Chapter 227
2017 -- H 5683
Enacted 07/18/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION - THE RHODE ISLAND CHILDREN'S CRUSADE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

Introduced By: Representatives Maldonado, Diaz, Kazarian, Barros, and Tobon
Date Introduced: March 01, 2017

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. The title of Chapter 16-70 of the General Laws entitled "The Rhode Island
Children's Crusade for Higher Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of
Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:
CHAPTER 16-70
The Rhode Island Children's Crusade for Higher Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode
Island Board of Education Act]
CHAPTER 16-70
THE COLLEGE CRUSADE SCHOLARSHIP [SEE TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE
ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]
     SECTION 2. Sections 16-70-1, 16-70-2, 16-70-3, 16-70-4, 16-70-5 and 16-70-6 of the
General Laws in Chapter 16-70 entitled "The Rhode Island Children's Crusade for Higher
Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" are hereby
amended to read as follows:
     16-70-1. Short title.
     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rhode Island Children's Crusade
for Higher Education Act" "College Crusade Scholarship Act".
     16-70-2. Legislative findings.
     It is found and declared as follows:
     (1) Rhode Island must continue to develop the educational and vocational career and
technical skills of its citizens students for its continued economic development, prosperity, and
for maintaining and improving its quality of life.
     (2) The present and future workforce will be requiring requires ever higher levels of
educational and vocational career and technical training in order to maintain improve the
economic prosperity of our state and nation.
     (3) The state's school drop-out rate continues to remain at unacceptable levels, precluding
substantial numbers of students from pursuing the higher levels of education and vocational
training required to achieve desirable employment opportunities. With regard to high school
graduation and college going rates, the state's low-income students continue to lag behind their
peers.
     (4) A comprehensive, long-range strategy is essential if this critical problem is to be
addressed. This plan will need to incorporate the elements of programs which that have
demonstrated success in dealing with at-risk youth supporting underrepresented, first-generation
and low-income students, including appropriate incentives to encourage and support at-risk youth
these students toward the goal of graduating from school and pursuing and completing higher
levels of education and training.
     (5) This plan will require the involvement and support of parents, guardians families,
educators, and the community at large, working closely with at-risk underserved students, and
must provide students with a well-organized and directed mentoring advisory program to include
intensive orientation and training of these mentors advisors.
     16-70-3. Program for the support of the Rhode Island children's crusade for higher
education established. Program for the support of the college crusade established.
     The board of governors for higher education council on postsecondary education is
empowered to establish and provide as part of the operation of the office of higher education the
postsecondary commissioner methods and procedures for the state's support of the Rhode Island
children's college crusade scholarship and provide for higher education. As needed, the board of
governors shall seek financial and technical assistance as needed from Rhode Island higher
education assistance authority.
     16-70-4. Board of governors support program -- Powers and duties. Council on
postsecondary education support program -- Powers and duties.
     (a) The board of governors for higher education council on postsecondary education shall
have the following powers and duties:
     (1) To prepare with the assistance of the commissioner of higher education
postsecondary education and to present annually to the state budget officer in accordance with ยง
35-3-4, as part of the state higher education budget, a line-item budget request specifically
designated as the state's share of support for the Rhode Island children's crusade college crusade
of Rhode Island for higher education. The budget shall be designated as a specific, line-item
budget request and shall be presented as part of the budget of the office of higher education the
postsecondary commissioner.
     (2) To provide, through its office of higher education and the commissioner of higher
education the postsecondary commissioner, the authority to designate the college crusade of
Rhode Island, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered with the Rhode Island secretary of
state, as the entity that will administer and operate all program services and manage scholarship
resources administrative and organizational support services, including equipment, space, and
personnel to and on behalf of the Rhode Island children's crusade for higher education
foundation, its officers, and board of directors to the extent that these services are agreed to by the
board of governors for higher education and the board of directors of the Rhode Island children's
crusade foundation.
     16-70-5. Budget and appropriations.
     The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums as it deems necessary as the
state's share for the support and maintenance of the Rhode Island children's crusade for higher
education the college crusade, including operational and scholarship support, and the state
controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the
payment of the appropriations upon receipt by him or her of the proper voucher as the board of
governors for higher education the office of the postsecondary commissioner may provide. The
board of governors for higher education office of the postsecondary commissioner shall present
the voucher to the state controller no later than the last day of the first month of the fiscal year for
which the appropriation is made and this appropriation shall be remitted to the accounts of the
Rhode Island children's crusade for higher education foundation college crusade of Rhode Island
by the state treasurer no later than the last day of the second month of the fiscal year.
     16-70-6. Audit requirements.
     The Rhode Island children's crusade for higher education college crusade of Rhode Island
is required to obtain the approval of director of administration and the auditor general shall
complete an annual audit completed by prior to the employment of private auditors. Audit work
papers of the private auditors shall be made available upon request to the auditor general and/or
the director of administration for their review, at the completion of the audit. The audit report
shall be furnished to the auditor general and the director of administration.
     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
========
LC001872
========