Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5983 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5	2023 -- H 5983
6	6	========
7	7	LC002227
8	8	========
9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- STAY INVESTED IN RI
16	16	WAVEMAKER FELLOWSHIP S
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Giraldo, and Morales
18	18	Date Introduced: March 01, 2023
19	19	Referred To: House Finance
20	20
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Legislative findings. 1
24	24	The general assembly hereby finds that: 2
25	25	(1) The Rhode Island Early Intervention Program, a program established under Part C of 3
26	26	the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and § 23-13-22, is a core component of the 4
27	27	state’s commitment to ensuring that families with infants and toddlers with or at substantial risk for 5
28	28	developmental delays and disabilities receive high-quality services as early as possible so children 6
29	29	can develop to their fullest potential and succeed in school and life. 7
30	30	(2) Research has shown that about one-third (1/3) of children who receive Early 8
31	31	Intervention services no longer have a developmental delay or special education need in 9
32	32	kindergarten. 10
33	33	(3) Early Intervention programs in Rhode Island are not able to attract and retain enough 11
34	34	qualified clinicians, including speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical 12
35	35	therapists, to serve eligible infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities. 13
36	36	Qualified clinicians who are bilingual in Spanish and English are especially difficult to hire and 14
37	37	retain. Many qualified clinicians have accrued significant student loan debt to earn their credentials 15
38	38	and would be attracted to jobs in programs that are eligible for student loan repayment programs. 16
39	39	SECTION 2. Sections 42-64.26-3 and 42-64.26-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-64.26 17
40	40	entitled "Stay Invested in RI Wavemaker Fellowships" are hereby amended to read as follows: 18
41	41
42	42
43	43	LC002227 - Page 2 of 6
44	44	42-64.26-3. Definitions. 1
45	45	As used in this chapter: 2
46	46	(1) “Applicant” means an eligible graduate who applies for a tax credit for education loan 3
47	47	repayment expenses under this chapter. 4
48	48	(2) “Award” means a tax credit awarded by the commerce corporation to an applicant as 5
49	49	provided under this chapter. 6
50	50	(3) “Commerce corporation” means the Rhode Island commerce corporation established 7
51	51	pursuant to chapter 64 of this title. 8
52	52	(4) “Early intervention” means the comprehensive statewide program to provide services 9
53	53	to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families that is overseen by the executive office 10
54	54	of health and human services to meet the Part C requirements of the Federal Individuals with 11
55	55	Disabilities Education Act and § 23-13-22. 12
56	56	(5) “Eligibility period” means a term of up to four (4) consecutive service periods 13
57	57	beginning with the date that an eligible graduate receives initial notice of award under this chapter 14
58	58	and expiring at the conclusion of the fourth service period after such date specified. 15
59	59	(5)(6) “Eligibility requirements” means the following qualifications or criteria required for 16
60	60	an applicant to claim an award under this chapter: 17
61	61	(i) That the applicant shall have graduated from an accredited two-year (2), four-year (4) 18
62	62	or graduate postsecondary institution of higher learning with an associate’s, bachelor’s, graduate, 19
63	63	or post-graduate degree and at which the applicant incurred education loan repayment expenses; 20
64	64	(ii) That the applicant shall be a full-time employee with a Rhode Island-based employer 21
65	65	located in this state throughout the eligibility period, whose employment is for work in one or more 22
66	66	of the following covered fields: life, natural or environmental sciences; computer, information or 23
67	67	software technology; advanced mathematics or finance; engineering; industrial design or other 24
68	68	commercially related design field; or medicine or medical device technology. 25
69	69	(6)(7) “Eligible expenses” or “education loan repayment expenses” means annual higher 26
70	70	education loan repayment expenses, including, without limitation, principal, interest and fees, as 27
71	71	may be applicable, incurred by an eligible graduate and which the eligible graduate is obligated to 28
72	72	repay for attendance at a postsecondary institution of higher learning. 29
