2017 -- H 5162

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LC000686

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - EMERGENCY REDUCTION OF SCHOOL YEAR

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Fellela, Lima, Messier, Ucci, and Serpa

     Date Introduced: January 19, 2017

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-2-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-2 entitled "School

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Committees and Superintendents [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of

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Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-2-3. Emergency reduction of school year.

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     (a) In the event of any emergency brought about by the incidence of any epidemic or the

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threat of an epidemic or any emergency which may endanger the health of children or the

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physical well being of the community, the school committee of any city or town, with the

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approval of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, may reduce the number

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of school days to not less than one hundred seventy (170) days; provided, that the compensation

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of teachers, janitors, clerks, and other employees in the public schools of the city or town shall

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not be reduced by reason of the shortening of the school year.

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     (b) In the event that school is cancelled due to a state of emergency declared by the

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governor in accordance with §30-15-9, the number of required school days pursuant to §16-2-2

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shall be reduced by the number of days school was cancelled due to the declaration of the state of

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emergency.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC000686

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - EMERGENCY REDUCTION OF SCHOOL YEAR

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     This act would provide that when the governor declares a state of emergency requiring

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the closing of schools, the lost day would not be made up at the end of the school year.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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