reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-3. - Removal of public members of board.

§ 16-59-3. Removal of public members of board.
Public members of the board of governors shall be removable by the governor for cause only, and removal solely for partisan or personal reasons unrelated to capacity or fitness for the office shall be unlawful. No removal shall be made for any cause except after ten (10) days’ notice in writing of specific charges, with opportunity for the member to be present in person and with counsel at a public hearing before the governor, to introduce witnesses and documentary evidence in his or her own defense, and to confront and cross-examine adversary witnesses; and appeal shall lie to the superior court from the governor’s determination.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-4.1. - Repealed.

§ 16-59-4.1. Repealed.
History of Section.
P.L. 2011, ch. 151, art. 9, § 15; Repealed by P.L. 2014, ch. 145, art. 20, § 6, effective June 19, 2014.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-5. - Meetings of board.

§ 16-59-5. Meetings of board.
The board shall hold regular meetings at least twice in each quarter of each calendar year. All meetings of the board of governors for higher education shall be open to the public, provided that executive sessions may be held as subordinate parts of public meetings only when matters relating to sensitive personnel or collective bargaining are to be heard.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1997, ch. 30, art. 1, § 19.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-7. - [Repealed.]

§ 16-59-7. [Repealed.]
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1981, ch. 291, art. 13, § 1; Repealed by P.L. 1996, ch. 404, § 21, effective August 9, 1996.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-7.1. - Permanent status for non-classified employees.

§ 16-59-7.1. Permanent status for non-classified employees.
All non-classified employees of the council on postsecondary education who shall have twenty (20) years, not necessarily consecutive, of service credit, these credits having been earned in either the classified, non-classified, or unclassified service or any combination of these, shall be deemed to have acquired full status in their positions as the status is defined by § 36-4-59; provided that this provision shall not apply to those employees whose base entry date is after August 7, 1996; and provided that this provision shall not apply to faculty employed by the council on postsecondary education nor shall it apply to non-classified employees who have acquired tenure as faculty.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 527, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 326, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 145, art. 20, § 5.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-7.2. - Longevity payments — Nonclassified employees.

§ 16-59-7.2. Longevity payments — Nonclassified employees.
(a)
The non-classified employees of the board of governors for higher education, except for faculty employees and except for non-classified employees already receiving longevity increases, shall be entitled to a longevity payment in the amount of five percent (5%) of base salary after ten (10) years of service and increasing to a total of ten percent (10%) of base salary after twenty (20) years of service. The provisions of this section will apply only to employees under the grade of nineteen (19). The longevity payments shall not be included in base salary.
(b)
The board of governors is authorized to promulgate regulations implementing the provisions of this section.
(c)
Beginning on July 1, 2011, notwithstanding any rule, regulation, or provision of the public laws or general laws to the contrary, there shall be no further longevity increases for employees of the board of governors; provided, however, for employees with longevity provisions pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement in effect on June 1, 2011, longevity increases shall cease beginning on July 1, 2011 or beginning upon the expiration of the applicable collective bargaining agreement, whichever occurs later. To the extent an employee has previously accrued longevity payments, the amount of the longevity payment earned by the employee for the last pay period in June, 2011 shall be added to the employee’s base salary as of June 30, 2011, or in the case of an employee with longevity provisions pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement in effect on June 1, 2011, the amount of the longevity payment earned by the employee for the latter of the last pay period in June or the last pay period prior to the expiration of the applicable collective bargaining agreement shall be added to the employee’s base salary as of June 30, 2011 or upon the expiration of the applicable collective bargaining agreement, whichever occurs later.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 571, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 54; P.L. 2011, ch. 151, art. 8, § 2.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-8. - Repealed.

§ 16-59-8. Repealed.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; Repealed by P.L. 2014, ch. 145, art. 20, § 6, effective June 19, 2014.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-9.1. - Incentive fund for excellence — Challenge fund for management and administration improvement — Carry-forward provision.

