Merit Institute Merit

The Rhode Island Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (RI-ACSA)

Rhode Island state companion to ACSA. Extends licensure recognition under R.I. Gen. Laws Title 5, the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner, the Governor's Workforce Board, and R.I. Gen. Laws Title 44 credits, with labor-protective worker provisions.

THE RHODE ISLAND WORKER-MERIT CREDENTIALING ACT (RI-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. Rhode Island General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Labor / Education / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Rhode Island Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (RI-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Rhode Island occupational licensure operates under R.I. Gen. Laws Title 5; that the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner operates under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-59; that the Governor’s Workforce Board operates under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-102; that R.I. Gen. Laws Title 44 authorizes tax credits; and that R.I. Gen. Laws Title 28 provides labor protections. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH RHODE ISLAND LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Rhode Island Recognized Merit Credential” or “RIRMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Commissioner of Postsecondary Education in coordination with the Governor’s Workforce Board under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “Covered State licensing authority” means a board under R.I. Gen. Laws Title 5.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Rhode Island Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Title 5 (licensing).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-59 (Postsecondary Commissioner).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-102 (Workforce Board).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Title 44 (taxation).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Title 28 (labor).

TITLE II — RHODE ISLAND RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Commissioner of Postsecondary Education shall maintain a Rhode Island Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“RIRMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, crosswalked to Federal FRAC.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) The Division of Human Resources, acting under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 36-4 (state merit system), shall apply classifications so that a RIRMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by Rhode Island statute.

TITLE III — WORKFORCE-TRAINING TAX CREDIT (Worker-Protective Rewire)

Sec. 301. Skills-Based Hiring Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to R.I. Gen. Laws Title 44 equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to a Rhode Island-resident employee whose qualifying pathway is a RIRMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Credit availability is conditioned on compliance with R.I. Gen. Laws Title 28, including Chapter 28-12 (prevailing wage).
  3. (c) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA; aggregate cap.
  4. (d) Division of Taxation administers.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) Demonstrated-competency pathway accepting RIRMC, Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience, subject to public health and safety requirements.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) Recognition by federally-funded authorities, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect on July 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 301 shall apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other Rhode Island bills: RI-MEWRA, RI-GT&P, RI-AI-Workforce.