2026 -- H 8336

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LC006076

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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 -- RHODE ISLAND HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PILOT

PROGRAM ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Alzate, Hull, Shanley, O'Brien, Phillips,
Bennett, Batista, Azzinaro, and Noret

     Date Introduced: March 20, 2026

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. The title of Chapter 16-113 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Hope

Scholarship Pilot Program Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

CHAPTER 16-113

Rhode Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act

CHAPTER 16-113

RHODE ISLAND HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ACT

     SECTION 2. Sections 16-113-1, 16-113-2, 16-113-3, 16-113-4 and 16-113-7 of the

General Laws in Chapter 16-113 entitled "Rhode Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act" are

hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-113-1. Short title.

     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Hope Scholarship Pilot

Program Act”.

     16-113-2. Legislative findings and purpose.

     (a) The general assembly finds and declares that:

     (1) Education is critical for the state’s young people to achieve their aspirations and

develop their talents;

     (2) The state’s economic success depends on a highly educated and skilled workforce;

     (3) The state’s future prosperity depends upon its ability to make educational opportunities

beyond high school available for all students;

     (4) The coronavirus has inflicted undue hardships on students and their families, creating

barriers to a four-year (4) college degree;

     (5) A merit-based tuition reduction program will help make a four-year (4) college degree

available to all students;

     (6) Rhode Island college offers students a feasible opportunity to obtain a four-year (4)

degree, but remains an underutilized resource in the state; and

     (7) The state of Rhode Island’s motto is “Hope”.

     (b) In order to address the findings set forth in subsection (a) of this section, the purpose

of this chapter is to increase the number of students enrolling in and completing four-year (4)

degrees and certificates on time from Rhode Island college, and to promote more graduates in high-

need fields such as nursing, pre-K through grade twelve (12) education, and the trades, which are

fields for which Rhode Island college provides a strong and affordable education.

     (c) The purpose of the pilot program is also to determine whether a scholarship program

for Rhode Island college that is modeled on the promise scholarship program established in chapter

107 of this title would be successful in attaining the goals set forth in this section.

     16-113-3. Establishment of scholarship program.

     There is hereby established the Rhode Island hope scholarship pilot program. The general

assembly shall annually appropriate the funds necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter

for the periods of the pilot program. Additional funds beyond the scholarships may be appropriated

to support and advance the Rhode Island hope scholarship pilot program. In addition to

appropriation by the general assembly, charitable donations may be accepted into the scholarship

program.

     16-113-4. Definitions.

     When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

     (1) “ADA” means the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., as may

be amended from time to time.

     (2) “Certificate” means any certificate program with labor market value as defined by the

postsecondary commissioner.

     (3) “College-level credit” means credit awarded by a college or university for completion

of its own courses or other academic work.

     (4) “FAFSA” means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.

     (5) “General education coursework” means the educational foundation of knowledge,

skills, and attitudes that prepares students for success in their majors and their personal and

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professional lives after graduation. It includes, but is not limited to, the required coursework of all

degrees developed by each eligible postsecondary institution that is approved by the council on

postsecondary education that is intended to ensure that all graduates of a state institution have a

balanced core of competencies and knowledge. This does not necessarily include coursework

specifically required for one’s major.

     (6) “Mandatory fees and tuition” means the costs that every student is required to pay in

order to enroll in classes, and does not include room and board, textbooks, program fees that may

exist in some majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, meal plans, or travel.

     (7) “On track to graduate on time” means the standards determined by Rhode Island college

in establishing the expectation of a student to graduate with a bachelor’s degree within four (4)

years of enrollment, or the prescribed completion time for a student completing a certificate

(recognizing that some students, including students who require developmental education, are

double majors, or are enrolled in certain professional programs may require an extended time period

for degree completion).

     (8) “Pilot program Program” and or “scholarship program” means the Rhode Island hope

scholarship pilot program that is established pursuant to § 16-113-3.

     (9) “Reasonable accommodations” means any necessary modifications or adjustment to a

facility, equipment, program, or manner of operation as required by the Americans with Disabilities

Act (“ADA”) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 791, as may be

amended from time to time.

     (10) “Recipient student” means a student attending Rhode Island college who qualifies to

receive the Rhode Island hope scholarship pursuant to § 16-113-6.

     (11) “State” means the state of Rhode Island.

     (12) “Student with a disability” means any student otherwise eligible pursuant to this

chapter who has a physical, developmental, or hidden disability or disabilities, as defined in § 42-

87-1, that would create a hardship or other functional obstacles preventing participation in this

program.

     16-113-7. Reporting and disbursement.

     (a) On or before November 10, 2023, and on or before November 10 and May 10 thereafter

for every year through and including calendar year 2030 of each fiscal year following fiscal year

2024, Rhode Island college shall submit a report to the director of the office of management and

budget, the state budget officer, the house fiscal advisor, the senate fiscal advisor, the commissioner

of postsecondary education, and the chair of the council on postsecondary education, detailing the

following:

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     (1) The number of students eligible to participate in the scholarship program;

     (2) The amount of federal and institutional financial aid anticipated to be received by

recipient students;

     (3) The aggregate tuition and mandatory fee costs attributable to recipient students;

     (4) The resulting total cost of the scholarship program to the state; and

     (5) The report shall contain such data for both the current fiscal year and the most up-to-

date forecast for the following fiscal year. Data reported shall be subdivided by student-year cohort

and shall be accompanied by a written explanation detailing the estimating methodology utilized

and any impact(s) the forecasted data may present to institutional capacity, operational costs, and

the tuition/fee revenue base of the institution.

     (b) On or before July 1, 2030, Rhode Island college and the commissioner of postsecondary

education shall submit a report evaluating the program based on all cohorts to the governor, speaker

of the house, and the president of the senate. This evaluation shall include the following:

     (1) The number of students who started in each cohort;

     (2) The number of students in each cohort who have attained a degree or certification in an

on-time manner;

     (3) The number of students in each cohort who have not attained a degree or certification

in an on-time manner and an analysis of why that has happened;

     (4) The number of students in each cohort who began the program but have been unable to

continue or complete the program and an analysis of why that has happened;

     (5) The costs of the program and the costs of continuing the program;

     (6) Suggestions for ways to increase the success of the program;

     (7) Recommendations as to modifying, continuing, expanding, curtailing, or discontinuing

the program; and

     (8) Any such other recommendations or information as Rhode Island college and the

commissioner of postsecondary education deem appropriate to include in the evaluation.

     (c) The office of management and budget, in consultation with the office of the

postsecondary commissioner, shall oversee the apportionment and disbursement of all funds

appropriated for the purpose of the scholarship program.

     SECTION 3. Section 16-113-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-113 entitled "Rhode

Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act" is hereby repealed.

     16-113-10. Funding of and sunset of pilot program.

     The Rhode Island hope scholarship pilot program shall be funded from July 1, 2023,

through and including June 30, 2030. There shall be no further funding of the pilot program without

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further action of the general assembly. Any final reports due pursuant to this chapter shall be filed

pursuant to the dates set forth herein.

     SECTION 4. 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 -- RHODE ISLAND HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PILOT

PROGRAM ACT

***

     This act would convert the Rhode Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act into a

continuing scholarship program at Rhode Island College, similar to the Rhode Island Promise

Scholarship at the Community College of Rhode Island.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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