§ 16-59-9.1. Incentive fund for excellence — Challenge fund for management and administration improvement — Carry-forward provision.
(a)
The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums as may be necessary to create and maintain an “incentive fund for excellence”, which shall be used by the board of governors to fund program initiatives to improve the quality of the undergraduate education offered by the institutions of public higher education.
(b)
The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums as may be necessary to create and maintain a “challenge fund for management and administration improvement” to be administered by the board of governors. The board shall award grants to the institutions of public higher education on a competitive basis upon presentation of proposals designed to effect projected administrative savings of an amount equal to or more than the amount of the grant requested.
(c)
Any amounts remaining at the end of any fiscal year in the funds established under subsection (a) or (b), or any amounts allocated to the institutions under these sections, may be carried forward to the next fiscal year.
(d)
The board of governors shall annually report to the general assembly concerning the amounts and specific purposes and the effectiveness of all allocations made from the funds established in subsections (a) and (b).
History of Section.
P.L. 1987 ch. 596, § 4.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-9.2. - Military tuition waiver.

§ 16-59-9.2. Military tuition waiver.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the general or public laws to the contrary, an applicant who is a member of the armed forces or reserves of the United States and is currently stationed in Rhode Island shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at Rhode Island public universities, colleges or community colleges. The council on postsecondary education shall prescribe rules and regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of this section.
History of Section.
P.L. 2017, ch. 411, § 1.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-9.3. - Student Success Act.

§ 16-59-9.3. Student Success Act.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the general or public laws:
(1)
A student, other than a nonimmigrant alien within the meaning of 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15), who meets all of the following requirements shall be exempt from paying nonresident tuition at Rhode Island public universities, colleges, or community colleges, if he or she:
(i)
Attended an approved Rhode Island high school for three (3) or more consecutive years;
(ii)
Continues to reside in the state of Rhode Island;
(iii)
Has graduated from an approved Rhode Island high school or received a high school equivalency diploma from the state of Rhode Island;
(iv)
Has filed, or will file, upon matriculation, with the Rhode Island public university, college, or community college of expected attendance, an affidavit stating that:
(A)
The student meets the requirements of subsections (1)(i) and (1)(ii) of this section; and
(B)
If the student is not a United States citizen and does not have a lawful immigration status, that the student has filed an application for lawful immigration status, or will file the application as soon as the student is eligible to do so. The affidavit shall not require students to reveal their immigration or citizenship status.
(2)
Any nonimmigrant foreign national student, who has resided in Rhode Island for three (3) years and has attended a Rhode Island high school for three (3) years, will be eligible to pay the same in-state tuition as any other Rhode Island student.
(3)
Identifiable student information obtained pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall be confidential to the extent provided by state and federal law (including the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)). If information obtained pursuant to this section regarding a student’s immigration status is provided to any agency for purposes other than the implementation of this section, the entity providing the information shall promptly notify the student.
(4)
The Rhode Island council for postsecondary education shall prescribe rules and regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of this section.
History of Section.
P.L. 2021, ch. 346, § 1, effective July 12, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 365, § 1, effective July 12, 2021.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-10. - Existing academic privileges preserved.

§ 16-59-10. Existing academic privileges preserved.
No provision of this chapter shall be construed to impair academic freedom or academic governance at any institution under the jurisdiction of the board of governors, nor to divest any faculty member of the institution of tenure, retirement or other right or benefit to which the member may now be entitled.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-11. - Investigative powers of board.

§ 16-59-11. Investigative powers of board.
The council on postsecondary education shall have power to investigate all transactions and matters relating to higher public education in the state, including those required pursuant to an interstate, distance-learning reciprocity agreement, and to summon witnesses, administer oaths, and to require testimony and the production of records in like manner and to the same extent as a court of law.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 2015, ch. 207, § 2; P.L. 2015, ch. 231, § 2.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-12. - Exemption from provisions of Administrative Procedures Act.

§ 16-59-12. Exemption from provisions of Administrative Procedures Act.
The provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42, shall not apply to this chapter.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-13. - Definitions.

§ 16-59-13. Definitions.
Where in this chapter the phrase “public colleges” or “public institutions of higher learning” or “public tax supported institutions of higher learning” or words of similar import are used they shall be taken to mean Rhode Island college, and the community college of Rhode Island, or any other of these public colleges, public institutions of higher learning, or public tax supported institutions of higher learning other than the university of Rhode Island, which may be created, individually or collectively, as appropriate.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 9, § 6.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-14. - Pertinence of certain law relating to state colleges to board of governors.

