Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0454 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2023 -- S 0454
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7	7	LC001814
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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 EDUCATION -- FOUNDATION LEVEL SCHOOL SUPPORT
16	16	Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, LaMountain, Britto, Ujifusa, Murray, Acosta, Felag,
17	17	Zurier, Euer, and Pearson
18	18	Date Introduced: March 03, 2023
19	19	Referred To: Senate Finance
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Sections 16-7-39 and 16-7-40 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-7 entitled 1
24	24	"Foundation Level School Support [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of 2
25	25	Education Act]" are hereby amended to read as follows: 3
26	26	16-7-39. Computation of school housing-aid ratio. 4
27	27	For each community, the percent of state aid for school housing costs shall be computed in 5
28	28	the following manner: 6
29	29	(1) The adjusted equalized weighted assessed valuation for the district is divided by the 7
30	30	resident average daily membership for the district (grades twelve (12) and below); (2) The adjusted 8
31	31	equalized weighted assessed valuation for the state is divided by the resident average daily 9
32	32	membership for the state (grades twelve (12) and below); (1) is then divided by (2) and the resultant 10
33	33	ratio is multiplied by a factor currently set at sixty-two percent (62%) which represents the 11
34	34	approximate average district share of school support; the resulting product is then subtracted from 12
35	35	one hundred percent (100%) to yield the housing aid share ratio, provided that in no case shall the 13
36	36	ratio be less than thirty percent (30%). Provided, that effective July 1, 2010, and annually at the 14
37	37	start of each fiscal year thereafter, the thirty percent (30%) floor on said housing-aid share shall be 15
38	38	increased by five percent (5%) increments each year until said floor on the housing-aid share ratio 16
39	39	reaches a minimum of not less than forty percent (40%). This provision shall apply only to school 17
40	40	housing projects completed after June 30, 2010, that received approval from the board of regents 18
41	41	prior to June 30, 2012. Provided further, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, and for 19
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44	44	LC001814 - Page 2 of 5
45	45	subsequent fiscal years, the minimum housing aid share shall be thirty-five percent (35%) for all 1
46	46	projects receiving council on elementary and secondary education approval after June 30, 2012. 2
47	47	The resident average daily membership shall be determined in accordance with § 16-7-22(1). 3
48	48	Provided further, that effective July 1, 2023, and for subsequent fiscal years, the minimum housing 4
49	49	aid share ratio shall be forty percent (40%) for all local education agencies. 5
50	50	(2) No district shall receive a combined total of more than twenty (20) incentive percentage 6
51	51	points for projects that commence construction by December 30, 2023, and five (5) incentive points 7
52	52	for projects that commence construction thereafter; provided further, these caps shall be in addition 8
53	53	to amounts received under §§ 16-7-40(a)(1) and 16-7-40(a)(2). Furthermore, a district’s share shall 9
54	54	not be decreased by more than half of its regular share irrespective of the number of incentive points 10
55	55	received nor shall a district’s state share increase by more than half of its regular share, including 11
56	56	amounts received under §§ 16-7-40(a)(1) and 16-7-40(a)(2), irrespective of the number of incentive 12
57	57	points received. 13
58	58	16-7-40. Increased school housing ratio. 14
59	59	(a)(1) In the case of regional school districts, the school housing aid ratio shall be increased 15
60	60	by two percent (2%) for each grade so consolidated. 16
61	61	(2) Regional school districts undertaking renovation project(s) shall receive an increased 17
62	62	share ratio of four percent (4%) for those specific project(s) only, in addition to the combined share 18
63	63	ratio calculated in § 16-7-39 and this subsection. 19
64	64	(b) In the case of projects undertaken by districts specifically for the purposes of school 20
65	65	safety and security, the school housing aid share ratio shall be increased by five percent (5%) for 21
66	66	these specific projects only, in the calculation of school housing aid. The increased share ratio shall 22
67	67	continue to be applied for as long as the project(s) receives state housing aid. In order to qualify for 23
68	68	the increased share ratio, seventy-five percent (75%) of the project costs must be specifically 24
69	69	directed to school safety and security measures. The council on elementary and secondary 25
70	70	education shall promulgate rules and regulations for the administration and operation of this 26
71	71	section. 27
72	72	(c) For purposes of addressing health and safety deficiencies as defined by the school 28
73	73	building authority, including the remediation of hazardous materials, the school housing aid ratio 29
74	74	shall be increased by five percent (5%) so long as the construction of the project commences by 30
