Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5599 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2025 -- H 5599
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7	7	LC002110
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCAT ION
16	16	Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, Knight, Cruz, Giraldo, Voas, Alzate, and
17	17	Morales
18	18	Date Introduced: February 26, 2025
19	19	Referred To: House Education
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Chapter 16-59 of the General Laws entitled "Council on Postsecondary 1
24	24	Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby 2
25	25	amended by adding thereto the following section: 3
26	26	16-59-29. Corrections education and vocational planning group. 4
27	27	(a) There is established a corrections education and vocational planning group (CEVPG) 5
28	28	to consider opportunities for career and educational programming in the Rhode Island state prison 6
29	29	system, including higher education pathways that have demonstrable benefits including facility 7
30	30	safety, public safety, lower recidivism, self-efficacy, intergenerational improvement, and 8
31	31	employability. 9
32	32	(b) The members of the CEVPG shall be as follows: 10
33	33	(1) The commissioner of the department of corrections, or designee, who shall serve as 11
34	34	chair; 12
35	35	(2) The postsecondary commissioner, or designee; 13
36	36	(3) The director of rehabilitative services, department of corrections; 14
37	37	(4) The director of the department of business regulation, or designee; 15
38	38	(5) The president of the New England Board of Higher Education, or designee; 16
39	39	(6) A formerly incarcerated person, appointed by the director of rehabilitative services, 17
40	40	department of corrections; and 18
41	41	(7) The chairperson of the council on postsecondary education, or designee. 19
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45	45	(c) The CEVPG shall consult as necessary with the New England Board of Higher 1
46	46	Education, other New England departments of corrections, service providers, and advocates. 2
47	47	(d) The CEVPG shall consider policies, implementation strategies, and funding needs, 3
48	48	including, but not limited to: 4
49	49	(1) Strategic planning for educational challenges and opportunities; 5
50	50	(2) Sustainable partnerships with Rhode Island institutions of higher education for the 6
51	51	delivery of courses and programs; 7
52	52	(3) Credit transfer compacts to ensure higher education institution acceptance of credits 8
53	53	earned before and during incarceration, including strategies for completion of degree programs 9
54	54	after release from incarceration; 10
55	55	(4) College readiness programs; and 11
56	56	(5) Coordination with cross-facility and cross-state programs and the New England Board 12
57	57	of Higher Education to expand availability of offerings. 13
58	58	(e) The CEVPG shall: 14
59	59	(1) Assess labor market needs and in-demand skills and credentials for alignment of 15
60	60	postsecondary education in prison; 16
61	61	(2) Inventory the department of corrections facility needs, including space, staffing, and 17
62	62	access to technology and computer equipment, within safety protocols; 18
63	63	(3) Assess opportunities for work-based learning and apprenticeships; 19
64	64	(4) Identify barriers to continuity of academic programs, support, campus access upon 20
65	65	release, and consider the establishment of reentry navigators at participating higher education 21
66	66	institutions; 22
67	67	(5) Examine ways to prioritize postsecondary and career pathways in the intake and 23
68	68	classification processes, and the use of education and career navigators; 24
69	69	(6) Examine the supplementation of Pell Grant funding by Rhode Island institutions of 25
70	70	higher education for Pell Grant-eligible, formerly incarcerated persons; and 26
71	71	(7) Consider state budgetary needs, sources of federal funding in addition to Second 27
72	72	Chance Pell Grants, and grant funding regarding implementation and planning for new and existing 28
73	73	educational opportunities, especially in coordination with the New England Board of Higher 29
74	74	Education and other departments of correction in New England. 30
75	75	(f) The CEVPG shall file annual reports on group progress and recommendations 31
76	76	beginning on December 1, 2025, with all organizations listed in subsection (b) of this section, as 32
77	77	well as with the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of 33
78	78	representatives. 34
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82	82	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 1
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89	89	EXPLANATION
90	90	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
91	91	OF
92	92	A N A C T
93	93	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
94	94	***
95	95	This act would establish a corrections education and vocational planning group (CEVPG) 1
96	96	to consider opportunities for career and educational programming in the Rhode Island state prison 2
97	97	system, including higher education pathways that have demonstrable benefits to incarcerated 3
98	98	persons. 4
99	99	This act would take effect on July 1, 2025. 5
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101	101	LC002110
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