2013 -- S 0498 SUBSTITUTE A

=======

LC01206/SUB A

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

____________

A N A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- SUPPORT OF THE HOMELESS

     Introduced By: Senators Pichardo, P Fogarty, Kettle, Bates, and Ciccone

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1-1

     SECTION 1. Sections 40-17-2 and 40-17-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 40-17

1-2

entitled "Support of Homeless" are hereby amended to read as follows:

1-3

     40-17-2. Agency established. -- (a) There is hereby created a permanent council to be

1-4

called the "Interagency Council on Homelessness" consisting of seventeen (17) eighteen (18)

1-5

members and one two (2) ex-officio member members:

1-6

      (1) One of whom shall be the chief of the office of housing and community

1-7

development, or his or her designee, who shall chair the Interagency Council on Homelessness;

1-8

      (2) One of whom shall be the director of the department of administration, or his or her

1-9

designee;

1-10

      (3) One of whom shall be the chair of the housing resources commission, or his or her

1-11

designee;

1-12

      (4) One of whom shall be the director of the department of human services, or his or her

1-13

designee;

1-14

      (5) One of whom shall be the director of the department of health, or his or her designee;

1-15

      (6) One of whom shall be the director of the department of children, youth, and families,

1-16

or his or her designee;

1-17

      (7) One of whom shall be the director of elderly affairs, or his or her designee;

1-18

      (8) One of whom shall be the director of behavioral healthcare, developmental

1-19

disabilities and hospitals, or his or her designee;

2-20

      (9) One of whom shall be director of the department of labor and training, or his or her

2-21

designee;

2-22

      (10) One of whom shall be the director of the department of corrections, or his or her

2-23

designee;

2-24

      (11) One of whom shall be the commissioner of the department of elementary or

2-25

secondary education, or his or her designee;

2-26

      (12) One of whom shall be the director of the Rhode Island housing and mortgage

2-27

finance corporation, or his or her designee;

2-28

      (13) One of whom shall be the director of emergency management agency, or his or her

2-29

designee;

2-30

      (14) One of whom shall be a representative from the Rhode Island division/department

2-31

of veterans' affairs or his or her designee;

2-32

      (15) One of whom shall be the public defender, or his or her designee;

2-33

      (16) One of whom shall be the Medicaid director within the department of human

2-34

services, or his or her designee; and

2-35

      (17) One of whom shall be the secretary of the executive office of health and human

2-36

services, or his or her designee; and

2-37

     (18) One of whom shall be the Lieutenant Governor, or his or her designee;

2-38

     (19) One of whom shall be an ex-officio member who shall be from the Providence

2-39

Veterans Administration Medical Center who specializes in health care for homeless veterans;

2-40

and

2-41

      (18)(20) One of whom shall be an ex-officio member who shall be the chair, or his or her

2-42

designee, of the Interagency Council on Homelessness Advisory Council as described in this

2-43

chapter herein.

2-44

      (b) Forthwith upon the effective date of this chapter, the members of the commission

2-45

shall meet at the call of the chair and organize. Vacancies in the commission shall be filled in like

2-46

manner as the original appointment.

2-47

      (c) The department of administration is hereby directed to provide suitable quarters and

2-48

staff for the commission.

2-49

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

2-50

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

2-51

by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this chapter.

2-52

     40-17-5. Advisory council established. -- (a) There is hereby created a permanent

2-53

advisory council to the Interagency Council on Homelessness containing equal representation of

2-54

advocates, service providers, members of the veteran community including housing providers and

3-1

a current or former homeless veteran, current and/or former members of the homeless

3-2

community, as well as representatives specifically affiliated with youth homelessness to be

3-3

appointed by the governor. All new members shall be chosen and approved by majority vote of

3-4

the members present at an official meeting. At no time shall there be less than three (3)

3-5

representatives of the homeless community, current or former. The chair shall be elected by a

3-6

majority of the members.

3-7

      (b) The purpose of the council is to inform the Interagency Council on Homelessness on

3-8

the current status and issues facing the homeless throughout Rhode Island.

3-9

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

=======

LC01206/SUB A

========

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- SUPPORT OF THE HOMELESS

***

4-1

     This act would add two (2) additional members to the interagency council on

4-2

homelessness, and would require that all new members be chosen and approved by a majority of

4-3

the members present at an official meeting. The act would also require that there be at least three

4-4

(3) representatives of the homeless community chosen and present at official meetings.

4-5

     This act would take effect upon passage.

=======

LC01206/SUB A

=======