R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-25.4-4
The state board of governors for higher education, in consultation with the state's public institutions of higher education, 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 adopt teacher qualification standards and develop and implement policies and procedures for offering instruction in American Sign Language in the state's system of higher education. In order to effectively communicate pursuant to this section, the state's board of governors shall incur all fees relating to sign language interpreters.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-25.4-4