2019 -- S 1042

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LC002937

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE TO STUDY RHODE ISLAND'S

EDUCATION FUNDING FORMULA

     Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Conley, and McCaffrey

     Date Introduced: June 28, 2019

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

     RESOLVED, That a special task force be and the same is hereby created consisting of

nine (9) members: nine (9) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than seven (7)

from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The chairs of the

Senate Finance Committee and Senate Education Committee shall serve as ex-officio members.

     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

commission, a legislative study commission, or any task force created by a General Assembly

resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

of a legislator.

     The purpose of said task force shall be to review and recommend changes or

modifications to the implementation of the State's education funding formula established pursuant

to the Rhode Island General Laws.

     The task force shall assess whether the current formula is meeting the needs of students,

districts, and taxpayers and shall include, but not be limited to, review of the core principles of

the education equity and property tax relief act, which are as follows:

     1. All children should have access to an adequate and meaningful education regardless of

their residence or economic means;

     2. An education funding system should treat property taxpayers equitably, limit the

portion of school budgets financed by property taxes, and establish sufficient cost controls on

spending;

     3. The state should ensure that its education funding structure adequately reflects the

different needs of students, and responds to educational inequities among the state's school

districts; and

     4. The state education funding system should provide a predictable amount and source of

funding to ensure stability in the funding of education aid.

     The task force shall identify options to fund the formula and related impacts to local

property tax levies and review the appropriate level of funding by the state and local

communities.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the task force shall meet at the

call of the President of the Senate and organize. The President of the Senate shall select a

chairperson from among its members.

     Vacancies in said task force shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said task force shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said task force and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable

by the task force to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said task force; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the task force shall issue a report on its findings and recommendations

to the Senate no later than January 2, 2020, and said task force shall expire on January 5, 2021.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE TO STUDY RHODE ISLAND'S

EDUCATION FUNDING FORMULA

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     This resolution would create an nine (9) member special task force whose purpose it

would be to make a comprehensive study of Rhode Island's Education Funding Formula and who

would report on its findings and recommendations to the Senate no later than January 2, 2020,

and at least bi-annually thereafter, and said task force shall expire on January 5, 2021.

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LC002937

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