2025 -- H 6044

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LC002262

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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 ONWARD WE LEARN SCHOLARSHIP ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives Messier, Hull, Kazarian, Fogarty, Fellela, and Serpa

     Date Introduced: March 07, 2025

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-70-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-70 entitled "THE

ONWARD WE LEARN SCHOLARSHIP ACT [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — the Rhode Island

Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-70-5. Budget and appropriations.

     The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums as it deems necessary as the

state’s share for the support and maintenance of the onward we learn scholarship program,

including operational and scholarship support, and the. Should funds remain from the enacted

budget in any fiscal year from the Rhode Island promise scholarship program after the community

college of Rhode Island has satisfied all eligible scholarships associated with chapter 107 of title

16 (“Rhode Island promise scholarship”), the office of the postsecondary commissioner is directed

to reimburse onward we learn for any scholarships that onward we learn has paid on behalf of its

students who have attended the community college of Rhode island in that respective fiscal year.

In addition, should funds remain from the enacted budget in any fiscal year from the Rhode Island

hope scholarship program after Rhode Island college has satisfied all eligible scholarships

associated with chapter 113 of title 16 (“Rhode Island hope scholarship pilot program act”), the

office of postsecondary commissioner is directed to reimburse onward we learn for any

scholarships that onward we learn has paid on behalf of its students who have attended Rhode

Island college in that respective fiscal year. The state controller is authorized and directed to draw

their orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of the appropriations upon receipt by the

state controller of the proper voucher the office of the postsecondary commissioner may provide.

The office of the postsecondary commissioner shall present the voucher to the state controller no

later than the last day of the first month of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is made and

this appropriation shall be remitted to the accounts of the onward we learn scholarship program by

the state treasurer no later than the last day of the second month of the fiscal year.

     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 ONWARD WE LEARN SCHOLARSHIP ACT

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     This act would require any remaining funds in the enacted budget from the Rhode Island

promise scholarship program or the Rhode Island hope scholarship program, after Rhode Island

college has satisfied all eligible scholarships pursuant to those programs, to be reimbursed to

onward we learn for any scholarships that onward we learn has paid on behalf of its students who

have attended Rhode Island college in that fiscal year.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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