73	73	(7)(8) “Eligible graduate” means an individual who meets the eligibility requirements 30
74	74	under this chapter. 31
75	75	(8)(9) “Full-time employee” means a person who is employed by a business for 32
76	76	consideration for a minimum of at least thirty-five (35) hours per week, or who renders any other 33
77	77	standard of service generally accepted by custom or practice as full-time employment, or who is 34
78	78
79	79
80	80	LC002227 - Page 3 of 6
81	81	employed by a professional employer organization pursuant to an employee leasing agreement 1
82	82	between the business and the professional employer organization for a minimum of thirty-five (35) 2
83	83	hours per week, or who renders any other standard of service generally accepted by custom or 3
84	84	practice as full-time employment, and whose wages are subject to withholding. 4
85	85	(9)(10) “Healthcare applicant” means any applicant who meets the eligibility requirements 5
86	86	and works as a full-time employee as a high-demand healthcare practitioner or mental health 6
87	87	professional, including, but not limited to, clinical social workers and mental health counselors 7
88	88	licensed by the department of health, and as defined in regulations to be promulgated by the 8
89	89	commerce corporation, in consultation with the executive office of health and human services, 9
90	90	pursuant to chapter 35 of this title. 10
91	91	(10)(11) “Healthcare fund” refers to the “Healthcare Stay Invested in RI Wavemaker 11
92	92	Fellowship Fund” established pursuant to § 42-64.26-4(b). 12
93	93	(11)(12) “Rhode Island-based employer” means: (i) An employer having a principal place 13
94	94	of business or at least fifty-one percent (51%) of its employees located in this state; or (ii) An 14
95	95	employer registered to conduct business in this state that reported Rhode Island tax liability in the 15
96	96	previous tax year. 16
97	97	(12)(13) “Service period” means a twelve-month (12) period beginning on the date that an 17
98	98	eligible graduate receives initial notice of award under this chapter. 18
99	99	(13)(14) “STEM/design fund” refers to the “Stay Invested in RI Wavemaker Fellowship 19
100	100	Fund” established pursuant to § 42-64.26-4(a). 20
101	101	(14)(15) “Student loan” means a loan to an individual by a public authority or private lender 21
102	102	to assist the individual to pay for tuition, books, and living expenses in order to attend a 22
103	103	postsecondary institution of higher learning. 23
104	104	(15)(16) “Taxpayer” means an applicant who receives a tax credit under this chapter. 24
105	105	42-64.26-5. Administration. 25
106	106	(a) Application. An eligible graduate claiming an award under this chapter shall submit to 26
107	107	the commerce corporation an application in the manner that the commerce corporation shall 27
108	108	prescribe. 28
109	109	(b) Upon receipt of a proper application from an applicant who meets all of the eligibility 29
110	110	requirements, the commerce corporation shall select applicants on a competitive basis to receive 30
111	111	credits for up to a maximum amount for each service period of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for 31
112	112	an associate’s degree holder, four thousand dollars ($4,000) for a bachelor’s degree holder, and six 32
113	113	thousand dollars ($6,000) for a graduate or post-graduate degree holder, but not to exceed the 33
114	114	education loan repayment expenses incurred by such taxpayer during each service period 34
115	115
116	116
117	117	LC002227 - Page 4 of 6
118	118	completed, for up to four (4) consecutive service periods provided that the taxpayer continues to 1
119	119	meet the eligibility requirements throughout the eligibility period. The commerce corporation shall 2
120	120	delegate the selection of the applicants that are to receive awards to a fellowship committee to be 3
121	121	convened by the commerce corporation and promulgate the selection procedures the fellowship 4
122	122	committee will use, which procedures shall require that the committee’s consideration of 5
123	123	applications be conducted on a name-blind and employer-blind basis and that the applications and 6
124	124	other supporting documents received or reviewed by the fellowship committee shall be redacted of 7
125	125	the applicant’s name, street address, and other personally-identifying information as well as the 8
126	126	applicant’s employer’s name, street address, and other employer-identifying information. The 9
127	127	commerce corporation shall determine the composition of the fellowship committee and the 10