§ 16-59-14. Pertinence of certain law relating to state colleges to board of governors.
The provisions of repealed §§ 16-31-8, 16-31-9, 16-31-10, 16-31-11, and 16-31-13 previously pertinent to the board of trustees of state colleges and made applicable to the board of governors for education are made applicable to the board of governors for higher education; provided, that § 16-59-23 shall not apply to members of the general assembly in their capacity as members of the board of governors.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 12; P.L. 1993, ch. 422, § 4; P.L. 1994, ch. 14, § 4.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-15. - Liberal construction of chapter required.

§ 16-59-15. Liberal construction of chapter required.
This chapter shall be construed liberally in aid of its declared purposes.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-16. - Meaning of terms in existing law.

§ 16-59-16. Meaning of terms in existing law.
Whenin any law, resolution, document, record, instrument, proceeding, or other place the words “board of trustees of state colleges” or “boards of regents for education” as they shall apply to higher education shall appear, they shall be construed to mean “board of governors for higher education”.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-17. - Severability.

§ 16-59-17. Severability.
If any provision of this chapter or of any rule or regulation made under this chapter, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the chapter, rule, or regulation and the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected by this invalidity. The invalidity of any section or sections or parts of any section or sections shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the chapter.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-18. - Receipts from sources other than appropriations.

§ 16-59-18. Receipts from sources other than appropriations.
(a)
All receipts from all sources other than state appropriations shall not be covered into the general fund of the state, but shall be kept by the general treasurer of the state in a separate fund for the council on postsecondary education, and shall be paid out by the treasurer upon the order of the council, without the necessity of appropriation or re-appropriation by the general assembly.
(b)
The council on postsecondary education shall ensure that state colleges have a structure in place to prohibit these colleges from accepting funds that would interfere with or restrict academic freedom at the state colleges. Nothing contained in this subsection shall be construed in a way as to prohibit a donor from earmarking funds for a particular purpose or use including but not limited to research, scholarships, construction, or development.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 122; P.L. 1999, ch. 235, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 9, § 6.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-19. - Fiscal accounts — Receipts — Petty cash funds.

§ 16-59-19. Fiscal accounts — Receipts — Petty cash funds.
The treasurer of Rhode Island college to be appointed by the council on postsecondary education, shall keep an accurate account of his or her receipts and expenditures which shall be audited by the state controller in accordance with law. The treasurer of each college shall turn over to the general treasurer at monthly intervals all sums of money received by him or her during the preceding month which shall be credited to the proper accounts and funds by the general treasurer. The state controller shall establish an imprest fund or petty cash fund for the use of the treasurer of each of the colleges for expenditures of any nature as may be approved by the state controller.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 122; P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 9, § 6.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-20. - Audit of expenditures.

§ 16-59-20. Audit of expenditures.
The pre-audit of all expenditures under authority of the board by the state controller provided for in § 35-6-1 shall be purely ministerial, concerned only with the legality of the expenditure and the availability of the funds, and in no event shall the state controller interpose his or her judgment regarding the wisdom or expediency of any item or items of expenditure.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 122.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-21. - Freedom from budget and lease control by other agencies.

§ 16-59-21. Freedom from budget and lease control by other agencies.
In order that the board of governors for higher education may control the personnel and equipment of the state colleges in the interest of educational efficiency, the board and the colleges are excepted from the provisions of subsection (a)(5) of § 35-3-1 relating to the employment of personnel, and from that part of § 42-20-8 which relates to the director of administration.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 122.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-22. - Applicability of merit system — Teacher certification — List of positions transferable to classified service.

§ 16-59-22. Applicability of merit system — Teacher certification — List of positions transferable to classified service.
(a)
The appointment, promotion, salaries, tenure, and dismissal of administrative, instructional, and research employees, and secretarial employees not exceeding ten (10) in number, and armed college police officers of the state colleges shall not be subject in any manner or degree to control by the personnel administrator or by any officer or board other than the council on postsecondary education.
(b)
All positions that are exempt from the merit system law, chapter 4 of title 36, which become vacant or that are to be established, must be forwarded to the personnel administrator, who, in consultation with the deputy assistant commissioner of education in charge of personnel and labor relations, shall determine whether the position(s) in question shall remain in the council on postsecondary education non-classified service or be established in the classified service of the state.
(c)
No position presently in the classified service of the state subject to the merit system law, chapter 4 of title 36, shall be changed or modified so as to establish the position in the council on postsecondary education non-classified service.
(d)
Faculty positions, presidents, vice presidents, deans, assistant deans, and student employees of the higher-education institutions shall not be covered by the preceding provisions and shall remain in the council on postsecondary education non-classified service.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 122; P.L. 2014, ch. 145, art. 20, § 5; P.L. 2016, ch. 391, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 405, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 9, § 6.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-23. - Conflicts of interest.

