2020 -- S 2738 | |
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LC005185 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS – EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH | |
DISABILITIES ON STATE CONTRACTS | |
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Introduced By: Senator Maryellen Goodwin | |
Date Introduced: March 04, 2020 | |
Referred To: Senate Finance | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Title 37 of the General Laws entitled “Public Property and Works” is hereby |
2 | amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
3 | CHAPTER 37-14.4 |
4 | EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ON STATE CONTRACTS |
5 | 37-14.4-1. Contract requirements for employers with public contracts. |
6 | (a) Any company awarded a contract to provide services in the state of Rhode Island, or |
7 | any political subdivision therein, that receives funds appropriated by the general assembly, shall |
8 | employ individuals with disabilities. Notwithstanding any general or specific law to the contrary, |
9 | the department of administration, in consultation with the executive office of health and human |
10 | services, shall implement and promulgate rules and regulations to administer this section. |
11 | (b) A contract for services means and shall include, but is not limited to, landscaping |
12 | services, mailroom services, food services, fleet management services, manufacturing services, |
13 | trash removal services, document destruction services, electronic scanning of documents, and |
14 | facility management services, such as HVAC services, painting services, emergency repair |
15 | services, janitorial services and snow removal services. |
16 | (c) For the purposes of this chapter, an individual with a disability shall be defined as an |
17 | individual: |
18 | (1) Who has a severe physical or mental impairment which seriously limits one or more |
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1 | functional capacities with respect to employment outcome, such as mobility, communication, self- |
2 | care, self-direction, interpersonal skills, work tolerance, or works skills; |
3 | (2) Whose vocational rehabilitation can be expected to require multiple vocational |
4 | rehabilitation services over an extended period of time; or |
5 | (3) Who has one or more physical or mental disabilities resulting from amputation, arthritis, |
6 | blindness, burn injury, cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, deafness, head injury, heart disease, |
7 | hemiplegia, respiratory or pulmonary dysfunction, intellectual or developmental disability, mental |
8 | illness, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, musculo-skeletal disorders, neurological disorders |
9 | (including stroke and epilepsy), paraplegia, quadriplegia, and other spinal cord conditions, sickle |
10 | cell anemia, specific learning disability, end-stage renal disease, or other disability or combination |
11 | of disabilities determined on the basis of an assessment for determining eligibility and vocational |
12 | rehabilitation to cause comparable substantial functional limitation. |
13 | (d) The percentage requirements as set forth in subsection (e) of this section, shall be met |
14 | within one year of issuance of a contract; provided, however, that the requirements under this |
15 | section shall apply only to new hires under service contracts as described in subsection (a) of this |
16 | section. |
17 | (e) The percentage requirement set forth in this section shall be phased into effect as |
18 | follows: |
19 | (1) Commencing January 1, 2021, at least two percent (2%) of employees shall be |
20 | individuals with disabilities in accordance with subsection (a) of this section; |
21 | (2) Commencing January 1, 2022, at least three percent (3%) of employees shall be |
22 | individuals with disabilities in accordance with subsection (a) of this section; |
23 | (3) Commencing January 1, 2023, at least four percent (4%) of employees shall be |
24 | individuals with disabilities in accordance with subsection (a) of this section; |
25 | (4) Commencing January 1, 2024, at least six percent (6%) of employees shall be |
26 | individuals with disabilities in accordance with subsection (a) of this section; and |
27 | (5) Commencing January 1, 2026, at least seven percent (7%) of employees shall be |
28 | individuals with disabilities in accordance with subsection (a) of this section. |
29 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC005185 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS – EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS WITH | |
DISABILITIES ON STATE CONTRACTS | |
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1 | This act would require any company that is issued a contract for services in the state of |
2 | Rhode Island, or any political subdivision therein, to employ a certain percentage of individuals |
3 | with disabilities. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC005185 | |
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