2013 -- S 0188

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LC00253

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX

RELIEF ACT

     

     

     Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Picard, Doyle, Conley, and Goldin

     Date Introduced: February 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Finance

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-7.2-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7.2 entitled "The

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Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-7.2-7. Transition plan. – (a)(1) The general assembly, shall annually determine the

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appropriation of education aid pursuant to this chapter using a transition plan to begin in fiscal

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year 2012, not to exceed seven (7) years for LEA's for whom the calculated education aid

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pursuant to section 16-7.2-3 is more than the education aid the LEA is receiving as of the

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effective date of the formula, and ten (10) years for LEA's for whom the calculated education aid

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pursuant to section 16-7.2-3 is less than the education aid the LEA is receiving as of the effective

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date of the formula.

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     (2) Provided, that effective with the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, LEA’s for whom

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the calculated education aid pursuant to section 16-7.2-3 is more than the education aid it is

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receiving as of the effective date of the formula, the transition plan shall be accelerated so that

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such districts receive one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of the appropriation of education

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aid due under the formula. Provided, further, that for any municipality receiving additional

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education aid through this acceleration of the transition plan which municipality spends more

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than the average per pupil spending in the state, that municipality may elect to reduce its local

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maintenance of effort payments up to the amount of additional funding being received by the

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municipality through this acceleration.

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     (3) Districts receiving less than the education aid the LEA is receiving as of the effective

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date of the formula shall remain on the ten (10) year transition plan.

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     (b) The local share of funding pursuant to section 16-7.2-5 shall be transitioned

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proportionately over a period not to exceed 5 years. The transition shall provide a combination of

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direct aid to districts, funds for the categorical programs, and district savings through state-

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assumed costs, as determined by the general assembly on an annual basis, Updates to any

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components of the permanent foundation education aid formula, such as student data, property

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values, and/or median family income, that result in an increase or decrease in state education aid

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that impacts the total state and local contribution by more than three percent (3%) shall be

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transitioned over a period of time not to exceed three (3) years.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

     

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LC00253

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX

RELIEF ACT

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     This act would accelerate the transition plan for calculation state aid to education. The act

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specifically accelerates the amounts paid to those local educational agencies which receive more

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than the education aid the LEA was receiving as of the effective date of the school funding

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formula, but keeps the transition plan in place for those districts receiving less education aid.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

     

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LC00253

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S0188