Bill > S0242

This bill creates a five-member Warwick Public Schools Budget Commission to address the financial challenges of the Warwick school district. The commission will consist of three mayoral appointees (with city council consent), one designee from the school superintendent, and one from the school committee chair. The commission will have broad powers to manage the school district's budget, including amending and executing the annual school budget, implementing financial guidelines, developing a three-year financial plan, and conducting financial audits. The commission will have significant authority to approve all school-related expenditures during its tenure, with some key limitations: it cannot alter collective bargaining agreements, terminate school personnel, or impact bond-funded projects. The commission will remain in place until two specific conditions are met: approval of the fiscal year 2025-2026 school budget by the mayor and city council, and adoption of a deficit reduction plan approved by the auditor general. The bill emphasizes the state's constitutional duty to support public education and provides a mechanism for state intervention when a school district faces financial distress. Importantly, commission members and staff are protected from civil liability for actions taken in their official capacity, and the bill is designed to be broadly interpreted to achieve its purpose of stabilizing the Warwick school district's finances.

Budget and Finance, Education

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