128	128	selection procedures it will use in consultation with the state’s chambers of commerce. 11
129	129	Notwithstanding the foregoing, the commerce corporation shall create and establish a committee 12
130	130	to evaluate any healthcare applicant for an award in the same manner as prescribed in this 13
131	131	subsection. The executive office of health and human services (“EOHHS”) shall be represented on 14
132	132	the committee and provide consultation to the commerce corporation on selection procedures. 15
133	133	Notwithstanding EOHHS’s consultation and representation in the selection of healthcare 16
134	134	applicants, the commerce corporation shall administer all other aspects of a healthcare applicant’s 17
135	135	application, award, and certification. 18
136	136	(c) The credits awarded under this chapter shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of 19
137	137	the education loan repayment expenses incurred by such taxpayer during each service period 20
138	138	completed for up to four (4) consecutive service periods. Tax credits shall be issued annually to the 21
139	139	taxpayer upon proof that (i) The taxpayer has actually incurred and paid such education loan 22
140	140	repayment expenses; (ii) The taxpayer continues to meet the eligibility requirements throughout 23
141	141	the service period; (iii) The award shall not exceed the original loan amount plus any capitalized 24
142	142	interest less award previously claimed under this section; and (iv) The taxpayer claiming an award 25
143	143	is current on his or her student loan repayment obligations. 26
144	144	(d) The commerce corporation shall not commit to overall STEM/design awards in excess 27
145	145	of the amount contained in the STEM/design fund or to overall healthcare awards in excess of the 28
146	146	amount contained in the healthcare fund. 29
147	147	(e) The commerce corporation shall reserve seventy percent (70%) of the awards issued in 30
148	148	a calendar year to applicants who are permanent residents of the state of Rhode Island or who 31
149	149	attended an institution of higher education located in Rhode Island when they incurred the 32
150	150	education loan expenses to be repaid. 33
151	151	(f) In administering award, the commerce corporation shall: 34
152	152
153	153
154	154	LC002227 - Page 5 of 6
155	155	(1) Require suitable proof that an applicant meets the eligibility requirements for award 1
156	156	under this chapter; 2
157	157	(2) Determine the contents of applications and other materials to be submitted in support 3
158	158	of an application for award under this chapter; and 4
159	159	(3) Collect reports and other information during the eligibility period for each award to 5
160	160	verify that a taxpayer continues to meet the eligibility requirements for an award. 6
161	161	(g) In order to address the staffing crisis in the early intervention program and reduce the 7
162	162	number of infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities who are waiting for 8
163	163	needed services, the commerce corporation shall reserve ten (10) awards, or fewer if there are an 9
164	164	insufficient number of qualified applicants, in each calendar year for qualified applicants who are 10
165	165	employed by certified early intervention agencies as speech language pathologists, occupational 11
166	166	therapists, physical therapists, or other qualified professionals on the wavemaker list. Pursuant to 12
167	167	subsection (b) of this section, the commerce corporation shall establish selection criteria for the 13
168	168	early intervention awards that prioritizes qualified applicants who have demonstrated evidence of 14
169	169	bilingual fluency in English and Spanish or English and any other high demand language. 15
170	170	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 16
171	171	========
172	172	LC002227
173	173	========
174	174
175	175
176	176	LC002227 - Page 6 of 6
177	177	EXPLANATION
178	178	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
179	179	OF
180	180	A N A C T
181	181	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- STAY INVESTED IN RI
182	182	WAVEMAKER FELLOWSHIP S
183	183	***
184	184	This act would require the commerce corporation to reserve ten (10) awards each calendar 1
185	185	year for qualified applicants who are employed by certified early intervention agencies as speech 2
186	186	language pathologist, occupational therapists, physical therapist, or other qualified professions on 3
187	187	the wavemaker list, in hopes of addressing the staffing crisis of early intervention programs. 4
188	188	This act would take effect upon passage. 5
189	189	========
190	190	LC002227
191	191	========