2014 -- S 2432

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LC003947

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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: Senators Satchell, Lombardi, Cote, DiPalma, and Crowley

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Education

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elementary and Secondary Education, or designee. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

local property taxes and to make recommendations with respect thereto. 

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

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

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

manner as the original appointment.

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

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

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

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

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

suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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

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

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

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

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

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

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