Bill > H5599

This bill establishes a Corrections Education and Vocational Planning Group (CEVPG) to develop and improve educational and career programming for incarcerated individuals in Rhode Island's state prison system. The group will be composed of representatives from various state departments, including corrections, higher education, business regulation, and a formerly incarcerated person. The CEVPG's responsibilities include strategically planning educational opportunities, developing partnerships with higher education institutions, creating credit transfer agreements, assessing labor market needs, identifying barriers to academic continuity, and examining funding sources like Pell Grants and federal grants. The group will focus on expanding educational programs that demonstrably benefit incarcerated individuals by improving facility and public safety, reducing recidivism, enhancing self-efficacy, and increasing employability. They will collaborate with the New England Board of Higher Education and other regional corrections departments, and are required to submit annual reports beginning December 1, 2025, to key stakeholders including the governor, senate president, and house speaker. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Education

https://status.rilegislature.gov/