2024 -- S 2861

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LC004287

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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 -- STATE AID

     Introduced By: Senators Bissaillon, Zurier, Ciccone, DiPalma, Mack, and Bell

     Date Introduced: March 22, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-5-30 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-5 entitled "State Aid [See

Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as

follows:

     16-5-30. Withholding of aid for infraction of laws or regulations — Report to general

assembly.

     (a) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education may, for violation or neglect

of law or for violation or neglect of rules and regulations in pursuance of law by any city or town

or city or town officer or school committee, or for nonpayment of tuition owed by one community

to another including but not limited to those children in state custody, vocational education, or

special education, order the general treasurer to withhold the payment of any portion of the public

money that has been or may be apportioned to the city or town; and the general treasurer upon the

receipt in writing of the order shall hold the public money due the city or town until the time as the

commissioner by writing requests the withheld funds for the purposes of eliminating the violation

or neglect of law or regulation that caused the order to be issued, or the commissioner of elementary

and secondary education shall notify the treasurer that the city or town has complied with the order

as the department of elementary and secondary education shall make in the premises, in which case

payment shall be made to the town immediately. If the violation is for nonpayment of tuition and

it has been determined by the commissioner that the tuition is owed, then the commissioner shall,

subject to the debtor community’s right to appeal to the superior court, order the general treasurer

to deduct the amount owed from the debtor community’s school aid and to pay the community

which is owed the tuition. The board of regents for elementary and secondary education shall report

to the general assembly annually all infractions of school law which shall be brought to its attention,

with a record of this action as the department shall have taken in each instance.

     (b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter or in any other provision of

the general law, the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply during an

intervention or other exercise of control authorized pursuant to § 16-7.1-5

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage, and shall apply retroactively to any

and all orders issued under § 16-5-30 on or after January 1, 2021, as well as to any and all pending

orders or proceeding under § 16-5-30 as of the passage of this act.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- STATE AID

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     This act would exempt schools or school districts subject to an intervention for failing

schools from the withholding of aid provisions for infractions related to nonpayment of tuition

owed by one community to another.

     This act would take effect upon passage, and would apply retroactively to any and all orders

issued under § 16-5-30 on or after January 1, 2021, as well as to any and all pending orders or

proceedings under § 16-5-30 as of the passage of this act.

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LC004287

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