2024 -- S 2546 | |
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LC004822 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- FOUNDATION LEVEL SCHOOL SUPPORT | |
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Introduced By: Senators Valverde, Pearson, DiPalma, Gallo, and Murray | |
Date Introduced: March 01, 2024 | |
Referred To: Senate Finance | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Section 16-7-40 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7 entitled "Foundation |
2 | Level School Support [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is |
3 | hereby amended to read as follows: |
4 | 16-7-40. Increased school housing ratio. |
5 | (a)(1) In the case of regional school districts, the school housing aid ratio shall be increased |
6 | by two percent (2%) for each grade so consolidated. |
7 | (2) Regional school districts undertaking renovation project(s) shall receive an increased |
8 | share ratio of four percent (4%) for those specific project(s) only, in addition to the combined share |
9 | ratio calculated in § 16-7-39 and this subsection. |
10 | (b) In the case of projects undertaken by districts specifically for the purposes of school |
11 | safety and security, the school housing aid share ratio shall be increased by five percent (5%) for |
12 | these specific projects only, in the calculation of school housing aid. The increased share ratio shall |
13 | continue to be applied for as long as the project(s) receives state housing aid. In order to qualify for |
14 | the increased share ratio, seventy-five percent (75%) of the project costs must be specifically |
15 | directed to school safety and security measures. The council on elementary and secondary |
16 | education shall promulgate rules and regulations for the administration and operation of this |
17 | section. |
18 | (c) For purposes of addressing health and safety deficiencies as defined by the school |
19 | building authority, including the remediation of hazardous materials, the school housing aid ratio |
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1 | shall be increased by five percent (5%) so long as the construction of the project commences is |
2 | approved by June 30, 2024, is completed by June 30, 2029, and a two hundred fifty million dollar |
3 | ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the November 2018 ballot. In order to |
4 | qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a minimum |
5 | of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to this purpose. |
6 | (d) For purposes of educational enhancement, including projects devoted to the |
7 | enhancement of early childhood education and career and technical education, the school housing |
8 | aid ratio shall be increased by five percent (5%) so long as construction of the project commences |
9 | is approved by June 30, 2024, is completed by June 30, 2029, and a two hundred fifty million dollar |
10 | ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the November 2018 ballot. In order to |
11 | qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a minimum |
12 | of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to these purposes. |
13 | (e) For replacement of a facility that has a facilities condition index of sixty-five percent |
14 | (65%) or higher, the school housing ratio shall be increased by five percent (5%) so long as |
15 | construction of the project commences is approved by June 30, 2024, is completed by June 30, |
16 | 2029, does not receive a bonus pursuant to subsection (f) or subsection (g), and a two hundred fifty |
17 | million dollar ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the November 2018 ballot. |
18 | In order to qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a |
19 | minimum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to this purpose. |
20 | (f) For any new construction or renovation that increases the functional utilization of any |
21 | facility from less than sixty percent (60%) to more than eighty percent (80%), including the |
22 | consolidation of school buildings within or across districts, the school housing aid ratio shall be |
23 | increased by five percent (5%) so long as construction of the project commences is approved by |
24 | June 30, 2024, is completed by June 30, 2029, and a two hundred fifty million dollar ($250,000,000) |
25 | general obligation bond is approved on the November 2018 ballot. In order to qualify for the |
26 | increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a minimum of five hundred |
27 | thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to this purpose. |
28 | (g) For any new construction or renovation that decreases the functional utilization of any |
29 | facility from more than one hundred twenty percent (120%) to between eighty-five percent (85%) |
30 | to one hundred five percent (105%), the school housing ratio shall be increased by five percent |
31 | (5%) so long as construction of the project commences is approved by June 30, 2024, is completed |
32 | by June 30, 2029, and a two hundred fifty million dollar ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is |
33 | approved on the November 2018 ballot. In order to qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty- |
34 | five percent (25%) of the project costs or a minimum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) |
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1 | must be specifically directed to this purpose. |
2 | (h) For consolidation of two (2) or more school buildings, within or across districts into |
3 | one school building, the school housing aid ratio shall be increased by five percent (5%) so long as |
4 | construction of the project commences is approved by June 30, 2024, is completed by June 30, |
5 | 2029, a two hundred fifty million dollar ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the |
6 | November 2018 ballot, and does not receive a bonus pursuant to subsection (f) or subsection (g). |
7 | In order to qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a |
8 | minimum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to this purpose. |
9 | (i) Any regionalized and/or non-regionalized school district receiving an increased share |
10 | ratio for a project approved prior to July 1, 2018, shall continue to receive the increased share ratio |
11 | for as long as the project receives state housing aid. |
12 | 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 EDUCATION -- FOUNDATION LEVEL SCHOOL SUPPORT | |
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1 | This act would modify the current law to allow for approval of construction projects within |
2 | school districts, rather than needing the project to be commenced by a certain date, permitting the |
3 | municipality to take advantage of the state’s enhanced school bonuses and extending the time limits |
4 | for the municipality to contract with the general contractors performing such work. |
5 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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