75	75	December 30, 2023 June 30, 2024, is completed by December 30, 2028, and a two hundred fifty 31
76	76	million dollar ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the November 2018 ballot. 32
77	77	In order to qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a 33
78	78	minimum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to this purpose. 34
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82	82	(d) For purposes of educational enhancement, including projects devoted to the 1
83	83	enhancement of early childhood education and career and technical education, the school housing 2
84	84	aid ratio shall be increased by five percent (5%) so long as construction of the project commences 3
85	85	by December 30, 2023 June 30, 2024, is completed by December 30, 2028, and a two hundred fifty 4
86	86	million dollar ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the November 2018 ballot. 5
87	87	In order to qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a 6
88	88	minimum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to these 7
89	89	purposes. 8
90	90	(e) For replacement of a facility that has a facilities condition index of sixty-five percent 9
91	91	(65%) or higher, the school housing ratio shall be increased by five percent (5%) so long as 10
92	92	construction of the project commences by December 30, 2023 June 30, 2024, is completed by 11
93	93	December 30, 2028, does not receive a bonus pursuant to subsection (f) or subsection (g), and a 12
94	94	two hundred fifty million dollar ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the 13
95	95	November 2018 ballot. In order to qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) 14
96	96	of the project costs or a minimum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically 15
97	97	directed to this purpose. 16
98	98	(f) For any new construction or renovation that increases the functional utilization of any 17
99	99	facility from less than sixty percent (60%) to more than eighty percent (80%), including the 18
100	100	consolidation of school buildings within or across districts, the school housing aid ratio shall be 19
101	101	increased by five percent (5%) so long as construction of the project commences by December 30, 20
102	102	2023 June 30, 2024, is completed by December 30, 2028, and a two hundred fifty million dollar 21
103	103	($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the November 2018 ballot. In order to 22
104	104	qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a minimum 23
105	105	of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to this purpose. 24
106	106	(g) For any new construction or renovation that decreases the functional utilization of any 25
107	107	facility from more than one hundred twenty percent (120%) to between eighty-five percent (85%) 26
108	108	to one hundred five percent (105%), the school housing ratio shall be increased by five percent 27
109	109	(5%) so long as construction of the project commences by December 30, 2023 June 30, 2024, is 28
110	110	completed by December 30, 2028, and a two hundred fifty million dollar ($250,000,000) general 29
111	111	obligation bond is approved on the November 2018 ballot. In order to qualify for the increased 30
112	112	share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a minimum of five hundred thousand 31
113	113	dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to this purpose. 32
114	114	(h) For consolidation of two (2) or more school buildings, within or across districts into 33
115	115	one school building, the school housing aid ratio shall be increased by five percent (5%) so long as 34
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119	119	construction of the project commences by December 30, 2023, is completed by December 30, 2028, 1
120	120	a two hundred fifty million dollar ($250,000,000) general obligation bond is approved on the 2
121	121	November 2018 ballot, and does not receive a bonus pursuant to subsection (f) or subsection (g). 3
122	122	In order to qualify for the increased share ratio, twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs or a 4
123	123	minimum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) must be specifically directed to this purpose. 5
124	124	(i) Any regionalized and/or non-regionalized school district receiving an increased share 6
125	125	ratio for a project approved prior to July 1, 2018, shall continue to receive the increased share ratio 7
126	126	for as long as the project receives state housing aid. 8
127	127	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 9
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134	134	EXPLANATION
135	135	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
136	136	OF
137	137	A N A C T
138	138	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- FOUNDATION LEVEL SCH OOL SUPPORT
139	139	***
140	140	This act would amend the computation of school housing-aid for school housing projects 1
141	141	and would provide that construction of certain projects commence in June, 2024, rather than 2
142	142	December, 2023 in order to align such projects with the fiscal year. 3
143	143	This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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145	145	LC001814
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