2025 -- H 5399 | |
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LC000728 | |
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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 EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX | |
RELIEF ACT | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Hopkins, Paplauskas, Chippendale, Fascia, Cotter, | |
Date Introduced: February 07, 2025 | |
Referred To: House Finance | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Chapter 16-7.2 of the General Laws entitled "The Education Equity and |
2 | Property Tax Relief Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
3 | 16-7.2-11. School districts may elect and choose not to spend money on mandates not |
4 | fully funded. |
5 | (a)(1) On and after July 1, 2026, a school district may elect and choose not to spend money |
6 | on any mandate that is not fully funded through the provisions of this chapter or of any other state |
7 | funding received through the department of elementary and secondary education (the |
8 | “department”). |
9 | (2) As used herein, the term “mandate” means any rule, regulation, or other policy |
10 | implemented by the department that requires an action to be taken or not taken, and which requires |
11 | a school district to expend funds as a result of that rule, regulation, or other policy, and no funds |
12 | are provided from or through the state including, but not limited to, the foundation education-aid |
13 | formula, to support that action. |
14 | (b) A school district electing and choosing not to spend money pursuant to this section shall |
15 | certify to the department in a written notice the specific mandate that is not being funded, and the |
16 | total dollar amount being saved by the school district as a result of not spending money on this |
17 | mandate. This written notice shall be filed on or before August 31 of the fiscal year for which the |
18 | school district shall not be spending the money. This written notice shall be required to be provided |
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1 | in any year in which the school district proposes to act pursuant to this section. |
2 | (c) A school district electing and choosing not to spend money pursuant to this section shall |
3 | not be penalized or have their state aid reduced as a result of this action. |
4 | 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 -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX | |
RELIEF ACT | |
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1 | This act would provide on and after July 1, 2026, a school district could elect and choose |
2 | to not spend money on any mandate that is not fully funded through the state education aid formula |
3 | or of any other state funding received through the department of elementary and secondary |
4 | education. |
5 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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