2019 -- S 0694

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LC001289

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - OFFENSES PERTAINING TO SCHOOLS [SEE TITLE 16

CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

     

     Introduced By: Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis

     Date Introduced: March 21, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Chapter 16-38 of the General Laws entitled "Offenses Pertaining to Schools

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

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adding thereto the following section:

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     16-38-14. Prohibited use of school district listservs.

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     (a) The school district listserv shall be used for the sole purpose of distributing school-

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related information to the parents or guardians of the students enrolled in the school district. It

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shall be unlawful for any person, persons, or institution, educational or otherwise, to circulate or

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permit to be circulated any political advertisement, invitation or propaganda, via a school district

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listserv. Any person, persons, or institution who is found guilty of a violation of this section shall

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be punished by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00) for each offense.

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     (b) For purposes of this section, "listserv" means a computer software application which

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allows a sender to send one email to a list, and then transparently send it on to the addresses of all

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subscribers to the list.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 17-23 of the General Laws entitled "Election Offenses" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     17-23-20. Prohibited use of school district listservs.

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     (a) No person, persons, or institution, educational or otherwise, shall circulate or permit

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to be circulated any political advertisement, invitation or propaganda, via a school district listserv.

 

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Any person, persons or institution who is found guilty of a violation of this section shall be

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punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) each offense in accordance with ยง

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17-26-3.

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     (b) For purposes of this section, "listserv" means a computer software application which

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allows a sender to send one email to a list, and then transparently send it on to the addresses of all

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subscribers to the list.

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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 - OFFENSES PERTAINING TO SCHOOLS [SEE TITLE 16

CHAPTER 97 - THE RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION ACT]

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     This act would prohibit the use of a school district's listserv to distribute any political

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advertisement, invitation, and/or propaganda.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC001289

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