Chapter
149
2008 -- H 7250 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 07/01/08
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION
Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, and Costantino
Date Introduced: January 24, 2008
It
is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION
1. Section 16-2-9.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-2 entitled "School
Committees
and Superintendents" is hereby amended to read as follows:
16-2-9.3.
The advisory council on school finances. -- (a) The legislature hereby
finds
and
declares that there is a need for an advisory council on school finances to
strengthen the fiscal
accountability
of school districts, regional school districts, state schools and charter
schools in
Rhode
Island. The council shall be composed of five (5) members as follows:
(1) The auditor general of the state of Rhode Island or his or her designee;
(2) The executive director of the Rhode Island association of school committees
or his or
her
designee;
(3) The president of the Rhode Island association of school business officials
or his or
her
designee;
(4) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education or his or her
designee; and
(5) The director of the department of administration or his or her designee.
The auditor
general
or his or her designee shall serve as chair of the council. By July 1, 2005,
the council shall
develop
recommendations for a uniform system of accounting, including a chart of
accounts for
all
school districts, regional school districts, state schools and charter schools.
By July 1, 2009 the
council
shall develop recommendations for a uniform system of accounting for all
educational
regional
collaboratives identified in section 16-3.1. Said recommendations shall be advisory in
nature
and may be adopted by the office of auditor general and the department of
elementary and
secondary
education in part or in whole.
(b) The council shall meet no less than annually and recommend changes in
accounting
procedures
to be adopted by school districts, regional school districts, state schools and
charter
schools
as well as apprise school business officials, charter school officials, school
committees
and
school superintendents, school administrators and state school officials about
professional
development
opportunities that promotes sound fiscal practices and a knowledge of current
state
and
federal rules and regulations regarding school finance. The council shall also
report, annually,
its
activities and recommendations to the house committee on education
accountability, the senate
committee
on education and the office of the governor.
SECTION
2. Section 16-3.1-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-3.1 entitled
"Cooperative
Service Among School Districts" is hereby amended to read as follows:
16-3.1-13.
Reporting. -- Any collaborative established under this chapter shall
implement
a uniform system of accounting in compliance with section 16-2-9.3 program
to track
their
expenditures and investments and file a report on said expenditures and
investments by
October
1, of each year, with the Rhode Island board of regents for elementary and
secondary
education,
the office of the auditor general, the Rhode Island senate committee on
education and
finance, the Rhode Island house of representatives committee
on education accountability
committee
on health, education and welfare and finance and local school committees. Each
collaborative
shall also file periodic reports, to the board of regents, the senate education
committee
and the house education accountability health, education and welfare
committee,
detailing
their activities and programs.
SECTION
3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC00702/SUB A/2
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