Senate Bill #2236 (2022)

AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

Requires the office of diversity, equity and opportunity (ODEO) to create, and for all state and municipal employees to receive, annual training in cultural competency. Defines "cultural competency".

View latest version | View original version
View status on official RI website

Subscribe to email updates

Changes since original draft

  • 2022 – S 2236
  • 2022 – S 2236 SUBSTITUTE A
  • ========
  • LC004251
  • LC004251/SUB A
  • ========
  • S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
  • IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  • JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022
  • ____________
  • A N A C T
  • RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – DEPARTMENT OF
  • ADMINISTRATION
  • S TATE OF RHODE IS L AND
  • IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  • JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022
  • ____________
  • A N A C T
  • RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – DEPARTMENT OF
  • ADMINISTRATION
  • Introduced By: Senators Cano, Kallman, Quezada, Murray, DiMario, Euer, Lawson,
  • Anderson, Seveney, and Pearson
  • Date Introduced: February 08, 2022
  • Referred To: Senate Labor
  • It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
  • SECTION1.Section42-11-2.7oftheGeneral LawsinChapter42-11entitled"Department of Administration" is hereby amended to read as follows:
  • It is enacted by the GeneralAssembly as follows:
  • SECTION1. Section42-11-2.7 of the GeneralLawsin Chapter42-11 entitled "Department of Administration" is hereby amended to read as follows:
  • 42-11-2.7. Office of diversity, equity and opportunity established.
  • (a) The office of diversity, equity and opportunity (ODEO) shall be established as a division within the department of administration. The purpose of the office shall be to ensure nondiscrimination, diversity, equity, and equal opportunity in all aspects of state government, including, but not limited to, employment, procurement, policy and practices relative to state programs, services, and activities.
  • (b) The head of this division shall be known as the associate director of ODEO, who shall be appointed by the director of administration, in the classified service of the state, and shall be responsible to, and report to, the director. The associate director of ODEO shall oversee the ODEO in all aspects, including, but not limited to, coordination of the provisions of chapter 14.1 of title 37 (minority business enterprise) and chapter 5.1 of title 28 (equal opportunity and affirmative action) wherein the ODEO shall have direct administrative supervision of the state's equal opportunity office.
  • (c) ODEO shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
  • (1) Develop, administer, implement, and maintain a statewide diversity plan and program, including an equity, equal-opportunity, minority business enterprise, and supplier-diversity program, as well as other related plans and programs within the office;
  • (2) Provide leadership in the development and coordination of recruitment and retention activities in order to promote diversity and encourage the use of bias-free methods and practices in thehiringprocess,performancereviews,andpromotions, andto ensurecompliancewithapplicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and policies;
  • (3)Support thegrowthanddevelopment ofthestate's minoritybusinessenterpriseprogram by engaging in concerted outreach programs to build relationships, maintaining effective programs to promote minority business enterprise utilization, and facilitating minority business enterprise in State procurement activities;
  • (4) Develop, coordinate, and oversee the recruitment, selection, and retention efforts and initiatives to promote and achieve the state's diversity goals and objectives, developing and recommendingrecruitment strategies,andassistingwithspecialrecruitment effortsdirectedtoward ethnic minorities, women, and other underrepresented groups; and
  • (5) Provide leadership in advancing management's understanding, capacity, and accountabilityforembeddingdiversityandequityinemployment andhumanresourcemanagement practices as an integral part of the state's employment opportunities.; and
  • (b) The head of this division shall be known as the associate director of ODEO, who shall be appointed by the director of administration, in the classified service of the state, and shall be responsible to, andreport to, the director. The associate director of ODEO shalloversee the ODEO in all aspects,including, but not limited to, coordination of the provisions of chapter 14.1 of title 37 (minority business enterprise) and chapter 5.1 of title 28 (equal opportunity and affirmative action) wherein the ODEO shall have direct administrative supervision of the state's equal opportunity office.
  • (c) ODEO shallhave the following duties and responsibilities:
  • (1) Develop, administer, implement, and maintain a statewide diversity plan and program, including an equity, equal-opportunity, minority business enterprise, and supplier-diversity program, as wellas other related plans and programs within the office;
  • (2) Provide leadership in the development and coordination of recruitment and retention activities in order to promote diversity and encourage the use of bias-free methods andpractices in the hiring process,performancereviews,andpromotions, andtoensurecompliance with applicable federaland state laws, rules, regulations, and policies;
  • (3) Support the growth anddevelopment of the state'sminority business enterprise program by engaging in concertedoutreachprograms tobuild relationships, maintaining effective programs to promote minority business enterprise utilization, andfacilitating minority business enterprise in State procurement activities;
  • (4) Develop, coordinate, and oversee the recruitment, selection, and retention efforts and initiatives to promote and achieve the state's diversity goals and objectives, developing and recommending recruitmentstrategies,and assisting with specialrecruitmenteffortsdirected toward ethnic minorities, women, and other underrepresented groups; and
  • (5) Provide leadership in advancing management's understanding, capacity, and accountability for embedding diversity andequity in employment andhuman resourcemanagement practices as an integralpart of the state's employment opportunities.;
  • (6) Create and execute a strategic plan for increased cultural competency for all state employees:
  • (i) ODEO shall prescribe by regulation a cultural competency model training program;
  • (ii) ODEO shall require all state employees to annually receive said training program beginning December 1, 2022;
  • (iii) ODEO shall make said training available to municipal employees, upon request; and
  • (iv) For the purposes of this section "cultural competency" means an understanding of how institutions and individuals can respond respectfully and effectively to people from all cultures, economic statuses, language backgrounds, races, ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, religions, genders, gender identifications, sexual orientations, veteran statuses and other characteristics in a manner that recognizes, affirms and values the worth, and preserves the dignity, of individuals, families and communities.
  • (i) ODEO shallprescribe by regulation a cultural competency model training program;
  • (ii) ODEO shall require all state employees to annually receive said training program beginning July 1, 2022; and
  • (iii) For the purposes of this section, "cultural competency" means an understanding of how institutions and individuals can respond respectfully and effectively to people from all cultures, economic statuses, language backgrounds, races, ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, religions, genders, gender identifications, sexualorientations, veteranstatuses,immigration status and other characteristics in a manner that recognizes, affirms and values the worth, and preserves the dignity, of individuals, families and communities.
  • (d) The director of administration may promulgate rules and regulations recommended by the associate director in order to effectuate the purposes and requirements of this act.
  • SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
  • SECTION 2. This act shalltake effect upon passage.
  • ========
  • LC004251
  • LC004251/SUB A
  • ========
  • LC004251/SUB A - Page 2of 3
  • EXPLANATION
  • BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  • OF
  • A N A C T
  • A N A C T
  • RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – DEPARTMENT OF
  • ADMINISTRATION
  • ADMINISTRATION
  • ***
  • This act would require the office of diversity, equityand opportunity(ODEO) to createand for all state and municipal employees to receive annual training in cultural competency. It would define "cultural competency" as an understanding of how institutions and individuals can respectfully respond to people from all different backgrounds such as race, language, economic, gender, veterans and disabilities.
  • This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC004251 ========
  • This actwould require the office of diversity, equity andopportunity (ODEO)tocreateand for all state employees to receive annual training in cultural competency. It would define "cultural competency" as an understanding of how institutions and individuals can respectfully respond to people from all different backgrounds such as race, language, economic, gender, veterans and disabilities.
  • This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC004251/SUB A ========
  • LC004251/SUB A - Page 3of 3

