2026 -- H 7460

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LC003605

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY

AND TOWN LIMITS

     Introduced By: Representatives Paplauskas, McNamara, Nardone, Fascia, Place,
Newberry, Read, Chippendale, Roberts, and J. Brien

     Date Introduced: January 30, 2026

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-21.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21.1 entitled

"Transportation of School Pupils Beyond City and Town Limits [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The

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

     16-21.1-8. Statewide transportation system for all students.

     (a)(1) Notwithstanding the regional structure created in this chapter, and upon

implementation of a statewide school transportation system for all students, each school committee

shall purchase the transportation services for their own resident students by accessing this

integrated statewide system of transportation on a fee-for-service basis for each child; provided,

however, that any school committee that fulfills its transportation obligations predominantly

through the use of district-owned buses or district employees may apply for a variance from the

commissioner of education, or the commissioner’s designee, thereby requesting that its

transportation obligations continue to be achieved through the use of the buses owned by the district

and staffed by district employees. All fees paid for transportation services provided to students

under the statewide system shall be paid into a statewide student transportation services restricted

receipt account within the department of elementary and secondary education. Payments from the

account shall be limited to payments to the transportation service provider and transportation

system consultants. This restricted receipt account shall not be subject to the indirect cost recoveries

provisions set forth in § 35-4-27. The goals of the statewide system of transportation for all students

shall be the reduction of duplication of cost and routes in transporting children from the various

cities and towns using different buses within and between each city and town, the improvement of

services to children through the development of shorter ride times and more efficient routes of

travel, and the reduction of cost to local school committees through achieving efficiency in

eliminating the need for each school district to contract for and provide these transportation services

separately.

     (2) Any and all local education agencies and/or municipalities may contract out of the

statewide transportation system if they can find a more cost-effective option than the current fee-

for-service model as set forth in subsection (a)(1) of this section; provided, however, the local

educational agency and/or municipality shall demonstrate financial savings to the state education

commissioner in order to opt out of statewide transportation and contract transportation for their

students. If the education commissioner approves the request of the local education agency and/or

municipality to opt out of statewide transportation, then said local education agency and/or

municipality shall not be penalized in any and all state aid appropriations for contracting the service.

     (b) There shall be deducted from the final aid payment to each school district any amounts

owed to the state at the end of the fiscal year for transportation of the district’s students under the

statewide transportation system established pursuant to this section. Districts shall receive monthly

invoices summarizing the basis of the transportation fees charged. Any such deductions in aid shall

be transferred to the statewide student transportation services restricted receipt account, as set forth

in § 35-4-27.

     (c) No school committee shall negotiate, extend, or renew any public transportation service

contract unless the contract provides for payments to school bus drivers, attendants, monitors, and

aides for one hundred and eighty (180) days or the length of the contracted-for school year,

whichever is longer.

     (d) With respect to any contract entered into under this section, a school committee or local

education agency shall give a preference in contract and/or subcontract awards to the public

transportation provider that uses electric buses to the greatest extent. This preference shall be given

equal weight to any other preferences available to vendors.

     (e) With respect to any contract entered into under this section, no school committee or

local education agency (“LEA”) shall take any adverse disciplinary action against any school bus

driver, attendant, monitor, or aide covered by a collective bargaining agreement prior to any

investigation or action taken by the contracting entity as provided for in the collective bargaining

agreement. Nor shall the school committee or LEA impose discipline in excess of what is provided

for in the governing collective bargaining agreement.

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     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 -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY

AND TOWN LIMITS

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     This act would provide local educational agencies and/or municipalities with a mechanism

to opt-out of statewide transportation and contract transportation for students, upon a showing of a

cost-effective alternative to the current fee-for-service model. If approved, the local agency and/or

municipality shall not be penalized in any and all state aid appropriations for contracting the service.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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