2020 -- H 8133 | |
======== | |
LC005542 | |
======== | |
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 | |
____________ | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- ESTABLISHING A | |
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LATINXS | |
| |
Introduced By: Representative Anastasia P. Williams | |
Date Introduced: September 24, 2020 | |
Referred To: House Finance | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND |
2 | GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
3 | CHAPTER 160 |
4 | COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LATINXS |
5 | 42-160-1. Short title. |
6 | This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Commission on the Status of African |
7 | Americans and Latinxs." |
8 | 42-160-2. Creation of commission. |
9 | There is hereby created and established a permanent commission to be known as the |
10 | "Commission on the Status of African Americans and Latinxs", hereinafter referred to as the |
11 | "commission". |
12 | 42-160-3. Membership of commission. |
13 | (a) There shall be a permanent commission on the status of African Americans and Latinxs. |
14 | The commission shall consist of eleven (11) members as follows: three (3) persons appointed by |
15 | the governor from a list of not less than five (5) nominees provided by the Providence branch of |
16 | the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; three (3) persons appointed by |
17 | the president of the senate from a list of not less than five (5) nominees from the Rhode Island |
18 | Black & Latino Legislative Caucus (RILBLC); three (3) persons appointed by the speaker of the |
| |
1 | house of representatives from a list of not less than five (5) nominees provided by the Rhode Island |
2 | Black and Latino Legislative Caucus; One person appointed by the minority leader of the senate |
3 | from a list of not less than five (5) nominees from the Providence branch of the National |
4 | Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Rhode Island Black and Latino |
5 | Legislative Caucus; and one person appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives |
6 | from a list of not less than five (5) nominees from the Providence branch of the National |
7 | Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Rhode Island Black and Latino |
8 | Legislative Caucus. Members of the commission must be residents of the state who have |
9 | demonstrated a commitment to the African American and the Latinxs community. |
10 | (b) Members shall serve terms of three (3) years and until their successors are appointed. |
11 | Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled by the original appointing authority |
12 | for the balance of the unexpired term. |
13 | (c) The commission shall annually elect from among its members a chair, a vice chair, a |
14 | treasurer and any other officers it considers necessary. The members of the commission shall |
15 | receive no compensation for their services; provided, however, that members shall be reimbursed |
16 | for any usual and customary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. |
17 | 42-160-4. Purpose and authority. |
18 | (a) The commission shall be a resource to the state on issues affecting African Americans |
19 | and Latinxs. A primary function of the commission shall be to make policy recommendations, |
20 | based on research and analysis, to the general assembly and executive agencies that: |
21 | (1) Ensure African Americans and Latinxs equitably benefit from and have access to |
22 | government services in the same manner as other citizens of the state; |
23 | (2) Make recommendations to amend laws, policies and practices that have benefited |
24 | citizens of the state to the exclusion of African Americans and Latinxs; and |
25 | (3) Promote solutions that address the impact of discrimination against African Americans |
26 | and Latinxs. |
27 | (b) The commission shall: |
28 | (1) Promote research and be a clearinghouse and source of information on issues pertaining |
29 | to African Americans and Latinxs in the state; |
30 | (2) Inform the public and leaders of business, education, human services, health care, |
31 | judiciary, state and local governments and the media of the historical and current implications of |
32 | systemic racism on the African American and Latinxs community across the state and the unique |
33 | cultural, social, ethnic, economic and educational issues affecting African Americans and Latinxs |
34 | in the state; |
| LC005542 - Page 2 of 5 |
1 | (3) Serve as a liaison between government and private interest groups with regard to |
2 | matters of unique interest and concern to African Americans and Latinxs in the state; |
3 | (4) Identify and recommend qualified African Americans and Latinxs for appointive |
4 | positions at all levels of government, including boards and commissions; |
5 | (5) Assess programs and practices in all state agencies as they affect African Americans |
6 | and Latinxs using a racial equity framework; |
7 | (6) Advise executive agencies and the general assembly on the potential effect on African |
8 | Americans and Latinxs of proposed legislation and regulations using a racial equity framework; |
9 | (7) Monitor executive and legislative action purported to eliminate systemic racism for its |
10 | impact on African Americans and Latinxs using a racial equity framework; and |
11 | (8) Generally undertake activities designed to enable the state to realize the full benefit of |
12 | the skills, talents and cultural heritage of African Americans and Latinxs in the state. |
13 | 42-160-5. Powers of the commission. |
14 | (a) The powers of the commission shall include, but not be limited to: |
15 | (1) Employment of a staff to assist in the performance of its duties; |
16 | (2) Holding regular, public meetings and fact-finding hearings and other public forums as |
17 | necessary; |
18 | (3) Using the voluntary and uncompensated services of private individuals, agencies and |
19 | organizations that may from time to time be offered and needed, including provision of meeting |
20 | places and refreshments; |
21 | (4) Establishing and maintaining offices that it considers necessary, subject to |
22 | appropriation; |
23 | (5) Enacting by-laws for its own governance; |
24 | (6) Contract or collaborate with academic institutions, private sector consultants or other |
25 | professionals for research and analysis; and |
26 | (7) Recommending policies and making recommendations to agencies and officers of the |
27 | state and local subdivisions of government to effectuate the purposes of this chapter. |
28 | (b) The commission may request information and assistance from state agencies as the |
29 | commission requires. |
30 | 42-160-6. Appropriations and disbursements. |
31 | For fiscal year 2021 the general assembly shall appropriate the sum of two million dollars |
32 | ($2,000,000) to carry out the purpose of this chapter, and shall further annually appropriate, out of |
33 | any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum sufficient to continue to carry out the |
34 | purposes of this chapter; and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw his or |
| LC005542 - Page 3 of 5 |
1 | her orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of that sum, or so much thereof as may be |
2 | required from time to time, upon the receipt by him or her of properly authenticated vouchers. |
3 | (b) The commission may additionally accept and solicit funds, including any gifts, |
4 | donations, grants or bequests or any federal funds for any of the purposes of this chapter. |
5 | 42-160-7. Commission staff. |
6 | The commission staff shall consist of an executive director, employees and consultants and |
7 | unpaid volunteers who assist the commission in effectuating its statutory purpose. The commission |
8 | shall appoint the executive director for at term of three (3) years. |
9 | 42-160-8. Annual report. |
10 | Annually, not later than January 2, the commission shall report the results of its findings |
11 | and activities of the preceding year and its recommendations to the governor and to the president |
12 | of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. |
13 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC005542 | |
======== | |
| LC005542 - Page 4 of 5 |
EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- ESTABLISHING A | |
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LATINXS | |
*** | |
1 | This act would establish a permanent commission on the status of African Americans and |
2 | Latinxs. The commission's primary function is to make policy recommendations based on research |
3 | and analysis to ensure African Americans and Latinxs equitably benefit from government services |
4 | and to address the impact of discrimination against African American and Latinx community |
5 | members. It would also provide for an appropriation by the general assembly of two million dollars |
6 | ($2,000,000) for fiscal year 2021 and additional sufficient annual appropriations to carry out the |
7 | purpose of this chapter. |
8 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
======== | |
LC005542 | |
======== | |
| LC005542 - Page 5 of 5 |