ARTICLE 4

     RELATING TO DEBT MANAGEMENT ACT JOINT RESOLUTIONS

     SECTION  This article shall serve as joint resolution required pursuant to Rhode Island

General Law § 35-18-1, et seq. and propose legislation related thereto.

     SECTION  Enterprise Resource Planning Information Technology Improvements

     WHEREAS, The funds generated from the sale of State property to be deposited into the

information technology investment fund will be insufficient to fund the Enterprise Resource

Planning system and application upgrades that are required and anticipated by the State in the

immediate future; and

     WHEREAS, The projects which make up the Enterprise Resource Planning System and

are not able to be financed through the information technology investment fund include, but are not

limited to: department of administration statewide human resources, payroll, grants management,

and financial information software applications; and

     WHEREAS, Modernizing the existing enterprise software applications will greatly reduce

risk and increase security, enable new capabilities, and address significant repeat audit findings

from the office of the auditor general; and

     WHEREAS, The total project costs associated with these information technology

improvements are estimated to be seventy three million seven hundred thousand dollars

($73,700,000). Of those project costs, eighteen million nine hundred thousand dollars

($18,900,000) will be financed from the information technology internal service fund. The balance

of fifty four million eight hundred thousand ($54,800,000) may be financed through two series of

certificates of participation. Thirty six million three hundred thousand dollars ($36,300,000) may

be issued in fiscal year 2021 with a term of seven (7) years, and eighteen million five hundred

thousand dollars ($18,500,000) may be issued in fiscal year 2023 with a term of seven (7) years.

Total debt service on the bonds is not expected to exceed sixty one million dollars ($61,000,000)

in the aggregate based on an estimated average interest rate of two and seventy five hundredths

percent (2.75%); now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this general assembly hereby approves financing in an amount not to

exceed fifty four million eight hundred thousand dollars ($54,800,000) for the provision of

information technology improvements, which includes costs of financing; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this joint resolution shall take effect immediately upon its passage by

the General Assembly.

     SECTION  DCYF Child Welfare Information System Replacement

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island department of children, youth, and families is a department

of the State of Rhode Island, exercising public and essential governmental functions of the State,

created by the General Assembly pursuant to chapter 72 of title 42; and

     WHEREAS, A new Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System would be a

comprehensive, automated case management tool that supports child welfare practice. This

information system would be a complete, current accurate and unified case management history of

all children and families served by Rhode Island’s Title IV-E. Such modern systems allow child

welfare agencies to respond more adeptly to changes in standards and practices, as well as provide

advanced analytics and data to ensure that children in care are kept safe; and

     WHEREAS, The current department of children, youth, and families Child Welfare

Information System (RICHIST) is over twenty two (22) years old and relies on dated technology

(Sybase with PowerBuilder). The system has been highly customized over the years and is difficult

to maintain. This technology, as set up today, impedes current child welfare practice through its

lack of configurability, lack of mobile access for workers in the field, and lack of access to real-

time information when making decisions impacting child placement and services. The system is

currently on premise supported by a vendor. This dated technology also makes it difficult to acquire

appropriate technical support to work on the system.); and

     WHEREAS, The project costs associated with the replacement of RICHIST are estimated

to be twenty eight million dollars ($28,000,000) and implementation costs would be shared by the

federal government at forty percent (40%) begin in fiscal year 2021.

     WHEREAS, The total payments on the State’s obligation over ten (10) years on the state’s

share of seventeen million dollars ($17,000,000) issuance are projected to be nineteen million seven

hundred thousand dollars ($19,700,000), assuming an estimated average interest rate of two and

seventy five hundredths percent (2.75%). The payments would be financed within the department

of administration from general revenue appropriations; and

     WHEREAS, The department of children, youth, and families will be able to leverage

federal funding available to pay for forty percent (40%) of the system implementation costs during

development; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this general assembly hereby approves financing in an amount not to

exceed seventeen million dollars ($17,000,000) for the provision of replacing the department of

children, youth, and families child welfare information system, including costs of financing; and

be it further

     RESOLVED, That this joint resolution shall take effect immediately upon its passage by

the General Assembly.

