2014 -- H 7804

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Representatives Handy, Finn, O`Grady, Keable, and Tanzi

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2014

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

requirements of section 35-3-4.

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

establish working capital accounts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     (1) Provided, further, that commencing September 1, 2014, a public transportation fee of

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

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

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

following schedule:

     Date assessment begins: Applicable class fee is collected from:

     September 1, 2014: Freshman and sophomores;

     September 1, 2015: Freshman, sophomores and juniors;

     September 1, 2016 and thereafter: Freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors.

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

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

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

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

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

semester.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

higher educational institution's bookstore.

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

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

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

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

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

     39-18-25. Use of student identification card as a transportation pass. -- The authority

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

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

cards to be prepared to serve as a pass for the applicable semester as provided for in § 16-59-9.

     SECTION 3. 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 -- BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

***

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

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

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

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

Rhode Island public transit authority.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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