2026 -- S 3010

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LC005533

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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 -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

     Introduced By: Senators Valverde, DiPalma, DiMario, Mack, Zurier, McKenney,
Murray, Lauria, and Thompson

     Date Introduced: March 05, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-21 of the General Laws entitled "Health and Safety of Pupils" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     16-21-44. Termination for cause -- Non-teacher employees -- List maintained.

     (a) Whenever a non-teacher employee’s employment with a school is terminated for good

and just cause by a principal, superintendent, school committee or other governing body of a public

school, a private school, a school district, a charter public school, or a mayoral academy (hereinafter

collectively referred to as a “school”), the school’s governing body shall, within sixty (60) days of

the termination, or in cases where the termination is appealed, within sixty (60) days after the

conclusion of the appeal filed by the terminated non-teacher employee, and the termination is

upheld, furnish the Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary education (the

“department”) with the identity of the terminated non-teacher employee and the good and just cause

for the termination. Provided, this section shall not apply to:

     (1) The nonrenewal of a contract of a non-teacher employee without cause or unrelated to

misconduct or performance; or

     (2) The termination of a non-teacher employee due to fiscal exigency or program

reorganization.

     (b) The department shall maintain a list of those non-teacher employees who have been

terminated for good and just cause as well as the good and just cause for the termination (the “list”),

and shall update the list monthly to include any additional names and cause submitted pursuant to

the provisions of this section. The department shall establish a tracking system for reporting these

names and causes, as well as to provide access to these names and causes, to hiring authorities.

This list shall be accessible only to the hiring authority of any private, parochial, charter, or public

school or school district.

     (c) The list shall not be a public record pursuant to chapter 2 of title 38 ("access to public

records"). This section shall not abrogate or modify any existing statutory or common law

privileges or immunities.

     (d) As used herein, the term “non-teacher employee” means any person working within or

for a school whose employment with the school is not subject to the provisions of chapter 13 of

title 16.

     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 -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

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     This act would require that the names of any non-teacher school employees who are

terminated for good and just cause, be furnished to the Rhode Island department of elementary and

secondary education. The department would maintain a list of the names and the good cause for

the termination. This list would not be a public document, but would be available to hiring

authorities of schools and school districts.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005533

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