General Assembly votes to make RI Promise permanent

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- The Rhode Island General Assembly on Tuesday approved legislation permanently enacting the state’s Promise program.

The Promise program provides up to two years of free tuition to eligible in-state students at the Community College of Rhode Island. It was set to end this coming September.

The program is open to graduating high school seniors starting at CCRI the following fall. Students must meet certain requirements to keep the scholarship once they start.

“The Promise program is an excellent example of how we can prioritize affordable college options for all Rhode Islanders. The best investment we can make to help individuals achieve their goals is to give them the access to a college education, which is the pathway to a brighter future,” said Speaker Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick).

Rhode Island Promise was first proposed by former Governor Gina Raimondo in 2017.

The bill now heads to Governor Dan McKee’s desk.