Rhode Island 2023 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H6128 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 06/13/2023

                     
 
 
 
2023 -- H 6128 SUBSTITUTE A 
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LC002209/SUB A 
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S TATE  OF RHODE IS LAND 
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 
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A N   A C T 
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOA RD OF EDUCATION ACT 
Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Casimiro, Cortvriend, Messier, and Bennett 
Date Introduced: March 06, 2023 
Referred To: House Education 
 
 
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 
SECTION 1. Chapter 16-97 of the General Laws entitled "The Rhode Island Board of 1 
Education Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2 
16-97-11. American Rescue Plan fiscal accountability and transparency.     3 
(a) The board of education and council on elementary and secondary education shall 4 
require all school districts and local education agencies to report on a standardized form each fiscal 5 
year, relating to any and all of the American Rescue Plan, elementary and secondary school 6 
emergency relief, and state and local recovery funds, the following information: 7 
(1) Amounts received; 8 
(2) Amounts allocated with project/program description; 9 
(3) Amounts spent on hiring staff; 10 
(4) Job titles hired or retained with aforesaid funds; 11 
(5) Premium pay amount issued to employees and type of employees compensated; 12 
(6) Total amount of funds not spent and remaining, if any; and 13 
(7) Copies of all progress reports submitted to federal government agencies concerning the 14 
use of "ESSER III" proceeds. 15 
(b) Said reports shall be published on the department of education's website for public 16 
inspection and review. 17 
SECTION 2. Chapter 44-35 of the General Laws entitled "Property Tax and Fiscal 18 
Disclosure — Municipal Budgets" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 19   
 
 
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44-35-11. American rescue plan fiscal accountability and transparency.     1 
(a) All cities and towns shall provide to the division of municipal finance a report on a 2 
standardized form each fiscal year, any and all of the American Rescue Plan funds received through 3 
the "local fiscal recovery fund" program including the following information: 4 
(1) Amounts received; 5 
(2) Amounts allocated with project/program description; 6 
(3) Amounts spent on hiring staff; 7 
(4) Job titles hired or retained with aforesaid funds; 8 
(5) Premium pay amount issued to employees and type of employees compensated; 9 
(6) Total amount of funds not spent and remaining, if any; and 10 
(7) Copies of all progress reports submitted to federal government agencies concerning the 11 
use of "local fiscal recovery fund" proceeds.  12 
(b) Said reports shall be published on the division of municipal finance's website for public 13 
inspection and review. 14 
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023. 15 
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EXPLANATION 
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 
OF 
A N   A C T 
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND BOA RD OF EDUCATION ACT 
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This act would require every school district, local education agency, city and town to report 1 
each fiscal year relating to funding, administrative and program information from the American 2 
Rescue plan, elementary and secondary school emergency relief, and state and local recovery funds. 3 
The school district reports would be published on the department of education website and city and 4 
town reports on the division of municipal finance website. 5 
This act would take effect on July 1, 2023.6 
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