Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0237 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2025 -- S 0237
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7	7	LC000381
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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 -- RIGHTS OF STUDENTS ACT
16	16	Introduced By: Senators E Morgan, and Paolino
17	17	Date Introduced: February 13, 2025
18	18	Referred To: Senate Education
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21	21	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
22	22	SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended by 1
23	23	adding thereto the following chapter: 2
24	24	CHAPTER 117 3
25	25	RIGHTS OF STUDENTS ACT 4
26	26	16-117-1. Short title. 5
27	27	This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rights of Students Act." 6
28	28	16-117-2. Definitions. 7
29	29	The following words and phrases, as used in this chapter, shall have the following 8
30	30	meanings: 9
31	31	(1) "Public educational institution" means any of the following: 10
32	32	(i) A school district, including its schools. 11
33	33	(ii) A charter school, including any district charter school, independent charter school or 12
34	34	mayoral academy. 13
35	35	(iii) An accommodation school. 14
36	36	(iv) Any state school for the deaf, blind or visually impaired, including, but not limited to, 15
37	37	the Rhode Island school for the deaf. 16
38	38	16-117-3. Rights of students. 17
39	39	(a) A public educational institution shall not discriminate against students or parents on the 18
40	40	basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression. 19
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44	44	(b) If an assignment requires a student's viewpoint to be expressed in coursework, artwork 1
45	45	or other written or oral assignments, a public educational institution shall not penalize or reward a 2
46	46	student on the basis of religious content or a religious viewpoint. In such an assignment, a student's 3
47	47	academic work that expresses a religious viewpoint shall be evaluated based on ordinary academic 4
48	48	standards of substance and relevance to the course curriculum or requirements of the coursework 5
49	49	or assignment. 6
50	50	(c) Students in public educational institutions may pray or engage in religious activities or 7
51	51	religious expression before, during and after the school day in the same manner and to the same 8
52	52	extent that students may engage in nonreligious activities or expression. 9
53	53	(d) Students in public educational institutions may wear clothing, accessories and jewelry 10
54	54	that display religious messages or religious symbols in the same manner and to the same extent that 11
55	55	other types of clothing, accessories and jewelry that display messages or symbols are permitted. 12
56	56	(e) This section shall not be construed to authorize this state or any of its political 13
57	57	subdivisions to do either of the following: 14
58	58	(1) Require any person to participate in prayer or in any other religious activity. 15
59	59	(2) Violate the constitutional rights of any person. 16
60	60	(f) This section shall not be construed to limit the authority of any public educational 17
61	61	institution to do any of the following: 18
62	62	(1) Maintain order and discipline on the campus of the public educational institution in a 19
63	63	content and viewpoint neutral manner. 20
64	64	(2) Protect the safety of students, employees and visitors of the public educational 21
65	65	institution. 22
66	66	(3) Adopt and enforce policies and procedures regarding student speech at school; provided 23
67	67	that, the policies and procedures do not violate the rights of students as guaranteed by the United 24
68	68	States and Rhode Island constitutions and laws. 25
69	69	(4) Adopt and enforce policies and procedures that prohibit students from wearing any type 26
70	70	of clothing, accessories and jewelry that is worn with the intent to convey affiliation with a criminal 27
71	71	street gang as defined in § 12-19-39. 28
72	72	(g) A student or a student's parent shall not initiate legal action to enforce this section unless 29
73	73	the student or the student's parent has done the following: 30
74	74	(1) The student or the student's parent shall submit a complaint in writing with the specific 31
75	75	facts of the alleged violation to the principal of the school. The principal shall investigate the 32
76	76	complaint and respond in writing, including a description of any action taken to resolve the 33
77	77	complaint, within fifteen (15) days of receiving the written complaint. 34
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81	81	(2) If the action taken by the principal of the school does not resolve the complaint of the 1
82	82	student or the student's parent, the student or the student's parent shall submit a complaint in writing 2
83	83	with the specific facts of the alleged violation to the superintendent or designated administrator. 3
84	84	The superintendent or designated administrator shall investigate the complaint and respond in 4
85	85	writing, including a description of any action taken to resolve the complaint, within twenty-five 5
86	86	(25) days of receiving the written complaint. 6
87	87	(3) If the action taken by the superintendent or designated administrator does not resolve 7
88	88	the complaint of the student or the student's parent, the student or the student's parent may pursue 8
89	89	legal action to enforce this section. 9
90	90	16-117-4. Severability. 10
91	91	If any provision or phrase of this chapter or application of this chapter to any person or 11
92	92	circumstances is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or phrases or 12
93	93	applications of this chapter that can be given effect without the invalid provision or phrase or 13
94	94	application, and to this end the provisions and phrases of this chapter are severable. 14
95	95	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 15
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102	102	EXPLANATION
103	103	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
104	104	OF
105	105	A N A C T
106	106	RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RIGHTS OF STUDENTS ACT
107	107	***
108	108	This act would create the "Rights of Students Act" to provide protections for students and 1
109	109	parents against discrimination on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression. This 2
110	110	act would also allow students to pray or engage in religious activities before, during or after school 3
111	111	as well as to wear clothing, jewelry or accessories that display religious messages or symbols. 4
112	112	Additionally, the act would create a complaint process for a student or parent seeking to file legal 5
113	113	action to enforce this act. 6
114	114	This act would take effect upon passage. 7
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