2013 -- S 0239 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC00396/SUB A/2

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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

CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND

CREATE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM IN THE STATE OF

RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators E O`Neill, Cote, Bates, Ottiano, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

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     RESOLVED, That a special joint commission be and the same is hereby created

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consisting of twenty-three (23) members: two (2) of whom shall be members of the House of

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Representatives, not more than one of whom shall be from the same political party, to be

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appointed by the Speaker of the House; two (2) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not

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more than one of whom shall be from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of

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the Senate; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of the Department of Elementary and

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Secondary Education, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of

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Human Services, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of Health, or

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designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families,

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or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare,

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Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive

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Director of The Autism Project of Rhode Island, or designee; one of whom shall be the President

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of the National Autism Association, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode

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Island Chapter-Autism Society of America; one of whom shall be a diagnostician, to be appointed

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by the Speaker; one of whom shall be a researcher, to be appointed by the Senate President; one

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of whom shall be the Director of Clinical and Educational Services from Pathways Strategic

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Teaching Center, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Association of Rhode

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Island Administrators of Special Education, or designee; one of whom shall be a Special

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Education Director from Rhode Island College, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one

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of whom shall be the Director of Development Pediatrics from Rhode Island Hospital, or

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designee; one of whom shall be from the Department of Special Education at Salve Regina

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University, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall be the Executive

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Director of The Groden Center, or designee; one of whom shall a representative from the Paul V.

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Sherlock Center on Disabilities; and two (2) of whom shall be parents of an individual with

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Autism, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker, and one of whom shall be appointed by

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the Senate President.

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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 appointment of the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study to improve the

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quality of life and create positive outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and

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their families in the state of Rhode Island.

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     Upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of

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the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate and organize and shall select, from among

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the legislators, a chairperson.

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     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like 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 Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

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suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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General Assembly no later than January 28, 2014, and said commission shall expire on June 13,

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2014.

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LC00396/SUB A/2

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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 A SPECIAL JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND

CREATE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM IN THE STATE OF

RHODE ISLAND

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     This resolution would create a twenty-three (23) member special joint commission whose

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purpose it would be to make a comprehensive study to improve the quality of life and create

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positive outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families in the State of

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Rhode Island and who would report back to the General Assembly no later than January 28, 2014,

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and said commission would expire on June 13, 2014.

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LC00396/SUB A/2

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