2012 -- S 2124

=======

LC00045

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

____________

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Senators Miller, Sosnowski, DaPonte, DiPalma, and Jabour

     Date Introduced: January 18, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1-1

     SECTION 1. Section 16-59-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-59 entitled "Board of

1-2

Governors for Higher Education" is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-3

     16-59-9. Educational budget and appropriations. -- (a) The general assembly shall

1-4

annually appropriate any sums it deems necessary for support and maintenance of higher

1-5

education in the state and the state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders

1-6

upon the general treasurer for the payment of the appropriations or so much of the sums that are

1-7

necessary for the purposes appropriated, upon the receipt by him or her of proper vouchers as the

1-8

board of governors for higher education may by rule provide. The board shall receive, review,

1-9

and adjust the budgets of its several subordinate committees and agencies and for the office of

1-10

higher education and present the budget as part of the budget for higher education under the

1-11

requirements of section 35-3-4.

1-12

      (b) The office of higher education and the institutions of public higher education shall

1-13

establish working capital accounts.

1-14

      (c) Any tuition or fee increase schedules in effect for the institutions of public higher

1-15

education shall be received by the board of governors for allocation for the fiscal year for which

1-16

state appropriations are made to the board of governors by the general assembly; provided that no

1-17

further increases may be made by the board of governors for the year for which appropriations are

1-18

made. Except that these provisions shall not apply to the revenues of housing, dining, and other

1-19

auxiliary facilities at the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and the Community

1-20

Colleges including student fees as described in P.L. 1962, ch. 257 pledged to secure indebtedness

2-1

issued at any time pursuant to P.L. 1962, ch. 257 as amended.

2-2

     (1) Provided, further, that commencing September 1, 2012, a public transportation fee of

2-3

fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be assessed and collected each semester on students attending a Rhode

2-4

Island institution of public higher education, including the University of Rhode Island, the

2-5

Community College of Rhode Island, and Rhode Island College, in accordance with the

2-6

following schedule:

2-7

     Date assessment begins: Applicable class fee is collected from:

2-8

     September 1, 2012: Freshman and sophomores;

2-9

     September 1, 2013: Freshman, sophomores and juniors;

2-10

     September 1, 2014 and thereafter: Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

2-11

     The student identification card issued to each student shall be prepared to serve as a pass

2-12

for transportation services furnished and/or operated by the Rhode Island public transit authority

2-13

for each semester when the fee imposed by this subsection is paid. The Rhode Island public

2-14

transit authority shall work with the respective Rhode Island institutions of public higher

2-15

education to enable student identification cards to be prepared to serve as a pass for the applicable

2-16

semester.

2-17

     (d) All housing, dining, and other auxiliary facilities at all public institutions of higher

2-18

learning shall be self-supporting and no funds shall be appropriated by the general assembly to

2-19

pay operating expenses, including principal and interest on debt services, and overhead expenses

2-20

for the facilities. Any debt service costs on general obligation bonds presented to the voters in

2-21

November 2000 and November 2004 or appropriated funds from the Rhode Island capital plan for

2-22

the housing auxiliaries at the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College shall not be

2-23

subject to this self-supporting requirement in order to provide funds for the building construction

2-24

and rehabilitation program. The institutions of public higher education will establish policies and

2-25

procedures which enhance the opportunity for auxiliary facilities to be self-supporting, including

2-26

that all faculty provide timely and accurate copies of booklist for required textbooks to the public

2-27

higher educational institution's bookstore.

2-28

      (e) The additional costs to achieve self-supporting status shall be by the implementation

2-29

of a fee schedule of all housing, dining, and other auxiliary facilities, including but not limited to,

2-30

operating expenses, principal, and interest on debt services, and overhead expenses.

2-31

     SECTION 2. Chapter 39-18 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Public Transit

2-32

Authority" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

2-33

     39-18-26. Use of student identification card as a transportation pass. – The authority

2-34

shall work in conjunction with the board of governors for higher education and with the

3-1

respective Rhode Island institutions of public higher education to enable student identification

3-2

cards to be prepared to serve as a pass for the applicable semester as provided for in section 16-

3-3

59-9.

3-4

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

=======

LC00045

========

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

***

4-1

     This act would authorize and direct the board of governors for higher education to assess

4-2

a transportation fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) per semester to students attending a Rhode Island

4-3

public institution of higher learning. The student identification cards issued to students assessed

4-4

these fees would be modified to serve as a pass for services furnished and/or operated by the

4-5

Rhode Island public transit authority.

4-6

     This act would take effect upon passage.

=======

LC00045

=======