2025 -- H 5252

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LC000917

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- WARWICK PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET

COMMISSION

     Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Shekarchi, Solomon, Bennett, and Read

     Date Introduced: January 31, 2025

     Referred To: House Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Title 45 of the General Laws entitled "TOWNS AND CITIES" is hereby

amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 9.1

Warwick Public Schools Budget Commission

     45-9.1-1. Establishment.

     (a) There is hereby created the Warwick public schools budget commission.

     (b) The Warwick public schools budget commission shall be subject to the provisions of

chapter 2 of title 38 ("access to public records"), chapter 14 of title 36 ("code of ethics"), and chapter

46 of title 42 ("open meetings").

     (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, action by the Warwick

public schools budget commission under this chapter shall constitute action by the school district

for all purposes under the general laws, under any special law, and under the Warwick city charter.

     45-9.1-2. Composition.

     The Warwick public schools budget commission shall consist of five (5) members; three

(3) of whom shall be designees of the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council; one

of whom shall be the designee of the Warwick superintendent of schools; and one of whom shall

be the designee of the chair of the Warwick school committee. One of the mayoral designees shall

serve as the chairperson by vote of the entire commission. No member of the commission shall be

an appointor or a Warwick elected official. Any vacancy that occurs in the commission membership

shall be filled in the same manner and process as which the person creating the vacancy was

appointed.

     45-9.1-3. Authority; Powers; Duties.

     (a) During the term of the Warwick public schools budget commission, no school spending

shall occur unless approved by the commission, or in the case of an emergency, by the city finance

director only to the extent to cure such emergency.

     (b) The Warwick public schools budget commission shall have the power to:

     (1) Amend, formulate, and execute the annual school budget;

     (2) Implement and maintain uniform budget guidelines and procedures for the school

system as a whole;

     (3) Amortize operational deficits in an amount as the city finance director approves and for

a term not longer than five (5) years;

     (4) Develop and maintain a uniform system for all financial planning for the Warwick

public schools district;

     (5) Employ, retain, and supervise such managerial, professional, and clerical staff as are

necessary to carry out its responsibilities; provided, however, that such employment, retention and

supervisory decisions are subject to the approval of the city finance director;

     (6) Adopt rules and regulations governing the operation and administration of the school

district that permit the budget commission to effectively carry out its duties; and

     (7) Compel operational, financial performance, or forensic audits, or any other similar

assessments.

     (c) Within one hundred twenty (120) days of being appointed, the Warwick public schools

budget commission shall develop a three (3) year operating and capital financial plan to achieve

fiscal stability in the Warwick public schools district. The plan shall include a preliminary analysis

of the school district’s financial situation and the Warwick public schools budget commission’s

initial recommendations to immediately begin to address the operating and structural deficits.

     45-9.1-4. Expiration.

     The Warwick public schools budget commission shall cease to exist upon completion of

two (2) events as follows:

     (1) Approval of the FY 2025-2026 Warwick school budget as recommended by the mayor

and approved by the city council; and

     (2) Adoption of a deficit reduction plan by the commission as approved by the auditor

general.

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     45-9.1-5. Exemptions.

     (a) Nothing in this chapter shall authorizes the Warwick public schools budget commission

to:

     (1) Reject or alter any collective bargaining agreement;

     (2) Eliminate the duty to bargain, as provided in chapter 9.3 of title 28 ("certified school

teachers' arbitration");

     (3) Hire or terminate school department personnel;

     (4) Impact projects funded by bond proceeds or make any decisions related thereto,

including, but not limited to, construction of new high schools.

     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 TOWNS AND CITIES -- WARWICK PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET

COMMISSION

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     This act would create the Warwick public schools budget commission consisting of five

(5) members to oversee the operations of Warwick public schools and to present a preliminary

analysis of the school district's financial situation, initial recommendations to immediately address

the operating and structural deficits, and a three (3) year financial plan to achieve fiscal stability.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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