2012 -- H 7985

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LC02273

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING THE SENATOR CLAIBORNE PELL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON THE

HUMANITIES

     

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Martin, Jackson, Reilly, and E Coderre

     Date Introduced: March 22, 2012

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

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     WHEREAS, In 1965, Senator Claiborne Pell sponsored legislation creating the National

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Endowment for the Humanities; and

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     WHEREAS, Senator Pell believed that promoting the humanities was “significant to our

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nation’s cultural advancement and to the full growth of a truly great society”; and

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     WHEREAS, Article XII of the Rhode Island Constitution underscores the importance of

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“the diffusion of knowledge, as well as of virtue among the people being essential to the

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preservation of their rights and liberties”; and

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     WHEREAS, The humanities are an integral part of Rhode Island’s economy, culture, and

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public life; and

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     WHEREAS, It is the priority of the general assembly, in keeping with Senator Pell’s

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vision, to inspire intellectual curiosity and imagination and ignite the diffusion of knowledge in

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all Rhode Islanders by promoting the public understanding of the tradition of thought and

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accomplishment that is the humanities; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission to be known as “The Senator

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Claiborne Pell Legislative Commission on the Humanities” be and the same is hereby created

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consisting of twelve (12) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the house of

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representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the

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speaker of the house; three (3) of whom shall be members of the senate, not more than two (2)

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from the same political party, to be appointed by the president of the senate; and six (6) of whom

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shall be citizens of Rhode Island, three (3) of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the

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house, and three (3) of whom shall be appointed by the president of the senate.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a general assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

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is entitled to the appointment consents to the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to examine the state of the humanities in Rhode

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Island, develop strategies that foster a greater appreciation of the humanities by our state’s

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citizenry, and promote the incorporation of the humanities curricula in public and private

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institutions of learning.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the speaker of the house and the president of the senate and organize and shall select a

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chairperson from among the legislators. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like

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manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state, shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Rhode Island council on the humanities will provide staffing and support to the

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commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall annually report its findings and

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recommendations to the general assembly.

     

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LC02273

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING THE SENATOR CLAIBORNE PELL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON THE

HUMANITIES

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     This resolution would create a twelve (12) member special legislative commission whose

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purpose it would be to examine the state of the humanities in Rhode Island, and who would report

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back annually to the general assembly.

     

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LC02273

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H7985