H7280

	2014 -- H 7280
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	LC003368
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	STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014
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	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
	CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO EXAMINE THE
	CONSOLIDATION OF MUNICIPAL AND EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONS ON A COUNTY
	AND/OR STATEWIDE BASIS

	Introduced By: Representatives Costantino, Slater, Craven, Blazejewski, and Serpa
	Date Introduced: January 30, 2014
	Referred To: House Municipal Government
1	RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created
2	consisting of seventeen (17) members: five (5) of whom shall be members of the House of
3	Representatives, not more than three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the
4	Speaker of the House; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more than two (2)
5	from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of whom shall
6	be the President of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, or designee; one of whom shall
7	be the President of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees, or designee; one of
8	whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Association of Administrators, or designee; one
9	of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Federation of
10	Teachers, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Chapter of the
11	National Education Association, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode
12	Island Independent School Association, or designee; two (2) of whom shall be members of the
13	general public, one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House, and one of whom
14	shall be appointed by the President of the Senate; and one of whom shall be the Commissioner of
15	Elementary and Secondary Education, or designee.
16	In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory
17	commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly
18	resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu
19	of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which

1	is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.
2	The purpose of said commission shall be to study all aspects of consolidating municipal
3	government and public education functions in order to determine if any services can be
4	consolidated on a county and/or statewide basis in order to obtain a positive impact upon state
5	and local finances and to make recommendations with respect thereto.
6	Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at
7	the call of the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate and organize and shall select,
8	from among the legislators, a chairperson. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like
9	manner as the original appointment.
10	The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
11	All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,
12	documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or
13	desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.
14	The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide
15	suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further
16	RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to
17	the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2015 and said commission shall expire on March
18	30, 2015.
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	LC003368
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	LC003368 - Page 2 of 3
	EXPLANATION
	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
	OF
	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
	CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO EXAMINE THE
	CONSOLIDATION OF MUNICIPAL AND EDUCATIONAL FUNCTIONS ON A COUNTY
	AND/OR STATEWIDE BASIS
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1	This resolution would create a seventeen (17) member special legislative commission
2	whose purpose it would be to make a comprehensive study of all aspects of consolidating
3	municipal government and public education functions in order to determine if any services can be
4	consolidated on a county and/or statewide basis, and who would report back to the General
5	Assembly no later than January 1, 2015 and whose life would expire on March 30, 2015.
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	LC003368
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	LC003368 - Page 3 of 3