2018 -- H 7549

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LC004295

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION

     Introduced By: Representatives Marshall, Donovan, O'Brien, Morin, and Casey

     Date Introduced: February 09, 2018

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 16-7-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7 entitled "Foundation

Level School Support [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board Of Education Act]" is

hereby amended to read as follows:

     16-7-20. Determination of state's share.

     (a) For each community the state's share shall be computed as follows: Let

     R = state share ratio for the community.

     v = adjusted equalized weighted assessed valuation for the community, as defined in

      § 16-7-21(3).

     V = sum of the values of v for all communities.

     m = average daily membership of pupils in the community as defined in§ 16-7-22(3).

     M = total average daily membership of pupils in the state.

     E = approved reimbursable expenditures for the community for the reference year minus

      the excess costs of special education, tuitions, federal and state receipts, and other

      income.

     Then the state share entitlement for the community shall be RE where

     R = 1 - 0.5vM/(Vm) through June 30, 2011, and R = 1 - 0.475 vM/(Vm) beginning on

July 1, 2011 and thereafter.

     Except that in no case shall R be less than zero percent (0%).

     (b) Whenever any funds are appropriated for educational purposes, the funds shall be

used for educational purposes only and all state funds appropriated for educational purposes must

be used to supplement any and all money allocated by a city or town for educational purposes and

in no event shall state funds be used to supplant, directly or indirectly, any money allocated by a

city or town for educational purposes. The courts of this state shall enforce this section by writ of

mandamus.

     (c) Notwithstanding the calculations in subsection (a), the hospital school at the Hasbro

Children's Hospital shall be reimbursed one hundred percent (100%) of all expenditures approved

by the board of regents for elementary and secondary education in accordance with currently

existing rules and regulations for administering state aid, and subject to annual appropriations by

the general assembly including, but not limited to, expenditures for educational personnel,

supplies, and materials in the prior fiscal year.

     (d) Commencing fiscal year 2019 and thereafter, all state funds appropriated for

educational purposes pursuant to this chapter shall be in an amount not less than the amount of

funds appropriated in the previous fiscal year.

     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 EDUCATION

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     This act would provide that commencing fiscal year 2019 and thereafter, all state funds

appropriated for educational purposes pursuant to this chapter would be in an amount not less

than the amount of funds appropriated in the previous fiscal year.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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