonds or notes.

SECTION 3. The regional school district committee may by resolution authorize the issue from time to time of interest bearing or discounted notes in anticipation of the issue of bonds or in anticipation of the receipt of federal or state aid for the purposes of this act. The amount of original notes issued in anticipation of bonds may not exceed the amount of bonds which may be issued under this act and the amount of original notes issued in anticipation of federal or state aid may not exceed the amount of available federal or state aid as estimated by the treasurer of the regional school district committee. Temporary notes issued hereunder shall be signed by the treasurer and the chairperson of the regional school district committee and shall be payable within five (5) years from their respective dates, but the principal of and interest on notes issued for a shorter period may be renewed or paid from time to time by the issue of other notes hereunder, provided the period from the date of an original note to the maturity of any note issued to renew or pay the same debt or the interest thereon shall not exceed five (5) years. Any temporary notes in anticipation of bonds issued under this section may be refunded prior to the maturity of the notes by the issuance of additional temporary notes, provided that no such refunding shall result in any amount of such temporary notes outstanding at any one time in excess of two hundred percent (200%) of the amount of bonds which may be issued under this act, and provided further that if the issuance of any such refunding notes results in any amount of such temporary notes outstanding at any one (1) time in excess of the amount of bonds which may be issued under this act, the proceeds of such refunding notes shall be deposited in a separate fund established with the bank which is paying agent for the notes being refunded. Pending their use to pay the notes being refunded, moneys in the fund shall be invested for the benefit of the regional school district by the paying agent at the direction of the treasurer of the regional school district committee in any investment permitted under section five. The moneys in the fund and any investments held as a part of the fund shall be held in trust and shall be applied by the paying agent solely to the payment or prepayment of the principal of and interest on the notes being refunded. Upon payment of all principal of and interest on the notes, any excess moneys in the fund shall be distributed to the regional school district committee. The regional school district committee may pay the principal of and interest on notes in full from other than the issuance of refunding notes prior to the issuance of bonds pursuant to Section 1 hereof. In such case, the regional school district committee's authority to issue bonds or notes in anticipation of bonds under this act shall continue provided that: (1) the regional school district committee passes a resolution evidencing the regional school district committee's intent to pay off the notes without extinguishing the authority to issue bonds or notes, and (2) that the period from the date of an original note to the maturity date of any other note shall not exceed five (5) years.

SECTION 4. Pending any authorization or issue of bonds hereunder or pending or in lieu of any authorization or issue of notes hereunder, the treasurer of the regional school district committee, with the approval of the regional school district committee, may, to the extent that bonds or notes may be issued hereunder, apply funds in the treasury of the regional school district committee to the purposes specified in section two, such advances to be repaid without interest from the proceeds of bonds or notes subsequently issued or from the proceeds of applicable federal or state assistance or from other available funds.

SECTION 5. Any proceeds of bonds or notes issued hereunder or of any applicable federal or state assistance, pending their expenditure, may be deposited or invested by the treasurer of the regional school district committee in demand deposits, time deposits or savings deposits in banks which are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or in obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States of America or by any agency or instrumentality thereof ("Government Obligations") or as may be provided in any other applicable law of the state of Rhode Island or resolution of the regional school district committee or pursuant to an investment policy of the regional school district committee. Any bank deposits or investments, other than investments in Government Obligations, must either be directly insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or be collateralized by Government Obligations which have a value equal to or greater than 102% of the deposit or investment amount.

SECTION 6. Any accrued interest received upon the sale of bonds or notes hereunder shall be applied to the payment of the first interest due thereon. Any premiums arising from the sale of bonds or notes hereunder shall, in the discretion of the treasurer of the regional school district committee, be applied to the cost of preparing, issuing and marketing bonds or notes hereunder to the extent not otherwise provided, to the payment of the cost of the Projects, to the payment of the principal of or interest on bonds or notes issued hereunder or to any one or more of the foregoing. The cost of preparing, issuing and marketing bonds or notes issued hereunder may also, in the discretion of the treasurer of the regional school district committee, be met from bond or note proceeds exclusive of accrued interest or from other moneys available therefor. If, upon completion of any of the Projects there shall be any balance of bond or note proceeds remaining not required for the payment of the costs of such Project, such funds shall be applied to the payment of the principal of or interest on bonds or notes issued hereunder. To the extent permitted by applicable federal laws, any earnings or net profit realized from the deposit or investment of funds hereunder may, upon receipt, be added to and dealt with as part of the revenues of the regional school district from the member towns. In exercising any discretion under this section, the treasurer shall be governed by any instructions adopted by resolution of the regional school district committee.

