2013 -- H 6312 SUBSTITUTE A

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

THAT THIS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HEREBY ENCOURAGES AND SUPPORTS

THE EFFORTS OF THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION TO LOCATE A NURSING EDUCATION CENTER

AT THE SOUTH STREET POWER STATION IN PROVIDENCE

     Introduced By: Representatives Blazejewski, and Lally

     Date Introduced: June 27, 2013

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

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     WHEREAS,  Rhode Island College (the College), the University of Rhode Island (the

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University), and the Community College of Rhode Island provide high-quality, public nursing

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education and research programs, which produce approximately 80% of the state's nursing

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program graduates each year; and

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     WHEREAS, The facilities housing the nursing programs at the College and the

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University are aging, lack current technologies and smart classrooms, and are at their physical

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enrollment capacities; and

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     WHEREAS, Projected local and national shortages of nursing candidates for licensure

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and nursing faculty are expected to adversely impact the delivery of health care in the coming

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years; and

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     WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the State of Rhode Island to enable the University

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and the College to educate students at all levels in the sciences and caring for complex health care

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challenges in a low-risk environment, to provide critical continuing education in order to support

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workforce development, and to produce more nursing graduates at the baccalaureate, masters, and

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doctoral levels; and

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     WHEREAS, It is in the best interest of the State of Rhode Island to pursue cost-effective

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financing for its public nursing higher education facilities as outlined in the May 23, 2011,

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feasibility study authorized by this House of Representatives in the fiscal year 2012 budget which

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proposed the development of a single, shared, inter-institutional nursing sciences and education

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facility to be located in Providence's Jewelry District; and

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     WHEREAS, Location of a shared facility in collaboration with Brown University in

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Providence's Jewelry District will allow the College and the University to maximize symmetries

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and current partnerships with Brown University's Alpert Medical School (AMS), and the state's

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major hospitals and other health care providers; and

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     WHEREAS, A shared nursing education facility would be an investment by the citizens

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of Rhode Island that will provide Rhode Island students, and particularly students from the urban

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area in which the new nursing school will be located, with programs to encourage the pursuit of

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careers in nursing, increased opportunities to attend the College and the University to pursue

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nursing education, and financial and other assistance to facilitate nursing program completion;

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and

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     WHEREAS, Decisions regarding the nursing education facility that involve and impact

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both the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College nursing programs shall not be

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made by either the University or College alone but through a shared governance committee

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comprised of appropriate and equal numbers of individuals from the University and the College

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and chaired by a senior staff member of the board of education; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives hereby encourages and supports the

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efforts of the Rhode Island Board of Education and the Department of Administration to locate a

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shared nursing education facility at the South Street Power Station in Providence; and be it

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further

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     RESOLVED, That neither the state properties committee nor the board of education shall

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enter into any lease agreement without the express approval of the House of Representatives

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pursuant to Rhode Island general laws subsection 37-6-2(d); and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this House Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its passage

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by the House of Representatives; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Governor, the Chair of the Board of

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Education, the Director of the Department of Administration, the State Budget Officer, and the

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Chairman of the State Properties Committee. 

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