2017 -- S 0310

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LC000257

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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 TOWNS AND CITIES - GENERAL POWERS

     Introduced By: Senator Daniel DaPonte

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 45-2 of the General Laws entitled "General Powers" is hereby

amended by adding thereto the following section:

     45-2-65. Consolidation of municipal departments.

     (a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general or public laws to the contrary, each

town and city school district shall have only one municipal department performing human

resources, personnel information technology, and purchasing and maintenance functions.

Accordingly, the districts shall consolidate these operations by July 1, 2020. The human resources

and personnel functions shall be exempt from this requirement if their consolidation would

compromise confidentiality mandates.

     (b) In the event that these functions are not consolidated by October 1, 2020, then the

auditor general shall have the power to effectuate the consolidation of the aforementioned

functions. This section shall not be applied so as to interfere with existing labor contracts in effect

on the date of enactment.

     (c) To the extent that a consolidation under this section results in a reduction of an annual

appropriation for the use of the schools, then the reduction shall not be deemed a violation of §16-

7-24.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES - GENERAL POWERS

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     This act would mandate that every town and city consolidate certain functions by July 1,

2020.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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