R 426 |
2019 -- S 1042 Enacted 06/28/2019 |
S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE TO STUDY RHODE ISLAND'S EDUCATION FUNDING FORMULA |
Introduced By: Senators Pearson, Conley, and McCaffrey |
Date Introduced: June 28, 2019 |
RESOLVED, That a special task force be and the same is hereby created consisting of |
nine (9) members: nine (9) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than seven (7) |
from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The chairs of the |
Senate Finance Committee and Senate Education Committee shall serve as ex-officio members. |
In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory |
commission, a legislative study commission, or any task force created by a General Assembly |
resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu |
of a legislator. |
The purpose of said task force shall be to review and recommend changes or |
modifications to the implementation of the State's education funding formula established pursuant |
to the Rhode Island General Laws. |
The task force shall assess whether the current formula is meeting the needs of students, |
districts, and taxpayers and shall include, but not be limited to, review of the core principles of |
the education equity and property tax relief act, which are as follows: |
1. All children should have access to an adequate and meaningful education regardless of |
their residence or economic means; |
2. An education funding system should treat property taxpayers equitably, limit the |
portion of school budgets financed by property taxes, and establish sufficient cost controls on |
spending; |
3. The state should ensure that its education funding structure adequately reflects the |
different needs of students, and responds to educational inequities among the state's school |
districts; and |
4. The state education funding system should provide a predictable amount and source of |
funding to ensure stability in the funding of education aid. |
The task force shall identify options to fund the formula and related impacts to local |
property tax levies and review the appropriate level of funding by the state and local |
communities. |
Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the task force shall meet at the |
call of the President of the Senate and organize. The President of the Senate shall select a |
chairperson from among its members. |
Vacancies in said task force shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. |
The membership of said task force shall receive no compensation for their services. |
All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, |
documentary and otherwise, to said task force and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable |
by the task force to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. |
The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide |
suitable quarters for said task force; and be it further |
RESOLVED, That the task force shall issue a report on its findings and recommendations |
to the Senate no later than January 2, 2020, and said task force shall expire on January 5, 2021. |
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LC002937 |
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