     SECTION  Eleanor Slater Hospital Project-Regan Building Renovation

     WHEREAS, The Eleanor Slater Hospital ("Hospital") provides long-term care for

approximately two hundred twenty (220) individuals with complex psychiatric and medical needs

on two campuses: Pastore and Zambarano; and

     WHEREAS, The Hospital is licensed by the Rhode Island department of health and

accredited triennially by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations

("JCAHO") that enables it to bill Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurances for the care it

provides; and

     WHEREAS, The Hospital generates approximately fifty five million dollars ($55,000,000)

in revenue annually; and

     WHEREAS, The Eleanor Slater Hospital at Pastore Center has patients with psychiatric

needs who are currently in three buildings (Benton, Regan and Adolph Meyer) of which Regan and

Adolph Meyer are older buildings that have not been renovated in many years; and have been cited

by the JCAHO for a significant number of ligature risks that exist; and

     WHEREAS, In January 2017, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”)

published standards designed to address the increased number of suicides and suicide attempts in

hospitals; such standards required significant renovations to reduce ligature risks on inpatient

psychiatric units; and

     WHEREAS, In September 2017, JCAHO performed its triennial survey, identified

significant ligature risks at the Pinel, Regan and the Adolph Meyer Buildings and as a result, gave

the Hospital a conditional accreditation, requiring it to submit a remedial action plan to address the

ligature risks in all three buildings; and

     WHEREAS, The Regan and the Adolph Meyer Buildings currently do not meet JCAHO

and CMS requirements and a loss of accreditation for failure to meet the submitted plan could lead

to the loss of approximately fifty five million dollars ($55,000,000) in annual revenue; and

     WHEREAS, The Hospital submitted a plan to JCAHO to renovate both the Benton Center

and the Regan Building, and to close the Pinel and Adolph Meyer Buildings, thus enabling it to

achieve full accreditation; and

     WHEREAS, The Hospital has completed renovations at the Benton Center converting it to

a forensic psychiatric hospital and closed the Pinel building; and

     WHEREAS, A renovation of the Adolph Meyer Building is not feasible and not financially

prudent due to the magnitude of renovations required to achieve compliance; and

     WHEREAS, The Regan Building is newer, has fewer ligature risks and has two floors

currently not housing patients; and

     WHEREAS, There are significant ligature risks that exist in Adolph Meyer and the current

size of the units are twelve (12) to fifteen (15) beds which are too small to be efficient in hospitals,

while the size of the patient care units in Regan are twenty-four (24) to twenty-eight (28) beds -

more typical of patient care units today; and

     WHEREAS, Closing the Adolph Meyer Building will enable the Hospital to reduce

operating costs and address the deficiencies cited by the JCAHO; and

     WHEREAS, The current Regan facility is underutilized and can accommodate additional

bed capacity once renovations are complete; and

     WHEREAS, To accommodate the remaining psychiatric patients from the Adolph Meyer

Building, the Regan building requires extensive renovations to meet the current building standards

for psychiatric inpatient units, including requirements for ligature resistant features, program areas,

step down areas, quiet rooms, restraint rooms and private rooms that currently do not exist in the

Regan or the Adolph Meyer Buildings; and

     WHEREAS, The renovated Regan facility will have a total of one hundred six (106) beds

with larger inpatient units and program space within the units, allowing the closure of Adolph

Meyer, thus enabling the Hospital to reduce operating costs and develop programs to assist patients

in their recovery and ultimate discharge; and

     WHEREAS, Due to its age and deferred maintenance, the Regan Building requires

significant infrastructure upgrades including: elevator replacement, masonry and envelope leak

repair, and a roof replacement with an estimated total cost of nineteen million dollars

($19,000,000); and

     WHEREAS, The capital costs associated with this project are estimated to be sixty one

million, eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($61,850,000). This includes twenty seven million

eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($27,850,000) from the Rhode Island Capital Plan Fund for

the renovation of the Benton and Regan Buildings and twenty two million ($22,000,000) from a

previous authorization of Certificates of Participation and a new issuance of Certificates of

Participation totaling twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) to finance the Regan Building

renovations. Total lease payments over fifteen (15) years on the new $12,000,000 issuance are

projected to be fourteen million eight hundred thousand ($14,800,000), assuming an estimated

average interest rate of two and seventy five hundredths percent (2.75%). The lease payments

would be financed within the department of administration from general revenue appropriations;

now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a renovation of the Regan Building as part of Eleanor Slater Hospital,

is critical to provide patients with an environment that meets current building standards for

psychiatric hospitals and to meet CMS and JCAHO accreditation requirements; and be it further

     RESOLVED, This General Assembly hereby approves the issuance of certificates of

participation in an amount not to exceed twelve million dollars ($12,000,000) for the renovation of

the Regan Building, including costs of financing, as part of the Eleanor Slater Hospital; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That this joint resolution shall apply to bonds issued within five (5) years of

the date of passage of this resolution; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this joint resolution shall take effect upon passage by this general

assembly.

