This week at the Rhode Island General Assembly

PROVIDENCE — Highlights from the Statehouse this week include:

Legislative leaders unveil package of education reform bills

The leadership of the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives unveiled a package of education reform bills during a press conference. The legislation would bring a comprehensive reform to curriculum, instruction support, accountability, teacher certification, specialty skills certification, teacher assessments and the principal certification process. Spearheading the effort are Sen. Hanna M. Gallo, D-Cranston, chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, Rep. Joseph M. McNamara, D-Warwick, chairman of the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare, Rep. Gregg Amore, D-East Providence, and Sen. Ryan W. Pearson, D-Cumberland.

Senate passes Ruggerio legislation to bring more transparency to pension plans

The Senate passed legislation (2019-S 0431Aaa) introduced by Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, D-North Providence, that would require all pension plans with at least 200 members not covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, to submit to the same public scrutiny, including public reporting of all its liabilities and assets. The measure now moves to the House of Representatives, where similar legislation (2019-H 5287A) has been introduced by House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi D-Warwick.

Senate OKs Felag bill to exempt college application fees for veterans

The Senate passed legislation (2019-S 0178) introduced by Sen. Walter S. Felag, D-Warren, that would authorize the state’s higher education institutions to waive application and transcript fees for veterans. The legislation states that the Council on Postsecondary Education shall authorize and encourage the presidents of the Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, and the University of Rhode Island to exempt all veterans from any and all application and transcript fees. The measure now moves to the House of Representatives, where similar legislation (2019-H 5272) has been introduced by Rep. Samuel A. Azzinaro, D-Westerly.

Read more: https://www.newportri.com/news/20190511/this-week-at-ri-general-assembly