Rhode Island legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Rhode Island S2849: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY AND TOWN LIMITS (Allows an individual school distric
Status: Failed, May 19, 2026
AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY AND TOWN LIMITS (Allows an individual school district that can utilize its own buses or vendors at a lower cost than the statewide system, to obtain reimbursement for these costs from state funds.)
What the bill says
From the introduced text, March 4, 2026:
2026 -- S 2849 ======== LC005357 ======== STATEOFRHODEISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ ANACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY AND TOWN LIMITS Introduced By: Senators Gu, DiPalma, Vargas, E Morgan, Zurier, and Thompson Date Introduced: March 04, 2026 Referred To: Senate Finance It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. Section 16-21.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21.1 entitled "Transportation of School Pupils Beyond City and Town Limits [See Title 16 Chapter 97 -- The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows: 16-21.1-8. Statewide transportation system for all students. (a) Notwithstanding the regional structure created in this chapter, and upon implementation of a statewide school transportation system (the "statewide system") for all students, each school committee shall purchase the transportation services for their own resident students by accessing this integrated statewide system of transportation on a fee-for-service basis for each child; provided, however, that any school committee that fulfills its transportation obligations predominantly through the use of district-owned buses or district employees may apply for a variance from the commissioner of education, or the commissioner's designee, thereby requesting that its transportation obligations continue to be achieved through the use of the buses owned by the district and staffed by district employees. In …
Sponsors
- Victoria Gu (D, SD-038) · primary sponsor
- DiPalma, Louis (D, SD-012)
- Lammis Vargas (D, SD-028)
- Elaine Morgan (R, SD-034)
- Samuel Zurier (D, SD-003)
- Brian Thompson (D, SD-020)
Latest actions
- : Committee recommended measure be held for further study
- : Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
- : Introduced, referred to Senate Finance
Votes
- Senate Committee on Finance: Passage (May 19, 2026): 10 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: EDUCATION
Common questions
- What is S2849?
- S2849 is a bill in the Rhode Island Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY AND TOWN LIMITS (Allows an individual school distric.
- What does S2849 do?
- AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY AND TOWN LIMITS (Allows an individual school district that can utilize its own buses or vendors at a lower cost than the statewide system, to obtain reimbursement for these costs from state funds.)
- What is the status of S2849?
- Failed as of May 19, 2026. Latest action: Committee recommended measure be held for further study (May 19, 2026).
- Who sponsored S2849?
- Victoria Gu (D, SD-038), with 5 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for S2849?
- On the Rhode Island Legislature website: http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/SenateText26/S2849.pdf
Source: official Rhode Island record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.