     SECTION  Department of Public Safety – Southern Barracks

     WHEREAS, After Master Planning Services for facilities operated, controlled and

occupied by the Rhode Island state police (“Division”) and Feasibility Study Services for the

Wickford, Hope Valley and Portsmouth Barracks was conducted; and

     WHEREAS, The Master Planning Committee comprised of contracted Architectural &

Engineering Design Services, members of Rhode Island state police, the division of capital asset

management and maintenance, and the office of management and budget collaborated; and

     WHEREAS, The Master Plan and Feasibility Study indicates that the improvements of the

current Wickford, Hope Valley and Portsmouth Barracks are not feasible as they were built in the

1930s, are undersized, are no longer located along the main thoroughfares of the State, are in poor

condition with environmental health issues, are not Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and code

compliant, have inadequate security and technology infrastructure and are expensive to operate and

maintain; and,

     WHEREAS, The Master Plan recommends consolidation of services provided by the

Wickford, Hope Valley and Portsmouth barracks by constructing one consolidated modern

southern barracks at approximately thirty eight thousand (38,000) square feet to accommodate

eighty (80) sworn Division personnel located in a centralized area of the State best suitable for

deployment of personnel and accessibility to citizens and motorists; and

     WHEREAS, The project costs associated with the construction of a new, modern southern

barracks for the Division are estimated to be thirty five million dollars ($35,000,000). The total

payments on the State’s obligation over fifteen (15) years are projected to be forty three million

two hundred thousand dollars ($43,200,000), assuming an estimated average interest rate of two

and seventy five hundredths percent (2.75%). The payments would be financed within the

department of administration from general revenue appropriations; now, therefore, be it

     RESOLVED, That the General Assembly hereby approves financing in an amount not to

exceed thirty five million dollars ($35,000,000) for the provision of financing for construction of

a southern barracks including costs of financing at the site determined to be best suitable by the

Master Plan Committee; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Joint Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its passage by

this General Assembly.

     SECTION  Joint Resolution and Enactment Approving the Financing of Various

Department of Transportation Projects

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island department of transportation (“Department”) is a

department of the State of Rhode Island, exercising public and essential governmental functions of

the State, created by the general assembly pursuant to chapter 13 of title 42 (as enacted, reenacted

and amended, the "Act"); and

     WHEREAS, The State recognizes that the Henderson Bridge and other facilities of or

within the control of the Department are an essential part of the State's transportation system and

facilitates the tourism industry; and it is the policy of the State that the public welfare and the further

economic development and the prosperity of the state requires the maintenance of such facilities

and the financing thereof; and

     WHEREAS, The United States Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2019,

title I of division G, Public Law 116-6 includes one-time funding to the State of approximately

seventy million dollars ($70,000,000) and increases to annual formula funding of approximately

fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000); and

     WHEREAS, Obligating federal funds towards infrastructure projects requires State

matching funds; and

     WHEREAS, Existing State transportation funds are committed to active transportation

infrastructure projects as programmed in the State Transportation Improvement Program; and

     WHEREAS, The design, construction, equipping and completion of these improvements

will be financed in whole or in part either through revenue bonds issued pursuant to the Motor Fuel

Revenue Bonds Program by the State or through revenue bonds issued pursuant to the Motor Fuel

Revenue Bonds Program by the Rhode Island commerce corporation ("Commerce Corporation")

or through revenue bonds issued pursuant to the Motor Fuel Revenue Bonds Program by another

agency, instrumentality or quasi-public corporation established by the State now or hereafter and

otherwise authorized and empowered pursuant to law to issue bonds of the type referenced herein

for the types of projects enumerated herein, with either issuance having an expected term of fifteen

(15) years; and

     WHEREAS, Pursuant to § 31-36-20, two cents ($0.02) per gallon of the motor fuel tax is

transferred to an indenture trustee, administrator, or other third party fiduciary, in an amount not to

exceed two cents ($0.02) per gallon of the gas tax imposed, in order to satisfy debt service payments

on aggregate bonds issued pursuant to a Joint Resolution and Enactment approving the financing

of various department projects; and

     WHEREAS, Pursuant to §§ 35-18-3 and 35-18-4 of the Rhode Island Public Corporation

Debt Management Act (as enacted, reenacted and amended, the "Debt Management Act"), the

Department hereby requests the approval by the General Assembly of the issuance of not more than

sixty four million two hundred forty five thousand dollars ($64,245,000) Motor Fuel Revenue

