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:

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

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Children's Crusade for Higher Education [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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CHAPTER 16-70

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

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Island Board of Education Act]

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CHAPTER 16-70

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

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ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

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

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

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

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amended to read as follows:

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     16-70-1. Short title.

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

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

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     16-70-2. Legislative findings.

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     It is found and declared as follows:

 

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

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

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for maintaining and improving its quality of life.

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

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

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economic prosperity of our state and nation.

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

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

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

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

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peers.

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

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

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

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

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

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education and training.

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

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

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

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intensive orientation and training of these mentors advisors.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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education assistance authority.

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

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postsecondary education support program -- Powers and duties.

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

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have the following powers and duties:

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

 

LC001872 - Page 2 of 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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crusade foundation.

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     16-70-5. Budget and appropriations.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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     16-70-6. Audit requirements.

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

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

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

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

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

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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

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

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and operate all program services and manage scholarship resources.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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