§ 16-59-23. Conflicts of interest.
No member of the board of governors for higher education shall be employed in any position under the jurisdiction of the board, nor contract in any manner for any purpose with the board; nor shall the board purchase, sell, or lease any land, property, or supplies from or to any firm or business association of which any member of the board is owner, part owner, or officer or director. No person related by consanguinity or affinity in the first degree to any member of the board shall be employed in any capacity under the board’s jurisdiction.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 122.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-24. - Accessibility for people with disabilities.

§ 16-59-24. Accessibility for people with disabilities.
(a)
The board of governors shall develop a policy, commitments, and procedures for students with disabilities setting forth the steps necessary to ensure that all public colleges, as defined in § 16-59-13, are accessible to persons with disabilities.
(b)
The plan shall be substantially identical to the plan adopted by Rhode Island College and shall consider all persons’ with disabilities needs and shall adopt reasonable accommodations necessary to achieve equal participation in educational opportunities.
(c)
The state building code standards committee shall adopt an accessibility for people with disabilities standard for public colleges that includes provisions ensuring that public colleges are accessible to and usable by all persons with disabilities.
History of Section.
P.L. 1990, ch. 236, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 36; P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 36.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-25. - Voter registration forms.

§ 16-59-25. Voter registration forms.
The admissions offices of all state institutions of higher learning shall include in the admissions information provided to state residents forms for voter registration as described in § 17-9.1-9 to be provided by the state board of elections.
History of Section.
P.L. 1998, ch. 338, § 1.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-25.1. - Maintenance of voter registration files.

§ 16-59-25.1. Maintenance of voter registration files.
(a)
In order to better maintain voter registration files, all institutions of higher education shall, on or before August 15th of each year, electronically transmit a text file or database to the secretary of state containing the names and current addresses of those students who have graduated that year and for whom public directory information is available. Within fifteen (15) days of the receipt of the file or database, the secretary of state may send a letter to each such student requesting verification as to whether such student intends to continue to reside in the State of Rhode Island.
(b)
The letter shall:
(1)
Request the student, if he or she has moved to a new address within Rhode Island, to complete a form, enclosed with the letter, allowing him or her to provide a new address for re-registration purposes;
(2)
Request the student, if he or she has moved to a new address outside of Rhode Island, to so advise the secretary of state on a form enclosed with the letter, authorizing his or her removal from the voter registration list;
(3)
Remind the student to re-register at a new address if he or she subsequently moves from their current address; and
(4)
Make clear that the request for information is strictly voluntary, that the student has no obligation to respond to the letter, and that no student shall be removed from the voter registration list unless such student responds to the mailing and authorizes his or her removal from the voter registration list.
(c)
Mailings conducted pursuant to this section shall not seek address correction from the postal service. In the event that a letter is nonetheless returned as undeliverable to the address where the letter was sent, it shall not serve as a basis for initiating the confirmation process established in § 17-9.1-26.
(d)
The form letter used by the secretary of state to implement this provision shall be adopted in accordance with the rule-making provisions of chapter 35 of title 42 (The “Administrative Procedures Act”).
History of Section.
P.L. 2011, ch. 273, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 302, § 1.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-27. - Sale and purchase of degrees solely on the basis of life experience prohibited.

§ 16-59-27. Sale and purchase of degrees solely on the basis of life experience prohibited.
(a)
The purchase and sale of academic degrees wherein the degree is obtained on the basis of a combination of a payment of a fee and the attainment of academic credit for so-called life experiences, without the applicant undertaking any academic coursework at the entity or institution purporting to issue the degree, shall be prohibited. Provided, this section shall not prohibit an award of academic credit for work experience or other so-called “life experience” as part of a program to obtain a degree in higher education, but shall prohibit the award of such degree solely on the basis of such experience.
(b)
Pursuant to its investigative powers under § 16-59-11, the board of governors shall investigate persons and entities brought to the board’s attention that purport to offer academic degrees in violation of this section. By way of direction, and as a guide in enforcing this section, the general assembly notes that higher education can take many forms, and it is not the intent of this section to curtail or limit academic freedom and/or the use of alternative methods of instruction that deviate from traditional norms. Rather, the intent of this section is to prohibit the awarding and attainment of academic degrees primarily on the basis of purchase and sale, and to prevent the fraudulent use of life and work experience to attain academic credit.
History of Section.
P.L. 2007, ch. 405, § 1.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-59 - Council on Postsecondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-59-28. - [Repealed.]