Bonds with a term not to exceed fifteen (15) years (the “bonds”) to be secured by motor fuel taxes

and/or other revenues, for the purpose of providing funds to finance the renovation, renewal, repair,

rehabilitation, retrofitting, upgrading and improvement of the Henderson Bridge, and other projects

authorized under the act, replacement of the components thereof, working capital, capitalized

interest, a debt service reserve and the costs of issuing and insuring the Bonds ("Project"); and

     WHEREAS, The Project constitutes essential public facilities directly benefiting the State;

and

     WHEREAS, The State shall directly benefit economically from the Project by the repair,

maintenance and improvement of the State transportation infrastructure; now, therefore, be it

     RESOLVED AND ENACTED, That this General Assembly finds that the Henderson

Bridge replacement and other bridge and highway capital projects identified in the State

Transportation Improvement Program are essential public facilities and are of a type and nature

consistent with the purposes and within the powers of the Department to undertake, and hereby

approves the issuance of not more than $64,245,000 in bonds, which amount is in addition to all

prior authorizations; and be further

     RESOLVED, That the bonds be issued by the State of Rhode Island or the Commerce

Corporation or a subsidiary thereof or other agency, instrumentality or quasi-public corporation

established by the State now or hereafter and otherwise authorized and empowered pursuant to law

to issue bonds of the type referenced herein for the types of projects enumerated herein and to incur

and pay debt service payments for such bonds in an amount not to exceed eighty two million four

hundred thousand dollars ($82,400,000) as specified herein for bonds issued for Henderson Bridge

and other bridge and highway capital projects, such debt service payments to be made from the

Motor Fuel Tax Allocation, as hereinafter defined, or such other revenue source as the Rhode Island

general assembly shall designate from time to time, for the construction, design, maintenance,

completion, finance costs, including, but not limited to, costs of issuance, credit enhancement, legal

counsel and underwriter fees and expenses and other costs associated with the Henderson Bridge

replacement and other bridge and highway capital projects; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That any bonds or notes issued pursuant to Section 6 of this Joint Resolution

and Act shall not constitute “State debt” within the meaning of Article 6, Section 16 of the Rhode

Island Constitution and shall be the obligations of only the issuer of such obligations; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That the governor of the State of Rhode Island or the director of the Rhode

Island department of transportation or the director of the Rhode Island department of administration

or the president of the Commerce Corporation each be and each hereafter are, acting singly,

authorized and empowered by the Rhode Island general assembly to enter into a financing lease,

guarantee, loan and trust agreement, indenture or other obligations or contracts or agreements and

to take such other actions as such official shall deem necessary or appropriate in order to issue or

facilitate the issuance of bonds referenced herein and to provide the Commerce Corporation or any

subsidiary thereof or other instrumentality, agency or quasi-public corporation otherwise

authorized and empowered to issue the bonds specified in this Joint Resolution and Act for the

projects specified above with the necessary debt service payments up to the amounts specified

above and the necessary security for such bonds consistent with the provisions of this Joint

Resolution and Act, including any action to pledge, assign or otherwise transfer the right to receive

all or any portion of revenues permitted by the laws of the State to secure or provide for the payment

of any such bonds; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That, this Joint Resolution shall take effect upon passage; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That any issuance of bonds or notes authorized in the preceding paragraphs

may be effectuated in an aggregate principal amount representing the sum of the authorized State

Match Bonds, and that the Rhode Island General Laws be amended as follows:

     SECTION  Section 31-36-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-36 entitled "Motor Fuel

Tax" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-36-20. Disposition of proceeds. -- (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to

the contrary, all moneys paid into the general treasury under the provisions of this chapter or chapter

37 of this title, and title 46 shall be applied to and held in a separate fund and be deposited in any

depositories that may be selected by the general treasurer to the credit of the fund, which fund shall

be known as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Fund; provided, that in fiscal year 2004 for the

months of July through April six and eighty-five hundredth cents ($0.0685) per gallon of the tax

imposed and accruing for the liability under the provisions of § 31-36-7, less refunds and credits,

shall be transferred to the Rhode Island public transit authority as provided under § 39-18-21. For

the months of May and June in fiscal year 2004, the allocation shall be five and five hundredth

cents ($0.0505). Thereafter, until fiscal year 2006, the allocation shall be six and twenty-five

hundredth cents ($0.0625). For fiscal years 2006 through FY 2008, the allocation shall be seven

and twenty-five hundredth cents ($0.0725); provided, that expenditures shall include the costs of a

market survey of non-transit users and a management study of the agency to include the feasibility

of moving the Authority into the Department of Transportation, both to be conducted under the

auspices of the state budget officer. The state budget officer shall hire necessary consultants to

perform the studies, and shall direct payment by the Authority. Both studies shall be transmitted by

the Budget Officer to the 2006 session of the General Assembly, with comments from the