SECTION 7. All bonds and notes issued under this act and the debts evidenced thereby shall be obligatory on the regional school district committee in the same manner and to the same extent as other debts are obligatory under the laws of this state on incorporated towns of this state and such debt evidenced by said bonds or notes shall not be construed at any time to form a part of the debt of any individual town which is a member of the regional school district for the purpose of ascertaining the borrowing capacity of such town, nor shall said debt contracted by the regional school district in any way apply to the operation of section 45-12-2 of the general laws, as amended, with respect to any member town. The regional school district shall annually appropriate a sum sufficient to pay the principal and interest coming due within the year on bonds and notes issued hereunder until such bonds and notes and the interest thereon are paid in full.

SECTION 8. Any bonds or notes issued under the provisions of this act, if properly executed by officers of the regional school district committee in office on the date of execution, shall be valid and binding according to their terms notwithstanding that before the delivery thereof and payment therefor any or all of such officers shall for any reason have ceased to hold office.

SECTION 9. The regional school district, acting by resolution of its regional school district committee, is authorized to apply for, contract for and expend any federal or state advances or other grants or assistance which may be available for the purposes of this act, and any such expenditures may be in addition to other moneys provided in this act. To the extent of any inconsistency between any law of this state and any applicable federal law or regulation, the latter shall prevail. Federal and state advances, with interest where applicable, whether contracted for prior to or after the effective date of this act, may be repaid as Project costs under section two.

SECTION 10. Bonds and notes may be issued under this act without obtaining the approval of any governmental agency or the taking of any proceedings or the happening of any conditions except as specifically required by this act for such issue. In carrying out any Project financed in whole or in part under this act, including where applicable the condemnation of any land or interest in land, and in the levy and collection of assessments or other charges permitted by law on account of any such Project, all action shall be taken which is necessary to meet constitutional requirements whether or not such action is otherwise required by statute; but the validity of bonds and notes issued hereunder shall in no way depend upon the validity or occurrence of such action.

SECTION 11. All or any portion of the authority to issue bonds and notes under this act may be extinguished by resolution of the regional school district committee, without further action by the general assembly, seven (7) years after the effective date of this act.

SECTION 12. Section 13(1) of Chapter 55 of the Public Laws of 1958, as amended by Chapter 286 of the Public Laws of 1986, which assures certain students matriculation in certain elementary schools in the regional school district, is hereby repealed.

SECTION 13. The question of the approval of this act shall be submitted to the electors of the towns of Charlestown, Richmond and Hopkinton at a special election (other than a primary election) to be held on a date not later than ninety (90) days after the enactment of this act, said date to be set by the regional school district committee. The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form: "Shall an act, passed at the 2001 session of the general assembly, entitled 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CHARIHO REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ISSUE NOT TO EXCEED IN THE AGGREGATE $55,160,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND/OR NOTES TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION OR RENOVATION (AS SET FORTH BELOW) AND THE IMPROVEMENT, ALTERATION, REPAIR, FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING OF THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL FACILITIES IN THE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT: (I) NOT TO EXCEED $40,500,000 TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW HIGH SCHOOL, (II) NOT TO EXCEED $4,360,000 TO FINANCE THE RENOVATION OF A PORTION OF THE EXISTING HIGH SCHOOL TO CONVERT THE HIGH SCHOOL INTO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, (III) NOT TO EXCEED $2,500,000 TO FINANCE ADDITIONS TO AND RENOVATIONS OF THE ASHAWAY SCHOOL, (IV) NOT TO EXCEED $2,800,000 TO FINANCE ADDITIONS TO AND RENOVATIONS OF THE HOPE VALLEY SCHOOL, (V) NOT TO EXCEED $2,900,000 TO FINANCE THE RENOVATION OF THE CHARLESTOWN SCHOOL, (VI) NOT TO EXCEED $2,100,000 TO FINANCE THE RENOVATION OF THE RICHMOND SCHOOL AND REPEALING SECTION 13(1) OF THE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ENABLING LEGISLATION, WHICH ASSURES CERTAIN STUDENTS MATRICULATION IN CERTAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT' be approved?" The warning for the election shall contain the question to be submitted. From the time the election is warned and until it is held, it shall be the duty of the town clerks of the respective towns of Charlestown, Richmond and Hopinkton to keep a copy of the act available at their offices for public inspection, but the validity of the election shall not be affected by this requirement. To the extent of any inconsistency between this act and the home rule charter of any member town, this act shall prevail.

SECTION 14. Sections 13 and 14 shall take effect upon passage of this act. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority in each town of those voting on the question at the election prescribed by the foregoing section.