Introduced By: Senators Coderre T. and Walsh
Date Introduced : February 9, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 16-59-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-59 entitled "Board of Governors for Higher Education" is hereby amended to read as follows:
16-59-1. Board of governors for higher education established. -- (a) There is hereby created a board of governors for higher education, sometimes hereinafter referred to as the "board" or the "board of governors", which shall be and hereby is constituted a public corporation, empowered to sue and be sued in its own name, to have a corporate seal, and to exercise all the powers, in addition to those hereinafter specifically enumerated, usually appertaining to public corporations entrusted with control of postsecondary educational institutions and functions. The board shall be protected from sudden changes in membership and reversal of policy by having staggered terms for its public members. Upon its organization the board of governors shall be invested with the legal title (in trust for the state) to all property, real and personal, now owned by and/or under the control or in custody of the board of regents for education for the use of the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, Community College of Rhode Island and the system of community colleges of Rhode Island including all departments, divisions, and branches thereof.
(b) The board of governors is empowered to hold and operate the property in trust for the state; to acquire, hold, and dispose of the property and other like property as deemed necessary for the execution of its corporate purposes. The board of governors is hereby made successor to all powers, rights, duties, and privileges formerly belonging to the board of regents for education pertaining to postsecondary education.
(c) The board of governors shall consist of fifteen (15) members
as follows: twelve (12) public members, appointed pursuant to
the terms of section 16-59-2, one of whom shall be a full time
student in good standing at the University of Rhode Island, Rhode
Island College or the Community College of Rhode Island, {DEL the
chairperson DEL} {ADD a member ADD} of the board of regents for
elementary and secondary education {ADD designated by the chairperson
of such board ADD}, the chairperson of the senate finance committee
or his or her designee, and the chairperson of the house finance
committee or his or her designee.
(d) The public members of the board of governors shall receive compensation in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each day of actual service in attending meetings or duly organized subcommittee meetings of the board at which business is transacted; provided, however, that the compensation in any one year shall not exceed the sum of three thousand dollars ($3,000) per member.
(e) The legislative members shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be allowed their travel and necessary expenses. The governor shall designate one of the public members as chairperson of the board of governors who shall receive seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for each day of actual service in attending meetings of the board at which business is transacted; provided, however, he or she shall not receive more than four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) in any one year.
SECTION 2. Section 16-60-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-60 entitled "Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education" is hereby amended to read as follows:
16-60-1. Board established. -- (a) There is hereby created a board of regents for elementary and secondary education sometimes hereinafter referred to as the "regents" or the "board of regents" which shall be and hereby is constituted a public corporation, empowered to sue and be sued in its own name, to have a corporate seal, and to exercise all the powers, in addition to those hereinafter specifically enumerated, usually appertaining to public corporations entrusted with control of elementary and secondary education institutions and functions. The regents shall be protected from sudden changes in membership and reversal of policy by having staggered terms for its public members.
(b) Upon its organization the board of regents shall be invested with the legal title (in trust for the state) to all property, real and personal, now owned by and/or under the control or in the custody of the board of regents for education for the use of the department of education. The board of regents is hereby made successor to all powers, rights, duties, and privileges pertaining to elementary and secondary education.
(c) The board of regents for elementary and secondary education
shall consist of eleven (11) members as follows: Eight (8) public
members appointed pursuant to the terms of section 16-60-2, {DEL the
chairperson DEL} {ADD a member ADD} of the board of governors
for higher education {ADD designated by the chairperson of such
board ADD}, the chairperson of the senate finance committee or
his or her designee and the chairperson of the house finance committee
or his or her designee. The public members of the board of regents
shall receive compensation in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00)
for each day of actual service in attending meetings or duly organized
subcommittee meetings of the board at which business is transacted;
provided, however, that the compensation in any one year shall
not exceed the sum of three thousand dollars ($3,000) per member.
(d) The legislative members shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be allowed their travel and necessary expenses. The governor shall designate one of the public members as chairperson of the board of regents who shall receive seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for each day of actual service in attending meetings of the regents at which business is transacted; provided, however, the chairperson shall not receive more than four thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500) in any one year.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
