2017 -- H 5683

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LC001872

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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 - THE RHODE ISLAND CHILDREN'S CRUSADE FOR

HIGHER EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Representatives Maldonado, Diaz, Kazarian, Barros, and Tobon

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2017

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. The title of Chapter 16-70 of the General Laws entitled "The Rhode Island

Children's Crusade for Higher Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of

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

CHAPTER 16-70

The Rhode Island Children's Crusade for Higher Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode

Island Board of Education Act]

CHAPTER 16-70

THE COLLEGE CRUSADE SCHOLARSHIP [SEE TITLE 16 CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE

ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

     SECTION 2. Sections 16-70-1, 16-70-2, 16-70-3, 16-70-4, 16-70-5 and 16-70-6 of the

General Laws in Chapter 16-70 entitled "The Rhode Island Children's Crusade for Higher

Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" are hereby

amended to read as follows:

     16-70-1. Short title.

     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rhode Island Children's Crusade

for Higher Education Act" "College Crusade Scholarship Act".

     16-70-2. Legislative findings.

     It is found and declared as follows:

     (1) Rhode Island must continue to develop the educational and vocational career and

technical skills of its citizens students for its continued economic development, prosperity, and

for maintaining and improving its quality of life.

     (2) The present and future workforce will be requiring requires ever higher levels of

educational and vocational career and technical training in order to maintain improve the

economic prosperity of our state and nation.

     (3) The state's school drop-out rate continues to remain at unacceptable levels, precluding

substantial numbers of students from pursuing the higher levels of education and vocational

training required to achieve desirable employment opportunities. With regard to high school

graduation and college going rates, the state's low-income students continue to lag behind their

peers.

     (4) A comprehensive, long range strategy is essential if this critical problem is to be

addressed. This plan will need to incorporate the elements of programs which have demonstrated

success in dealing with at-risk youth supporting underrepresented, first generation and low-

income students, including appropriate incentives to encourage and support at-risk youth these

students toward the goal of graduating from school and pursuing and completing higher levels of

education and training.

     (5) This plan will require the involvement and support of parents, guardians families,

educators, and the community at large, working closely with at-risk underserved students, and

must provide students with a well-organized and directed mentoring advisory program to include

intensive orientation and training of these mentors advisors.

     16-70-3. Program for the support of the Rhode Island children's crusade for higher

education established. Program for the support of the college crusade established.

     The board of governors for higher education council on postsecondary education is

empowered to establish and provide as part of the operation of the office of higher education the

postsecondary commissioner methods and procedures for the state's support of the Rhode Island

children's college crusade scholarship and provide for higher education. As needed, the board of

governors shall seek financial and technical assistance as needed from Rhode Island higher

education assistance authority.

     16-70-4. Board of governors support program -- Powers and duties. Council on

postsecondary education support program -- Powers and duties.

     (a) The board of governors for higher education council on postsecondary education shall

have the following powers and duties:

     (1) To prepare with the assistance of the commissioner of higher education and to present

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annually to the state budget officer in accordance with § 35-3-4, as part of the state higher

education budget, a line item budget request specifically designated as the state's share of support

for the Rhode Island children's crusade college crusade of Rhode Island for higher education. The

budget shall be designated as a specific line item budget request and shall be presented as part of

the budget of the office of higher education the postsecondary commissioner.

     (2) To provide, through its office of higher education and the commissioner of higher

education the postsecondary commissioner the authority to designate the college crusade of

Rhode Island, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered with the Rhode Island secretary of

state, as the entity that will administer and operate all program services and manage scholarship

resources administrative and organizational support services, including equipment, space, and

personnel to and on behalf of the Rhode Island children's crusade for higher education

foundation, its officers, and board of directors to the extent that these services are agreed to by the

board of governors for higher education and the board of directors of the Rhode Island children's

crusade foundation.

     16-70-5. Budget and appropriations.

     The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums as it deems necessary as the

state's share for the support and maintenance of the Rhode Island children's crusade for higher

education the college crusade, including operational and scholarship support, and the state

controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the

payment of the appropriations upon receipt by him or her of the proper voucher as the board of

governors for higher education the office of the postsecondary commissioner may provide. The

board of governors for higher education office of the postsecondary commissioner shall present

the voucher to the state controller no later than the last day of the first month of the fiscal year for

which the appropriation is made and this appropriation shall be remitted to the accounts of the

Rhode Island children's crusade for higher education foundation college crusade of Rhode Island

by the state treasurer no later than the last day of the second month of the fiscal year.

     16-70-6. Audit requirements.

     The Rhode Island children's crusade for higher education college crusade of Rhode Island

is required to obtain the approval of director of administration and the auditor general shall

complete an annual audit completed by prior to the employment of private auditors. Audit work

papers of the private auditors shall be made available upon request to the auditor general and/or

the director of administration for their review, at the completion of the audit. The audit report

shall be furnished to the auditor general and the director of administration.

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     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 - THE RHODE ISLAND CHILDREN'S CRUSADE FOR

HIGHER EDUCATION

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     This act would establish the college crusade of Rhode Island, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

organization registered with the Rhode Island secretary of state, as the entity that will administer

and operate all program services and manage scholarship resources.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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