2015 -- H 5961

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LC001231

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE CUMBERLAND FIRE DISTRICT

     Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, MacBeth, McLaughlin, and Phillips

     Date Introduced: March 20, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 3 of Chapter 505 of the 2013 Public Laws entitled "An Act Relating

To The Consolidation Of The Cumberland, North Cumberland, Cumberland Hill, And Valley

Falls Fire Districts Into The Cumberland Fire District" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     Section 3. Governing Body

     The initial governing body of the consolidated Cumberland Fire District shall be a Fire

Committee. Membership on said committee shall be a public office. Members shall hold no other

public office. If any member shall hold any other public office, his or her office as a member of

said committee shall immediately become vacant. Provided, that any individual elected to said

committee prior to November 5, 2014, shall be eligible to serve on both said committee and the

local town council until the next succeeding election.

     Beginning no later than November of 2014, with the regularly scheduled general election,

seven (7) members of the Cumberland Fire Committee shall be elected. Each of the five (5)

council districts shall elect one member, with two (2) members being elected from the town at

large. It shall be a non-partisan election for a two (2) year term. The winning candidates shall be

sworn in immediately after the election results are certified. Any vacancy in the membership of

the Committee shall be filled by written ballot of a majority of all the members of the Town

Council for the remainder of the term of office, provided that the person selected to fill said

vacancy shall be a qualified elector from that district. A vacancy in said membership of the

Committee shall occur if a member dies, resigns from office, ceases to be a resident and/or elector

of the district in which elected, or shall be absent for four (4) consecutive regular meetings or six

(6) regular meetings within a twelve (12) month period unless said absence(s) are excused by a

majority vote of the whole Committee. Any and all elections, provided for under this act, shall be

governed by, and subject to, the provisions of title 17 and shall be administered by the state board

of elections and the town of Cumberland board of canvassers.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE CUMBERLAND FIRE DISTRICT

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     This act would establish that membership on the Cumberland Fire District Fire

Committee constitutes holding a public office and that the elections of the Fire Committee are

governed by state election laws. Members would not be allowed to hold other public office,

except that members elected prior to November 5, 2014, would be eligible to serve on the

committee and the local town council until the next succeeding election.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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