§ 16-59-28. [Repealed.]
History of Section.
P.L. 2009, ch. 202, § 3; P.L. 2009, ch. 203, § 3; P.L. 2010, ch. 63, § 1; P.L. 2010, ch. 75, § 1; Repealed by P.L. 2019, ch. 88, art. 9, § 7, effective February 1, 2020.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-1. - Council on elementary and secondary education established.

§ 16-60-1. Council on elementary and secondary education established.
(a)
There is created a council on elementary and secondary education which shall be and is constituted a public corporation, empowered to sue and be sued in its own name, to have a corporate seal, and to exercise all the powers, in addition to those specifically enumerated in this chapter, usually appertaining to public corporations entrusted with control of elementary and secondary education institutions and functions. The council on elementary and secondary education shall be protected from sudden changes in membership and reversal of policy by having staggered terms for its public members.
(b)
Upon its organization the council on elementary and secondary education shall be invested with the legal title (in trust for the state) to all property, real and personal, now owned by and/or under the control or in the custody of the board of regents for education for the use of the department of elementary and secondary education. The council on elementary and secondary education is made successor to all powers, rights, duties, and privileges pertaining to elementary and secondary education.
(c)
The council on elementary and secondary education is made successor to all powers, rights, duties, and privileges formerly belonging to the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, unless otherwise specified in law.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1981, ch. 291, art. 13, § 2; P.L. 1999, ch. 48, § 2; P.L. 1999, ch. 124, § 2; P.L. 2005, ch. 117, art. 21, § 18; P.L. 2006, ch. 8, § 2; P.L. 2006, ch. 28, § 2; P.L. 2012, ch. 291, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 341, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 145, art. 20, § 7.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-3. - Removal of public members of board.

§ 16-60-3. Removal of public members of board.
Public members of the board of regents shall be removable by the governor for cause only, and removal solely for partisan or personal reasons unrelated to capacity or fitness for the office shall be unlawful. No removal shall be made for any cause except after ten (10) days’ notice in writing of specific charges, with opportunity for the member to be present in person and with counsel at a public hearing before the governor, to introduce witnesses and documentary evidence in the member’s own defense, and to confront and cross-examine adversary witnesses; and appeal shall lie to the superior court from the governor’s determination.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-4.1. - Granting of high school diplomas for World War II and Korean War veterans.

§ 16-60-4.1. Granting of high school diplomas for World War II and Korean War veterans.
The board of regents shall have in addition to all the powers enumerated in § 16-60-1 and § 16-60-4 the authority to develop guidelines for issuing high school diplomas for World War II and Korean War veterans who left school early to fight in World War II or the Korean War. The board of regents shall develop and make available an application and a model diploma. The high school diploma shall be available to all veterans who left school in any grade to fight in World War II or the Korean War.
History of Section.
P.L. 2001, ch. 108, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 230, § 1.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-5. - Meetings of board.

§ 16-60-5. Meetings of board.
(a)
The regents shall hold regular meetings at least twice in each quarter of each calendar year. All meetings of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education shall be open to the public, provided that executive sessions may be held as subordinate parts of public meetings. Every February at a time and place to be determined by the regents, the regents shall hold a meeting to which it shall invite the entire membership of the general assembly. At least thirty (30) days’ written notice of the annual meeting shall be furnished to each invitee, which notice shall include an agenda of the meeting, which agenda shall include but not be limited to the budget submitted for the fiscal year beginning July 1 of the next fiscal period.
(b)
In addition to other meetings, the regents shall hold at least one regular public meeting annually with representatives of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, the Rhode Island Association of School Committees, the Rhode Island School Superintendent’s Association, the Rhode Island Principal’s Association, the National Education Association of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers, for the purposes of obtaining their recommendations and comments regarding education policy and programs, and securing information from representatives of these organizations concerning the effectiveness of educational programs and policies, and considering any other mutually agreeable subjects.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1988, ch. 642, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-7.1. - Early childhood training and resource center — Board of advisors.

