AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PILOT PROGRAM ACT (Converts the Rhode Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act into a continuing scholarship program at Rhode Island College, similar to the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship at the Community College of Rhode Island.)

H8336

2026 -- H 8336
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PILOT
PROGRAM ACT

Introduced By:
Representatives McNamara, Alzate, Hull, Shanley, O'Brien, Phillips,
Bennett, Batista, Azzinaro, and Noret

Date Introduced:
March 20, 2026

Referred To:
House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. The title of Chapter 16-113 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Hope
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Scholarship Pilot Program Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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CHAPTER 16-113
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Rhode Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act
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CHAPTER 16-113
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RHODE ISLAND HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ACT
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SECTION 2. Sections 16-113-1, 16-113-2, 16-113-3, 16-113-4 and 16-113-7 of the
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General Laws in Chapter 16-113 entitled "Rhode Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act" are
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hereby amended to read as follows:
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16-113-1. Short title.
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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Rhode Island Hope Scholarship
Pilot

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Program Act”.
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16-113-2. Legislative findings and purpose.
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(a) The general assembly finds and declares that:
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(1) Education is critical for the state’s young people to achieve their aspirations and
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develop their talents;
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(2) The state’s economic success depends on a highly educated and skilled workforce;
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(3) The state’s future prosperity depends upon its ability to make educational opportunities

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beyond high school available for all students;
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(4) The coronavirus has inflicted undue hardships on students and their families, creating
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barriers to a four-year (4) college degree;
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(5) A merit-based tuition reduction program will help make a four-year (4) college degree
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available to all students;
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(6) Rhode Island college offers students a feasible opportunity to obtain a four-year (4)
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degree, but remains an underutilized resource in the state; and
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(7) The state of Rhode Island’s motto is “Hope”.
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(b) In order to address the findings set forth in subsection (a) of this section, the purpose
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of this chapter is to increase the number of students enrolling in and completing four-year (4)
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degrees and certificates on time from Rhode Island college, and to promote more graduates in high-
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need fields such as nursing, pre-K through grade twelve (12) education, and the trades, which are
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fields for which Rhode Island college provides a strong and affordable education.
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(c) The purpose of the pilot program is also to determine whether a scholarship program
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for Rhode Island college that is modeled on the promise scholarship program established in chapter
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107 of this title would be successful in attaining the goals set forth in this section.
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16-113-3. Establishment of scholarship program.
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There is hereby established the Rhode Island hope scholarship
pilot
program. The general
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assembly shall annually appropriate the funds necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter
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for the periods of the pilot program
. Additional funds beyond the scholarships may be appropriated
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to support and advance the Rhode Island hope scholarship
pilot
program. In addition to
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appropriation by the general assembly, charitable donations may be accepted into the scholarship
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program.
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16-113-4. Definitions.
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When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
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(1) “ADA” means the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., as may
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be amended from time to time.
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(2) “Certificate” means any certificate program with labor market value as defined by the
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postsecondary commissioner.
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(3) “College-level credit” means credit awarded by a college or university for completion
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of its own courses or other academic work.
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(4) “FAFSA” means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.
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(5) “General education coursework” means the educational foundation of knowledge,
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skills, and attitudes that prepares students for success in their majors and their personal and

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professional lives after graduation. It includes, but is not limited to, the required coursework of all
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degrees developed by each eligible postsecondary institution that is approved by the council on
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postsecondary education that is intended to ensure that all graduates of a state institution have a
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balanced core of competencies and knowledge. This does not necessarily include coursework
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specifically required for one’s major.
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(6) “Mandatory fees and tuition” means the costs that every student is required to pay in
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order to enroll in classes, and does not include room and board, textbooks, program fees that may
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exist in some majors, course fees that may exist for some specific courses, meal plans, or travel.
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(7) “On track to graduate on time” means the standards determined by Rhode Island college
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in establishing the expectation of a student to graduate with a bachelor’s degree within four (4)
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years of enrollment, or the prescribed completion time for a student completing a certificate
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(recognizing that some students, including students who require developmental education, are
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double majors, or are enrolled in certain professional programs may require an extended time period
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for degree completion).
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(8) “
Pilot program

