2023 -- S 0184

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LC001959

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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 -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY

AND TOWN LIMITS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Ujifusa, Lauria, and Felag

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Education

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-21.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21.1 entitled

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"Transportation of School Pupils Beyond City and Town Limits [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The

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Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     16-21.1-2. School bus districts established.

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     (a) There are hereby established school bus districts within the state to provide bus

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transportation in the interest of public safety, health, and welfare for pupils in grades kindergarten

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through twelve (12), or in special education programs, who attend public schools, including

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vocational schools and special education programs provided in accord with regulations of the board

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of regents for elementary and secondary education, consolidated schools, regional schools

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established under the provisions of § 16-3-1 et seq., or who participate in cooperative programs as

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provided by § 16-3.1-1 et seq., and nonpublic nonprofit schools which are consolidated,

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regionalized, or otherwise established to serve residents of a specific area within the state which

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schools satisfy the requirements of law for any of the grades of school, kindergarten through twelve

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(12), as follows:

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     (1) Region I: The towns of Burrillville, North Smithfield, and Cumberland, and the city of

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Woonsocket;

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     (2) Region II: The county of Kent, except the town of West Greenwich and the towns of

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Foster, Glocester, and Scituate;

 

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     (3) Region III: The towns of Lincoln, Smithfield, Johnston, North Providence, Barrington,

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Warren, and Bristol, and the cities of Cranston, Central Falls, East Providence, Pawtucket, and

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Providence;

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     (4) Region IV: The county of Washington and the towns of Jamestown and West

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Greenwich;

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     (5) Region V: The towns of Little Compton, Middletown, Portsmouth, Warren, Bristol,

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and Tiverton, and the city of Newport.

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     (b) A pupil attending a school, including a public school, vocational school, special

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education program provided in accord with regulations of the board of regents for elementary and

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secondary education, a regional school established under the provisions of § 16-3-1 et seq., as

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authorized by § 16-3.1-1 et seq., or a nonpublic nonprofit school for grades kindergarten through

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twelve (12), consolidated, regionalized, or otherwise established to serve residents of a specific

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area within the state for any of the grades of schools, kindergarten through twelve (12), in the

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interest of public safety, health, and welfare, shall be provided with bus transportation to the school

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or facility which the pupil attends, within the region in which the pupil resides, by the school

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committee of the city or town within which the pupil resides. The cost of transporting a pupil

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attending a charter school, the William M. Davies, Jr. Career and Technical High School

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(“Davies”), or the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center (“the Met Center”) within

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the established region shall be charged to the receiving school at the same grade level transportation

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per pupil cost of the resident district. Districts may offer transportation to charter schools, Davies,

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or the Met Center outside the established region in order to facilitate efficiency provided there is

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not additional cost to the resident district.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY

AND TOWN LIMITS

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     This act would remove the towns of Warren and Bristol from school bus district Region III

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and place Warren and Bristol in school bus district Region V.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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