2017 -- H 5662

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LC001786

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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 - BOARD OF EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Messier, Morin, Kazarian, McNamara, and Fellela

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2017

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-59-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-59 entitled "Board of

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Governors for Higher Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education

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Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-59-2. Appointment of members of the council on postsecondary education.

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     (a) The governor shall establish the council for postsecondary education by appointing

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eight (8) members of the board of education established pursuant to chapter 16-97 to serve as

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members of the council, until the expiration of their term as a member of the board of education

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and their successor is appointed. In addition the governor shall appoint one (1) student member

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who shall be a full time student in good standing at the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island

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College or the Community College of Rhode Island and who shall serve in a non-voting, ex-

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officio capacity for a single two (2) year term and shall rotate among the three (3) public

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institutions. The governor shall appoint the chair of the council on an annual basis from among

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the eight (8) voting council members. The chair of the council shall be elected by the council on

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an annual basis from among the eight (8) voting council members. The chair of the board of

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education shall serve on the council in voting, ex-officio capacity. Five (5) voting members of the

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council shall constitute a quorum and the vote of a majority of those present and voting shall be

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required for action.

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     (b) No person shall be eligible for appointment to the board unless the person has prior

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experience as a public higher education faculty, public higher education employee, public higher

 

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education administrator, or served on the higher education assistance authority.

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     SECTION 2. Section 16-60-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-60 entitled "Board of

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Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island

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

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     16-60-2. Appointment of board members.

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     (a) The governor shall establish the council on elementary and secondary education by

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appointing eight (8) members of the board of education established pursuant to chapter 16-97 to

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serve as members of the council until the expiration of their term and appointment of their

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successor as a member of the board of education. The chair of the board of education shall serve

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on the council in a voting, ex-officio capacity. Five (5) voting members of the council shall

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constitute a quorum and the vote of the majority of those present and voting shall be required for

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action. The governor shall appoint the chair of the council on an annual basis from among the

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eight (8) council members. The chair of the council shall be elected by the council on an annual

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basis from among the eight (8) voting council members.

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     (b)(1) No person shall be eligible for appointment to the board after the effective date of

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this act [March 24, 2006] unless he or she is a resident of this state.

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     (2) No person shall be eligible for appointment to the board unless the person has prior

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experience as a public higher education faculty, public higher education employee, public higher

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education administrator, or served on the higher education assistance authority.

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     (c) There is hereby established a student advisory council to the council on elementary

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and secondary education, consisting of one elected high school student representative from each

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public secondary school in the state of Rhode Island.

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     (1) Each public secondary school shall hold elections for its representative to the student

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advisory council no earlier than the first (1st) day of March and no later than the end of the

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second (2nd) full week of April. Each school shall elect only one representative. Elected members

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shall be notified of their election on or before the Friday of the third (3rd) week of April of the

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year of their election. No person shall be eligible to be elected to the student advisory council

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unless at the time of his or her election he or she is enrolled as a student in a secondary school

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between the grades of nine (9) and eleven (11) within the state of Rhode Island. No person shall

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be allowed to vote if they are not currently enrolled in a Rhode Island public secondary school

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between the grades of nine (9) and eleven (11). If at any time during his or her term of office a

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member of the student advisory council ceases to be so enrolled, his or her membership shall be

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terminated and his or her position shall be deemed vacant. This vacancy shall be filled by the

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public secondary school within thirty (30) school days of the opening of the vacancy.

 

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     (2) The student advisory council will serve from the first (1st) day of May of the year it is

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elected until the last day of April of the following year. A student may serve no more than three

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(3) terms.

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     (3) Said student advisory council shall meet from time to time and shall consider such

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matters as it deems appropriate.

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     (4) Prior to the first (1st) day of June of each annual session the student advisory council

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shall adopt a set of bylaws.

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     (5) Members of the council shall not be compensated for service in attending meetings

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except that they shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in travelling to and from

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meetings.

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     (6) The members of said student advisory council shall, by majority vote prior to the first

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(1st) day of June in each year, elect from their members a chairperson who shall serve for a term

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of one year beginning on the first (1st) day of June. Said chairperson shall serve as an ex officio

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and nonvoting member of the council for a term of one year, unless the student advisory council

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removes said chairperson from his or her position in a manner described within the bylaws of that

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council.

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     SECTION 3. Section 16-97-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-97 entitled "The Rhode

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Island Board of Education Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-97-1. Rhode Island board of education established.

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     (a) Effective January 1, 2013, there is created a board of education that shall be

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responsible for and shall exercise the purposes, powers, and duties of, this chapter and chapters

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59 and 60 of this title. The board is responsible for the coordination of education from pre-k

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through higher education and shall set goals and policies for the effective coordination of these

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public education systems.

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     (b)(1) The board of education shall consist of seventeen (17) public members appointed

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by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, eight (8) of whom shall be designated

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to serve on the council for elementary and secondary education and eight (8) of whom shall be

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designated to serve on the council for postsecondary education. The chairperson of the board

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shall serve as a member of both councils. Six (6) of the members initially appointed pursuant to

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this section shall serve terms of three (3) years; six (6) members initially appointed pursuant to

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this section shall serve terms of two (2) years; and, four (4) members initially appointed pursuant

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to this section shall serve terms of one year. To the greatest extent possible, the initial staggered

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terms shall be equitably divided among the councils so as to protect against sudden changes in

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membership and reversal of policy. Thereafter, all members appointed pursuant to this section

 

LC001786 - Page 3 of 5

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shall serve terms of three (3) years. At the expiration of their terms, members shall remain and

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continue in their official capacity until their successor is appointed and qualified. Members shall

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not be appointed to more than three (3), successive three-year (3) terms each; provided that the

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chair of the board shall have no term and shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. Any vacancy

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among the members of the board shall be filled by appointment of the governor for the remainder

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of the unexpired term. In the selection and appointment of the board, the governor shall seek

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persons who best serve the needs of the entire state. No person shall be eligible for appointment

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to the board after the effective date of this act unless a resident of this state. Members of the board

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shall not be compensated for their service in attending board or council meetings.

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     (2) No person shall be eligible for appointment to the board unless the person has prior

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experience as a public higher education faculty, public higher education employee, public higher

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education administrator, or served on the higher education assistance authority.

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     (c) The chair of the Governor's Workforce Board, or designee, and the chair of the Rhode

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Island Commerce Corporation, or designee, shall serve as non-voting, ex-officio members of the

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board.

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     (d) The governor shall select from the appointed members a chairperson and vice

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chairperson. A quorum shall consist of nine (9) members of the board. A majority vote of those

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present shall be required for action.

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     (e) Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, members of the board shall be

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removable by the governor for cause only. Removal solely for partisan or personal reasons

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unrelated to performance, capacity, or fitness for the office shall be unlawful.

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     (f) The statutory responsibilities of the department of elementary and secondary

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education, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, and the commissioner of

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postsecondary education shall remain unchanged.

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     (g) The chair of the board of education shall consult with the chairs of the council on

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elementary and secondary education, the council on postsecondary education, the commissioner

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of elementary and secondary education, and the commissioner of postsecondary education in

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developing agendas, goals, policies, and strategic plans for the board.

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     SECTION 4. 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 EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

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     This act would provide that the chair of the council for postsecondary education and the

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chair of the council on elementary and secondary education be elected by the council members. In

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addition, each member of the board of education would be required to have prior experience in a

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higher education position.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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