§ 16-60-7.1. Early childhood training and resource center — Board of advisors.
(a)
The department of elementary and secondary education shall establish, maintain, and operate, in accordance with the guidelines of the board of advisors created pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, a training and resource center to serve as a source of information regarding training and resources for early childhood and child care professionals which would:
(1)
Provide information regarding requirements and/or sources for licensure, approval, and certification;
(2)
Provide information regarding sources of training to meet specific needs;
(3)
Maintain contact with professional organizations, state departments, higher education institutions, and other resources for training;
(4)
Develop a newsletter for dissemination of vital information regarding topics as department of health alerts, changes in department of human services programs, and eligibility criteria for persons seeking child care;
(5)
Develop and conduct training for which no identified training source currently exists;
(6)
Develop a speakers’ bureau;
(7)
Maintain a calendar of events for early childhood/child care professionals; and
(8)
Provide any other services that the board of advisors shall deem necessary.
(b)
To guide the department in the establishment, location, maintenance, and operation of the training and resource center, the department shall establish a board of advisors consisting of representatives from each of the following agencies, departments, professional associations, and educational institutions: department of children, youth, and families; department of human services; department of elementary and secondary education; department of health; Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young children; Rhode Island Early Childhood Resource Center; Rhode Island Association for Home Day Care; Rhode Island Day Care Director’s Association; Association for Childhood Education, Providence area; Rhode Island Head Start Director’s Association; Community College of Rhode Island; Rhode Island College; the University of Rhode Island; and any other agencies, departments, institutions, and associations as the advisory board shall prescribe.
History of Section.
P.L. 1987, ch. 364, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 509, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 84, § 13.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-7.2. - Longevity payments — Nonclassified employees.

§ 16-60-7.2. Longevity payments — Nonclassified employees.
(a)
The non-classified employees of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, except for non-classified employees already receiving longevity increases, shall be entitled to a longevity payment in the amount of five percent (5%) of base salary after ten (10) years of service and increasing to a total of ten percent (10%) of base salary after twenty (20) years of service. The provisions of this section shall apply only to employees under the grade of nineteen (19). The longevity payments shall not be included in base salary.
(b)
The board of regents is authorized to promulgate regulations implementing the provisions of this section.
(c)
Beginning on July 1, 2011, notwithstanding any rule, regulation, or provision of the public laws or general laws to the contrary, there shall be no further longevity increases for employees of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education; provided, however, for employees with longevity provisions pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement in effect on June 1, 2011, longevity increases shall cease beginning on July 1, 2011 or beginning upon the expiration of the applicable collective bargaining agreement, whichever occurs later. To the extent an employee has previously accrued longevity payments, the amount of the longevity payment earned by the employee for the last pay period in June, 2011 shall be added to the employee’s base salary as of June 30, 2011, or in the case of an employee with longevity provisions pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement in effect on June 1, 2011, the amount of the longevity payment earned by the employee for the latter of the last pay period in June or the last pay period prior to the expiration of the applicable collective bargaining agreement shall be added to the employee’s base salary as of June 30, 2011 or upon the expiration of the applicable collective bargaining agreement, whichever occurs later.
History of Section.
P.L. 1988, ch. 571, § 3; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 55; P.L. 2011, ch. 151, art. 8, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-7.3. - Statewide purchasing system and programs.

§ 16-60-7.3. Statewide purchasing system and programs.
(a)
The department of elementary and secondary education, together with the department of administration, is authorized to develop and implement a voluntary statewide purchasing system for all public schools in this state, including regional school districts. Said system may be utilized for the purchase of all goods, supplies and services to support and enhance public school operations under a statewide contract, and shall include, but not be limited to, the following goods, supplies and services:
(1)
General school supplies such as paper goods, office supplies, textbooks and cleaning products that are or may be utilized by school departments;
(2)
Telecommunications, wireless services, computer equipment, hardware and software that have been identified by local school departments as needed to support curriculum objectives;
(3)
General non-medical and dental insurance products and services; provided however, that the statewide purchasing system shall permit districts to establish their own benefit and coverage levels.
(b)
Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or public law to the contrary, including the provisions of chapter 2 of title 37, the department of elementary and secondary education and local and regional school districts are authorized to participate in purchasing collaboratives, consisting of two (2) or more states. Said participation shall be subject to prior approval of the chief purchasing officer and rules and regulations promulgated by the department.
History of Section.
P.L. 2010, ch. 23, art. 13, § 5.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-8. - State educational budget and appropriations.

