High on the agenda: what Rhode Island education leaders can learn from the state takeover and receivership in Lawrence, Massachusetts, that ended two years ago.

PROVIDENCE — The latest mind meld between southern New England's governors could bring their states closer together on school takeovers, marijuana regulation, vaping bans, climate change and transportation.

Meeting Thursday for the second time this year to share ideas and advance group projects, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont — "the three amigos" as Lamont calls them — found common ground on a wide range of topics in an hour-plus working lunch at Rhode Island College.

High on the agenda: what Rhode Island education leaders can learn from the state takeover and receivership in Lawrence, Massachusetts, that ended two years ago.

"We had a robust discussion today at lunch around education. I learned a great deal from Charlie [Baker] as it relates to Lawrence and how Lawrence happened," Raimondo told reporters after the summit. "Gov. Lamont told us about some of the work they are doing successfully recruiting minority teachers."

She said they are working on a multistate educational data-sharing collaboration "so we know what interventions help our kids."

Baker offered the assistance of Massachusetts Education Commissioner Jeff Riley, who was the receiver in Lawrence, to Raimondo as she navigates the upcoming state takeover of the struggling Providence schools.

"I said, 'your folks should talk to him,'" Baker said.

Transportation issues loom large for all three states, each of which has signed on to the Transportation Climate Initiative, a carbon cap for transportation that has been described as a regional wholesale gasoline tax.

Raimondo said it's too early to say how much the plan, which planners hope to launch in 2022, will raise gasoline prices, if at all.

The General Assembly would need to pass legislation to activate the initiative in Rhode Island, but Raimondo said it would not likely be during the upcoming legislative session.

Raimondo has been pushing Baker to create MBTA express service from Boston to Providence, but it is unclear what progress has been made since the topic was featured at the last summit over the summer in Connecticut.

Baker said opposition from Massachusetts residents along the Providence Line to express trains that skip their stations is one hurdle the states are trying to overcome.

"There is work being done on that issue," Baker said. "It is a four-way play. Amtrak has a lot to say about what happens here ... and so do a bunch of the folks in southern Mass."

Raimondo said work between cabinet secretaries on a faster rail connection had produced "a good deal of progress," including meetings with Amtrak.

Recreational marijuana and vaping laws were another focus point Thursday. Lamont shared perspectives from a marijuana policy conference in New York last week.

All three governors said they would like to align their policies, if possible. Massachusetts is the only state of the three to have legalized recreational use.

Baker said he wished the state had created laws around "drugged driving" before Massachusetts passed its recreational use law.

Raimondo said she is trying to decide whether to propose legalization again next year. This past year it was rejected by state lawmakers.

The three states have different approaches to safety concerns about vaping.

Massachusetts banned all vaping products for four months. Rhode Island banned flavored e-cigarettes. Connecticut has not banned any vaping products yet due to legal concerns.

Baker raised the idea of health-care licensing and making it easier for people licensed in one state to practice at least the same scope of services in the neighboring states.

Raimondo said she was open to the idea and wanted to examine reciprocal licensing for other professions such as welders, plumbers, pipefitters, electricians, physical therapists and dentists.

The first summit between the three leaders was in July at Eastern Connecticut State University.

The governors said one thing has already come out of the interstate discussions that started this summer, joint information technology procurement.

Baker has agreed to hold another summit, this one in Massachusetts.