Program
”
and

or
“scholarship program” means the Rhode Island hope
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scholarship
pilot
program that is established pursuant to § 16-113-3.
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(9) “Reasonable accommodations” means any necessary modifications or adjustment to a
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facility, equipment, program, or manner of operation as required by the Americans with Disabilities
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Act (“ADA”) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 791, as may be
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amended from time to time.
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(10) “Recipient student” means a student attending Rhode Island college who qualifies to
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receive the Rhode Island hope scholarship pursuant to § 16-113-6.
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(11) “State” means the state of Rhode Island.
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(12) “Student with a disability” means any student otherwise eligible pursuant to this
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chapter who has a physical, developmental, or hidden disability or disabilities, as defined in § 42-
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87-1, that would create a hardship or other functional obstacles preventing participation in this
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program.
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16-113-7. Reporting and disbursement.
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(a) On or before November 10, 2023, and on or before November 10 and May 10
thereafter
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for every year through and including calendar year 2030

of each fiscal year following fiscal year
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2024
, Rhode Island college shall submit a report to the director of the office of management and
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budget, the state budget officer, the house fiscal advisor, the senate fiscal advisor, the commissioner
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of postsecondary education, and the chair of the council on postsecondary education, detailing the
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following:

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(1) The number of students eligible to participate in the scholarship program;
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(2) The amount of federal and institutional financial aid anticipated to be received by
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recipient students;
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(3) The aggregate tuition and mandatory fee costs attributable to recipient students;
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(4) The resulting total cost of the scholarship program to the state; and
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(5) The report shall contain such data for both the current fiscal year and the most up-to-
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date forecast for the following fiscal year. Data reported shall be subdivided by student-year cohort
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and shall be accompanied by a written explanation detailing the estimating methodology utilized
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and any impact(s) the forecasted data may present to institutional capacity, operational costs, and
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the tuition/fee revenue base of the institution.
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(b) On or before July 1, 2030, Rhode Island college and the commissioner of postsecondary
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education shall submit a report evaluating the program based on all cohorts to the governor, speaker
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of the house, and the president of the senate. This evaluation shall include the following:
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(1) The number of students who started in each cohort;
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(2) The number of students in each cohort who have attained a degree or certification in an
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on-time manner;
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(3) The number of students in each cohort who have not attained a degree or certification
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in an on-time manner and an analysis of why that has happened;
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(4) The number of students in each cohort who began the program but have been unable to
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continue or complete the program and an analysis of why that has happened;
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(5) The costs of the program and the costs of continuing the program;
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(6) Suggestions for ways to increase the success of the program;
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(7) Recommendations as to modifying, continuing, expanding, curtailing, or discontinuing
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the program; and
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(8) Any such other recommendations or information as Rhode Island college and the
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commissioner of postsecondary education deem appropriate to include in the evaluation.
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(c) The office of management and budget, in consultation with the office of the
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postsecondary commissioner, shall oversee the apportionment and disbursement of all funds
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appropriated for the purpose of the scholarship program.
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SECTION 3. Section 16-113-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-113 entitled "Rhode
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Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act" is hereby repealed.
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16-113-10. Funding of and sunset of pilot program.
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The Rhode Island hope scholarship pilot program shall be funded from July 1, 2023,
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through and including June 30, 2030. There shall be no further funding of the pilot program without

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further action of the general assembly. Any final reports due pursuant to this chapter shall be filed
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pursuant to the dates set forth herein.
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SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PILOT
PROGRAM ACT
***
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This act would convert the Rhode Island Hope Scholarship Pilot Program Act into a
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continuing scholarship program at Rhode Island College, similar to the Rhode Island Promise
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Scholarship at the Community College of Rhode Island.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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