2021 -- S 0581

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LC001169

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE - STATE BUDGET

     Introduced By: Senators Mack, Calkin, Mendes, Burke, Acosta, Bell, and Euer

     Date Introduced: March 11, 2021

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 35-3-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 35-3 entitled "State Budget"

is hereby amended to read as follows:

     35-3-7. Submission of budget to general assembly -- Contents.

     (a) On or before the third Thursday in January in each year of each January session of the

general assembly, the governor shall submit to the general assembly a budget containing a complete

plan of estimated revenues and proposed expenditures, to include a specific proposed expenditure

for affordable housing, to include, but not be limited to, a proposed expenditure for the affordable

housing rental subsidy account pursuant to § 35-3-22, and with a personnel supplement detailing

the number and titles of positions of each agency and the estimates of personnel costs for the next

fiscal year, and with the inventory required by § 35-1.1-3(b)(5). Provided, however, in those years

that a new governor is inaugurated, the new governor shall submit the budget on or before the first

Thursday in February. In the budget the governor may set forth in summary and detail:

     (1) Estimates of the receipts of the state during the ensuing fiscal year under laws existing

at the time the budget is transmitted and also under the revenue proposals, if any, contained in the

budget, and comparisons with the estimated receipts of the state during the current fiscal year, as

well as actual receipts of the state for the last two (2) completed fiscal years.

     (2) Estimates of the expenditures and appropriations necessary in the governor's judgment

for the support of the state government for the ensuing fiscal year, and comparisons with

appropriations for expenditures during the current fiscal year, as well as actual expenditures of the

state for the last two (2) complete fiscal years; provided, further, in the event the budget submission

includes any transfers of resources from public corporations to the general fund, the budget

submission shall also include alternatives to said transfers.

     (3) Financial statements of the:

     (i) Condition of the treasury at the end of the last completed fiscal year;

     (ii) Estimated condition of the treasury at the end of the current fiscal year; and

     (iii) Estimated condition of the treasury at the end of the ensuing fiscal year if the financial

proposals contained in the budget are adopted.

     (4) All essential facts regarding the bonded and other indebtedness of the state.

     (5) A report indicating those program revenues and expenditures whose funding source is

proposed to be changed from state appropriations to restricted receipts, or from restricted receipts

to other funding sources.

     (6) Such other financial statements and data as in the governor's opinion are necessary or

desirable.

     (b) Any other provision of the general laws to the contrary notwithstanding, the proposed

appropriations submitted by the governor to the general assembly for the next ensuing fiscal year

should not be more than five and one-half percent (5.5%) in excess of total state appropriations,

excluding any estimated supplemental appropriations, enacted by the general assembly for the

fiscal year previous to that for which the proposed appropriations are being submitted; provided

that the increased state-share provisions required to achieve fifty percent (50%) state financing of

local school operations as provided for in P.L. 1985, ch. 182, shall be excluded from the definition

of total appropriations.

     (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall

submit to the general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, not later than the

fourth (4th) Thursday in January 2005.

     (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall

submit to the general assembly a supplemental budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006,

and/or a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, not later than Thursday, January 26, 2006.

     (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall

submit to the general assembly a supplemental budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007,

and/or a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008, not later than Wednesday, January 31,

2007.

     (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall

submit to the general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, not later than

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Thursday, March 10, 2011.

     (g) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall

submit to the general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013, not later than

Tuesday, January 31, 2012.

     (h) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall

submit to the general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, not later than

Thursday, March 12, 2015.

     (i) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the governor shall

submit to the general assembly a budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, not later than

Thursday, March 11, 2021.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE - STATE BUDGET

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     This act would require the proposed state budget to include a specific proposed expenditure

for affordable housing.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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