2015 -- H 5758

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LC001881

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS NEAR OR OVER

MINE SITES AND ON HOW TO INSURE SAFETY AROUND MINES IN RHODE ISLAND

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McLaughlin, Messier, MacBeth, McNamara, and Trillo

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2015

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

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

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consisting of eight (8) members: one of whom shall be the Chair of the House Committee on

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Health, Education & Welfare, or designee; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of the State

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Building Code Commission, or designee; one of whom shall be the Chair of the Rhode Island

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Building Code Standards Committee, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the

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Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, or designee; one of whom shall be the

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Director of the Providence area office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or

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designee; one of whom shall be the State Fire Marshal, or designee; one of whom shall be the

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Dean of Engineering of the University of Rhode Island College of Engineering, or designee; and

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one of whom shall be the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, or designee.

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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 make a comprehensive study and analysis of

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the current and/or necessary additional requirements/legislation/regulations for investigating the

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safety of construction of schools located on, over, or near the location of mine sites in the state,

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the general conditions and safety of mines located in this state, the application of principles set

 

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forth in the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to mines located in Rhode

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Island, and the feasibility of denying a certificate of occupancy for school building construction

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on the site of a former mine.

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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 organize and shall select 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 Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

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for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall prepare a preliminary report of its findings and

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recommendations to the United States Department of Labor – Mine Safety and Health

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Administration no later than January 4, 2016, and request comment from said Administration;

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and be if further

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

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the House of Representatives no later than April 29, 2016, and said commission shall expire on

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June 29, 2016.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS NEAR OR OVER

MINE SITES AND ON HOW TO INSURE SAFETY AROUND MINES IN RHODE ISLAND

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     This resolution would create an eight (8) member special legislative study commission

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whose purpose it would be to make a comprehensive study of the current requirements for

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investigating the safety of construction of school buildings located on, over, or near the location

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of mine sites in the state, to study the general conditions and safety of mines located in this state,

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and to make recommendations on the feasibility and potential need to deny the issuance of a

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certificate of occupancy for a school building constructed on the site of a former mine, and who

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would report back to the House of Representatives no later than April 29, 2016, and whose life

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would expire on June 29, 2016.

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