Authority. For fiscal year 2009, the allocation shall be seven and seventy-five hundredth cents

($0.0775), of which one-half cent ($0.005) shall be derived from the one cent ($0.01) per gallon

environmental protection fee pursuant to § 46-12.9-11. For fiscal years 2010 and thereafter, the

allocation shall be nine and seventy-five hundredth cents ($0.0975), of which of one-half cent

($0.005) shall be derived from the one cent ($0.01) per gallon environmental protection fee

pursuant to § 46-12.9-11. One cent ($0.01) per gallon shall be transferred to the Elderly/Disabled

Transportation Program of the department of human services, and the remaining cents per gallon

shall be available for general revenue as determined by the following schedule:

     (i) For the fiscal year 2000, three and one fourth cents ($0.0325) shall be available for

general revenue.

     (ii) For the fiscal year 2001, one and three-fourth cents ($0.0175) shall be available for

general revenue.

     (iii) For the fiscal year 2002, one-fourth cent ($0.0025) shall be available for general

revenue.

     (iv) For the fiscal year 2003, two and one-fourth cent ($0.0225) shall be available for

general revenue.

     (v) For the months of July through April in fiscal year 2004, one and four-tenths cents

($0.014) shall be available for general revenue. For the months of May through June in fiscal year

2004, three and two-tenths cents ($0.032) shall be available for general revenue, and thereafter,

until fiscal year 2006, two cents ($0.02) shall be available for general revenue. For fiscal year 2006

through fiscal year 2009 one cent ($0.01) shall be available for general revenue.

     (2) All deposits and transfers of funds made by the tax administrator under this section,

including those to the Rhode Island public transit authority, the department of human services, the

Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority, and the general fund, shall be made within twenty-four

(24) hours of receipt or previous deposit of the funds in question.

     (3) Commencing in fiscal year 2004, the Director of the Rhode Island Department of

Transportation is authorized to remit, on a monthly or less frequent basis as shall be determined by

the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, or his or her designee, or at the

election of the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, with the approval of the

Director of the Department of Administration, to an indenture trustee, administrator, or other third

party fiduciary, in an amount not to exceed two cents ($0.02) per gallon of the gas tax imposed, in

order to satisfy debt service payments on aggregate bonds issued pursuant to a Joint Resolution and

Enactment Approving the Financing of Various Department of Transportation Projects adopted

during the 2003 session and during the 2020 session of the General Assembly, and approved by the

Governor.

     (4) Commencing in fiscal year 2015, three and one-half cents ($0.035) shall be transferred

to the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority to be used for maintenance, operations, capital

expenditures and debt service on any of its projects as defined in chapter 12 of title 24 in lieu of a

toll on the Sakonnet River Bridge. The Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority is authorized to

remit to an indenture trustee, administrator, or other third-party fiduciary any or all of the foregoing

transfers in order to satisfy and/or secure its revenue bonds and notes and/or debt service payments

thereon, including, but not limited to, the bonds and notes issued pursuant to the Joint Resolution

set forth in Section 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 23 of the Public Laws of 2010. Notwithstanding any

other provision of said Joint Resolution, the Rhode Island turnpike and bridge authority is expressly

authorized to issue bonds and notes previously authorized under said Joint Resolution for the

purpose of financing all expenses incurred by it for the formerly authorized tolling of the Sakonnet

River Bridge and the termination thereof.

     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all other funds in the fund

shall be dedicated to the department of transportation, subject to annual appropriation by the general

assembly. The director of transportation shall submit to the general assembly, budget office and

office of the governor annually an accounting of all amounts deposited in and credited to the fund

together with a budget for proposed expenditures for the succeeding fiscal year in compliance with

§§ 35-3-1 and 35-3-4. On order of the director of transportation, the state controller is authorized

and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payments of any sum or

portion of the sum that may be required from time to time upon receipt of properly authenticated

vouchers.

     (c) At any time the amount of the fund is insufficient to fund the expenditures of the

department of transportation, not to exceed the amount authorized by the general assembly, the

general treasurer is authorized, with the approval of the governor and the director of administration,

in anticipation of the receipts of monies enumerated in § 31-36-20 to advance sums to the fund, for

the purposes specified in § 31-36-20, any funds of the state not specifically held for any particular

purpose. However, all the advances made to the fund shall be returned to the general fund

immediately upon the receipt by the fund of proceeds resulting from the receipt of monies to the

extent of the advances.

      SECTION  This article shall take effect upon passage.