2017 -- S 0807

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LC002030

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

     Introduced By: Senators Seveney, Coyne, and DiPalma

     Date Introduced: April 25, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 30-15-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 30-15 entitled "Emergency

Management" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     30-15-6. Advisory council.

     (a) There is hereby created the Rhode Island emergency management advisory council

(hereinafter in this chapter called the "council"). The council will consist of forty (40) members

as follows:

     (1) Twenty-two (22) ex officio members as follows:

     (i) The lieutenant governor or designee;

     (ii) The adjutant general or designee;

     (iii) The director of the department of administration/statewide planning or designee;

     (iv) The director of the department of health or designee;

     (v) The director of the department of transportation or designee;

     (vi) The director of the department of human services or designee;

     (vii) The superintendent director of state police the department of public safety or

designee;

     (viii) The administrator of the division of public utilities and carriers or designee

administrator;

     (ix) The director of the department of environmental management or designee;

     (x) The director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities

and hospitals or designee;

     (xi) The director of elderly affairs;

     (xii) The chairperson of the state water resources board;

     (xiii)(xi) The chairperson of the governor's commission on disabilities or designee;

     (xiv)(xii) The chairperson of the Rhode Island public transit authority or designee;

     (xv)(xiii) The executive director of the coastal resources management council or his or

her designee;

     (xvi)(xiv) The executive director of the American Red Cross, Rhode Island chapter or

designee;

     (xvii)(xv) The director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency or designee;

     (xviii)(xvi) The state court administrator or designee;

     (xix)(xvii) The executive director of the commission on the deaf and hard of hearing or

designee;

     (xx)(xviii) The director of the Providence emergency management agency or designee;

     (xxi)(xix) The executive director of the E-911 emergency telephone system division or

designee;

     (xxii) The federal security director of the transportation security administration for Rhode

Island; and

     (xx) The secretary of the executive office of health and human services or designee;

     (xxi) The president of the Rhode Island Association of Emergency Managers or designee;

     (xxii) The president of the United Way of Rhode Island or designee; and

     (xxiii) The executive director of the Rhode Island Commission for National and

Community Services or designee.

     (2) Eighteen (18) Eleven (11) members appointed by, and serving at the pleasure of, the

governor, as follows:

     (i) Two (2) members of the senate, recommended by the president of the senate, not more

than one of whom shall be from the same political party;

     (ii) Two (2) members of the house of representatives, recommended by the speaker of the

house, not more than one of whom shall be from the same political party;

     (iii)(i) One representative of the gas and electric industry;

     (iv) One representative of the gas industry;

     (v)(ii) One representative of the telephone industry;

     (vi) The executive director of the Rhode Island Petroleum Association or other similarly

situated person;

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     (vii)(iii) Two (2) representatives of the general public, one who shall have expertise in

disaster preparedness;

     (viii)(iv) One representative of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns;

     (ix)(v) One representative of the media;

     (x)(vi) One representative of the water supply industry;

     (xi)(vii) One representative of the health care industry;

     (xii)(viii) One representative of the Rhode Island State Firefighters Association of Fire

Fighters;

     (xiii)(ix) One representative of the Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs; and

     (x) One representative of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association.

     (xiv) One representative of a private ambulance company; and

     (xv) One representative of a level I trauma hospital who shall have direct expertise in

disaster preparedness.

     (b) It shall be the duty of the council to advise the governor and the director of the Rhode

Island emergency management agency on all matters pertaining to disaster preparedness. The

lieutenant governor shall serve as chairperson of the council and the director of the Rhode Island

emergency management agency shall serve as vice-chairperson. In providing advice to the

governor and the director, the council shall, among other matters reasonably related to their

authority, do the following:

     (1) Establish a regular meeting schedule and form subcommittees as may be appropriate;

     (2) Review emergency management plans and other matters as may be acted upon or

otherwise provided for in this chapter;

     (3) Establish priorities and goals on emergency management matters on an annual basis;

     (4) Study emergency management plans in conjunction with the director of the Rhode

Island emergency management agency, and otherwise conduct such other studies as may be

deemed appropriate;

     (5) Review the coordination of the state's emergency management programs with

appropriate authorized agencies and conduct studies on the programs as may be necessary;

     (6) Review the plans and operations of the various cities and towns in disaster

preparedness in conjunction with the director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency

and his or her office as required or necessary; and

     (7) [Deleted by P.L. 2000, ch. 170, § 2];

     (8) Provide an annual report on its activities in conjunction with the director of the Rhode

Island emergency management agency.

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     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 MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

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     This act would amend the provisions of the general laws establishing the emergency

management advisory council to realign the membership to reflect current positions.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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