R.I. BILL AIMS TO PROVIDE AID TO STUDENTS WITH DRUG CONVICTIONS

Three Rhode Island state representatives would like to see the state
provide financial aid to students denied federal aid due to drug convictions.

Rep. Joseph Almeida (D-Dist. 12) introduced House Bill 6134, which would
provide financial aid to students who have been denied federal financial
aid due to drug convictions. Representatives Thomas Slater (D-Dist. 10),
and Grace Diaz (D-Dist. 11) co-sponsored the bill with Almeida.

The Souder Amendment to the Higher Education Act denies federal financial
aid to students with drug convictions. Students are ineligible for aid for
specified periods of time depending on the severity and number of their
convictions.

Students convicted of possession lose eligibility for one year. They lose
eligibility for two years for their second offense and an indefinite period
of time upon their third offense.

Students convicted of selling drugs will be ineligible for federal
financial aid for two years for their first offense and will lose
eligibility indefinitely for a second offense.

Students can also resume eligibility for aid after taking a drug
rehibilitation program, consenting to two unannounced drug tests or if
their conviction is set aside or reversed.

Almeida, Slater and Diaz could not be reached for comment regarding their bill.

According to the bill, if passed, "Rhode Island residents who have been
denied or delayed financial assistance for tuition at a higher learning
institution by the federal government under the 1998 Amendment to the
Higher Education Act... [s]hall be fully compensated by the state of Rhode
Island for the amount they would have otherwise received."

The bill also stated the student would be able to use the aid at any
college in the state and would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2000. Any student
that had been denied federal financial aid since then would be eligible for
compensation from the state.

According to the University of Rhode Island Students for Sensible Drug
Policy more than 180 organizations, including the URI Faculty and Student
Senates, have asked the U.S. Congress to repeal the drug provision in the HEA.

However, this bill doesn't aim to repeal the provision, rather it seeks to
replace the money that would be going to the students, according to Micah
Daigle of SSDP.

Daigle added that SSDP and the Coalition for Higher Education Act Reform
brought the issue to Almeida's attention.

"What we're looking for here is to get our congressional delegation to look
at an issue affecting Rhode Islanders," Daigle said. "We're sending a
message to senators Jack Reed and John Chafee and representatives Patrick
Kennedy and James Langevin to get moving on it."

If passed, the bill would make Rhode Island the first state to replace
federal financial aid.

"Obviously it would be a burden on Rhode Island to cover for the mistakes
of the government," Daigle said. "But I think if most Rhode Islanders
thought about HEA, they would think it didn't make sense. I think most
would be for a repeal, but I'm unsure about diverting money."

Commissioner Jack Warner of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher
Education, which oversees the three public institutions of higher learning
in Rhode Island, could not be reached for comment.