Votes

NOTE: Electronic voting records are unofficial and may not be accurate. For an official vote tally, check the House or Senate Journal from the day of the vote.

Floor vote for ADMINISTRATION

March 15, 2022 at 4:55pm
Yeas: 32 / Nays: 4 / Not voting: 2 / Recused: 0
Legislator Vote
Sen. Acosta Y
Sen. Algiere Y
Sen. Anderson Y
Sen. Archambault NV
Sen. Bell Y
Sen. Burke Y
Sen. Calkin Y
Sen. Cano Y
Sen. Ciccone Y
Sen. Coyne Y
Sen. Cruz N
Sen. DiMario Y
Sen. DiPalma Y
Sen. Euer Y
Sen. Felag Y
Sen. Gallo Y
Sen. Goodwin Y
Sen. Kallman Y
Sen. Lawson Y
Sen. Lombardi Y
Sen. Lombardo Y
Sen. Mack Y
Sen. McCaffrey Y
Sen. Mendes Y
Sen. Miller Y
Sen. Morgan N
Sen. Murray Y
Sen. Paolino N
Sen. Pearson Y
Sen. Picard Y
Sen. Quezada Y
Sen. Raptakis NV
Sen. Rogers N
Sen. Ruggerio Y
Sen. Seveney Y
Sen. Sosnowski Y
Sen. Valverde Y
Sen. Zurier Y