§ 16-60-8. State educational budget and appropriations.
The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sums as it deems necessary for support and maintenance of elementary and secondary education in the state and the state controller is authorized and directed to draw his or her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of those appropriations or so much of this sum as may be necessary for the purposes appropriated, upon the receipt by the controller of proper vouchers as the board of regents for elementary and secondary education may by rule provide. The regents shall receive, review, and adjust the budget of its several subordinate committees and agencies and present the budget as part of the budget for elementary and secondary education.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1981, ch. 291, art. 13, § 2; P.L. 1996, ch. 100, art. 22, § 4.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-8.1. - Regents recovery for indirect costs.

§ 16-60-8.1. Regents recovery for indirect costs.
The regents shall apply for recovery of indirect cost when recovery is permissible under federal statute and grant regulations. All funds received for indirect costs recovery shall be turned over to the general treasurer and shall be placed in a restricted account for specific purposes designated by the regents. The regents shall annually report to the general assembly the estimated amount of federal indirect cost recoveries for the next fiscal year together with the intended use of the funds.
History of Section.
P.L. 1985, ch. 324, § 1.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-9. - Investigative powers of board.

§ 16-60-9. Investigative powers of board.
The board of regents shall have the power to investigate all transactions and matters relating to public elementary and secondary education in the state and to summon witnesses, administer oaths, and to require testimony and the production of records in the same manner and to the same extent as a court of law.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1981, ch. 291, art. 13, § 2.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-10. - Applicability of Administrative Procedures Act.

§ 16-60-10. Applicability of Administrative Procedures Act.
The provisions of §§ 42-35-1 through 42-35-8 shall apply to this chapter.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1997, ch. 305, § 1.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-11. - Liberal construction of chapter required.

§ 16-60-11. Liberal construction of chapter required.
This chapter shall be construed liberally in aid of its declared purpose.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-12. - Meaning of terms in existing law.

§ 16-60-12. Meaning of terms in existing law.
When in any law, resolution, document, record, instrument, proceeding, or other place the words “board of education,” “state board of education,” or “board of regents for education” as they shall apply to elementary and secondary education shall appear they shall be construed to mean “board of regents for elementary and secondary education”.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1981, ch. 291, art. 13, § 2.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-60 - Council on Elementary and Secondary Education [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-60-13. - Severability.

§ 16-60-13. Severability.
If any provision of this chapter or of any rule or regulation made under it, or its application to any rule or regulation made under it, or its application to any person or circumstance, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the chapter, rule, or regulation and the application of that provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected the invalidity. The invalidity of any section or sections or parts of any section or sections shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the chapter.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-61 - Rhode Island Public Telecommunications Authority [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-61-1. - Repealed.

§ 16-61-1. Repealed.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 4; Repealed by P.L. 2013, ch. 144, art. 7, § 1, effective July 1, 2013.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-61 - Rhode Island Public Telecommunications Authority [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-61-2. - Repealed.

§ 16-61-2. Repealed.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 4; Repealed by P.L. 2013, ch. 144, art. 7, § 1, effective July 1, 2013.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-61 - Rhode Island Public Telecommunications Authority [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-61-3. - Repealed.

§ 16-61-3. Repealed.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 4; P.L. 2006, ch. 14, § 7; P.L. 2006, ch. 16, § 7; Repealed by P.L. 2013, ch. 144, art. 7, § 1, effective July 1, 2013.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-61 - Rhode Island Public Telecommunications Authority [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-61-4. - Repealed.

§ 16-61-4. Repealed.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 4; P.L. 1982, ch. 441, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 56; P.L. 2005, ch. 117, art. 21, § 19; P.L. 2006, ch. 14, § 7; P.L. 2006, ch. 16, § 7; Repealed by P.L. 2013, ch. 144, art. 7, § 1, effective July 1, 2013.
2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 16-61 - Rhode Island Public Telecommunications Authority [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act] › Section 16-61-5. - Repealed.

§ 16-61-5. Repealed.
History of Section.
P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 4; Repealed by P.L. 2013, ch. 144, art. 7, § 1, effective July 1, 2013.