2023 -- H 5299

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LC000815

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Dawson, Shanley, Hull, Vella-Wilkinson,
Craven, Corvese, Azzinaro, Cardillo, and Solomon

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-52-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-52 entitled "Maintenance

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of Order on Campus [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-52-2. Appointment of campus police.

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     (a) The board of governors for higher education may appoint one or more persons who may

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act as police officers upon the property and highways of state colleges and universities subject to

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the control of the board. The campus police officers shall protect the property of each college or

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university, suppress nuisances and disturbances and breaches of the peace, and enforce laws and

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regulations for the preservation of good order. They shall have the same powers and authority as

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that conferred upon municipal police officers, including the power to arrest persons for violations

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of state criminal statutes or for violations of city or town ordinances of the city or town in which

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the institution is located. They shall not carry firearms unless expressly authorized by the board of

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governors subject to the training requirements of this section. Additionally, any campus police

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officer observing the violation of any rule or regulation of the board adopted pursuant to this

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chapter, including but not limited to parking and traffic regulations, may issue a summons in the

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manner and form set forth in § 31-27-12 or § 31-41.1-1 returnable to the district court, the police

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court of the city or town where the violation occurs, or the traffic tribunal as provided by law.

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     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all fines and penalties recovered for

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violation of rules and regulations made under authority of this section shall be accounted for by the

 

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appropriate authority, which shall forward all fines or penalties for nonmoving traffic violations to

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the general treasurer for use by the college or university on whose campus the citation or violation

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was issued in accordance with § 16-32-27.

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     (c) Campus police and peace officers shall, prior to October 1, 2023, complete a course of

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firearm instruction as provided by the Rhode Island police officers commission on standards and

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training, with approval of the commissioner of public safety and shall be subject to in service

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training requirements of chapter 28 of title 42, the standardized training requirements of § 42-28.2-

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8.3, and shall be afforded all rights, duties and responsibility of chapter 28.6 of title 42 ("law

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enforcement officers' bill of rights").

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     (d) The board of education shall adopt rules and regulations for the purposes of

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implementing the provisions of this chapter.

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     SECTION 2. Section 42-28.6-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-28.6 entitled "Law

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Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-28.6-1. Definitions — Payment of legal fees.

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     As used in this chapter, the following words have the meanings indicated:

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     (1) “Law enforcement officer” means any permanently employed city or town police

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officer, state police officer, permanent law enforcement officer of the department of environmental

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management, campus police officer as set forth in § 16-52-2, or those employees of the airport

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corporation of Rhode Island who have been granted the authority to arrest by the director of said

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corporation. However this shall not include the chief of police and/or the highest ranking sworn

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officer of any of the departments including the director and deputy director of the airport

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corporation of Rhode Island.

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     (2)(i) “Hearing committee” means a committee which is authorized to hold a hearing on a

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complaint against a law enforcement officer and which consists of three (3) active or retired law

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enforcement officers from within the state of Rhode Island, other than chiefs of police, who have

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had no part in the investigation or interrogation of the law enforcement officer. The committee shall

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be composed of three (3) members; one member selected by the chief or the highest ranking officer

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of the law enforcement agency, one member selected by the aggrieved law enforcement officer and

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the third member shall be selected by the other two (2) members. In the event that the other two (2)

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members are unable to agree within five (5) days, then either member will make application to the

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presiding justice of the superior court and the presiding justice shall appoint the third member who

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shall be an active law enforcement officer. Upon written application by a majority of the hearing

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committee, the presiding justice, in his or her discretion, may also appoint legal counsel to assist

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the hearing committee.

 

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     (ii) The law enforcement agency and the law enforcement officer under investigation shall

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each be responsible to pay fifty percent (50%) of the legal fee of the appointed legal counsel for

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the hearing committee; provided, however, that on motion made by either party, the presiding

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justice shall have the authority to make a different disposition as to what each party is required to

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pay toward the appointed legal counsel’s legal fee.

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     (3) “Hearing” means any meeting in the course of an investigatory proceeding, other than

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an interrogation at which no testimony is taken under oath, conducted by a hearing committee for

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the purpose of taking or adducing testimony or receiving evidence.

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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 -- MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS

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     This act would mandate arming campus police at public higher educational institutions and

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would include campus police in the definition of "law enforcement officer" for the purposes of the

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"Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights."

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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