R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-25.4-3
The department of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the state's school districts, two (2) consumer members of the state's deaf community to be appointed by the Rhode Island Association of the Deaf, two (2) members of the Rhode Island Association of the Deaf, or their designee to be appointed by the presiding officer, two (2) members of the Rhode Island commission on the deaf and hard of hearing or their designee to be appointed by the presiding officer, two (2) members of the American Sign Language Teachers' Association or their designee to be appointed by the presiding officer, one person with expertise in linguistics or language to be appointed by the state board of regents for elementary and secondary education and one person with expertise in linguistics or language to be appointed by the board of governors for higher education, shall develop the educational curriculum, adopt teacher qualification standards, and implement policies and procedures for the teaching of American Sign Language in the state's public elementary and secondary education system. In order to effectively communicate pursuant to this section, the state's department of elementary and secondary education shall incur all fees relating to sign language interpreters.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-25.4-3