House Education Committee passes Warwick budget commission bill, holds four other education bills for further study

The Rhode Island House Committee on Education on Feb. 12 passed House Bill 5252 Substitute A/2, a special-law measure to create a short-term budget commission for the City of Warwick, and voted to hold four other bills for additional study while hearing testimony on several public-health and curriculum measures.

Committee Chair McNamara said the amended bill was designed to protect a $350 million bond voters approved to build two new Warwick high schools, describing the measure as a narrow, time-limited intervention. “This bonding is extremely important, extremely important,” Chair McNamara said, arguing the commission’s work would be terminated after the 2025–26 contract adoption and a deficit-reduction plan.

The committee’s passage of HB5252 Sub A/2 follows an amendment negotiated with city bond counsel and revisions meant to address union concerns. Attorney Connell, speaking for staff counsel, outlined statutory limits written into the substitute, saying, “They cannot hire or terminate school department personnel,” and that the commission could not eliminate collective-bargaining rights. Connell also pointed lawmakers to the bill’s statutory citations and clarifications of authority.

Why it matters: proponents said the commission aims to stabilize Warwick’s finances so the city does not risk losing voter-approved school construction funding. Opponents and some members voiced caution about creating a state intervention tool that could be used elsewhere. Representative Veil said she would “reluctantly vote for this bill” but warned the mechanism could be applied to other municipalities in future years.

What the committee did and how it will work - The bill creates a budget commission with specified powers and an explicit sunset tied to adoption of the 2025–26 contract and a deficit-reduction plan. The measure includes language clarifying the commission’s limitations (for example, it cannot eliminate collective bargaining rights and cannot hire or fire school department staff). - Chair McNamara said bond counsel for Warwick requested specific language to protect how bond proceeds and contracts are treated; the committee adopted those clarifications. - The bill passed in committee following a recorded roll call; the clerk announced, “the bill passes.”

Other bills: hearings, testimony and procedural holds - House Bill 5162: The committee passed a measure requiring the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to use the SurveyWorks school-climate survey as one indicator when evaluating local education agencies and public schools. Chair McNamara said the survey captures family engagement, student belonging and school safety. The motion for passage was seconded and the clerk reported the bill as passed.

- House Bill 5163: The committee passed a bill directing the commissioner of elementary and secondary education to identify high-quality science and technology curricula by June 30, 2026, with administrators and superintendents requesting a slate of choices scored by national reviewers (such as EdReports). The sponsor said the one-year window responds to requests from superintendents and the Department of Education.

- House Bills 5044, 5087, 5115 and 5216: After hearing testimony on each, the committee voted to hold these bills for further study. Chair McNamara described the procedural motion to hold as a non-substantive step to allow members time to review written and verbal testimony. The clerk announced that motion passes.

Heard but held: key details from testimony - HB5087, the Children’s Cardiac Safety Act (sponsored by Representative Carson), would add cardiac-screening questions to well-child exams and preparticipation athletic physicals to identify conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Testifier Matt Grant, who described a family history of HCM and personal diagnosis, told the committee the bill “ensures that critical screening questions about family cardiac history and symptoms become a standard part of annual physicals and pre participation physical examinations.” Grant and the sponsor said they are working with the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Department of Health to refine implementation details.

- HB5115 would limit certain artificial food dyes in school meals. Sponsor Representative Carson said some dyes commonly used in candies and cakes have been linked in studies to behavioral effects in children and noted recent regulatory action on at least one red dye. The International Association of Color Manufacturers and the Consumer Brands Association submitted opposition; the Environmental Working Group and others supported restrictions.

- HB5216 would add reporting and enforcement language to an existing law on pesticide use in schools, require notification to parents when pesticides are applied, and ask districts to report pesticide practices to RIDE (the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). Testimony from Phoenix Wheeler of the Audubon Society highlighted risks from anticoagulant rodenticides and neonicotinoids and cited poison-control reporting showing thousands of rodenticide exposures; she said children under age 5 made up a majority of such exposures in recent data. Kevin Goldman, representing New England pest-control interests, opposed parts of the bill as drafted and warned that overly broad bans could leave schools unable to address urgent pest risks near dumpsters, storage areas and other high-pressure zones.

- HB5044 would extend many procedural rights for parents/guardians of children with disabilities, including enforcement in superior court; sponsor Representative Asanaro said the bill aims to align rights across settings but acknowledged past drafting concerns about fee-shifting language that may be amended.

Process notes and next steps - The committee’s procedural vote to hold HB5044, HB5087, HB5115 and HB5216 allows staff time to draft amendments and gather additional information from the Departments of Health and Environmental Management and from pediatricians and school stakeholders. Several witnesses and agencies signaled willingness to work with sponsors on implementation and resource questions. - For HB5087, sponsors expect further testimony from the Rhode Island pediatric community, the Department of Health and advocacy groups; they said the bill could be amended to address practice and resource concerns.

Votes at a glance - HB5252 Sub A/2 (Warwick budget commission): Passed in committee after amendment; sponsor and staff said the commission is time-limited and cannot eliminate collective-bargaining rights. (Outcome: passed in committee.) - HB5162 (SurveyWorks school-climate indicator): Passed in committee. (Outcome: passed in committee.) - HB5163 (High-quality science/technology curricula identification, deadline 6/30/2026): Passed in committee. (Outcome: passed in committee.) - HB5044 (rights/remedies for parents/guardians of children with disabilities): Held for further study. (Outcome: held for further study.) - HB5087 (Children’s Cardiac Safety Act — cardiac screening questions added to well-child and preparticipation forms): Held for further study. (Outcome: held for further study.) - HB5115 (restriction on certain food dyes in school food): Held for further study. (Outcome: held for further study.) - HB5216 (pesticide reporting, notification and safeguards in schools): Held for further study. (Outcome: held for further study.)

The committee’s clerk announced passage and holds recorded during roll call. Sponsors and several administrative agencies signaled readiness to provide amendments or additional information; the committee did not adopt implementation details for the held bills at the Feb. 12 hearing.