2014 -- H 7246

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LC003790

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO EXAMINE FUNDING RHODE

ISLAND'S ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY PUBLIC EDUCATION VIA REVENUE

GENERATED THROUGH STATE INCOME TAX

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Guthrie, Valencia, Cimini, Amore, and Tomasso

     Date Introduced: January 30, 2014

     Referred To: House Finance

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     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

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consisting of seventeen (17) members: five (5) of whom shall be members of the House of

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Representatives, not more than three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the

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Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than two (2)

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from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall

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be the president of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, or designee; one of whom shall

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be the president of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees, or designee; one of

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whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island Association of Administrators, or designee; one

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of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Federation of

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Teachers, or designee; one of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island Chapter of the

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National  Education Association, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode

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Island Independent School Association, or designee; two (2) of whom shall be members of the

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general public, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House, and one of whom

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shall be appointed by the President of the Senate; and one of whom shall be the commissioner of

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Elementary and Secondary Education, or designee. 

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

 

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is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to study funding of the state's elementary and

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secondary educational system based on the state's income tax system as opposed to reliance on

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local property taxes and to make recommendations with respect thereto. 

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate and organize and shall select,

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from among the legislators, a chairperson.  Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like

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manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

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suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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General Assembly no later than January 6, 2015 and said commission shall expire on March 6,

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2015.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO EXAMINE FUNDING RHODE

ISLAND'S ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY PUBLIC EDUCATION VIA REVENUE

GENERATED THROUGH STATE INCOME TAX

***

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     This resolution would create a seventeen (17) member special legislative commission

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whose purpose it would be to make a comprehensive study of all aspects of funding elementary

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and secondary public education through state income tax, and who would report back to the

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General Assembly no later than January 6, 2015 and whose life would expire on March 6, 2015.

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LC003790

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