2023 -- S 0757

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LC002353

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- SMALL BUSINESS

ADVOCACY COUNCIL

     

     Introduced By: Senators Burke, McKenney, and Tikoian

     Date Introduced: March 23, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Commerce

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-91-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-91 entitled "Small

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Business Advocacy Council" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-91-2. Membership of council.

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     (a) The council shall consist of twenty (20) members, ten (10) thirteen (13) of whom shall

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be public members, two (2) to be appointed by the governor, two (2) three (3) by the lieutenant

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governor, two (2) three (3) by the speaker of the house, two (2) three (3) by the president of the

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senate, one by the secretary of state, and one by the general treasurer; provided, however, that all

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of the public members shall be officers, partners, or proprietors of Rhode Island companies that are

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small businesses or nonprofit corporations as defined by the United States Small Business

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Administration; one of whom shall be affiliated with a business-related department of a Rhode

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Island institution of higher learning, to be appointed by the lieutenant governor; one of whom shall

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be a minority party member of the joint committee on small business, to be appointed by the speaker

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of the house; one of whom shall be affiliated with a nonprofit corporation, to be appointed by the

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lieutenant governor; one of whom shall be affiliated with a nonprofit corporation, to be appointed

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by the speaker of the house; one of whom shall be affiliated with a nonprofit organization, to be

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appointed by the president of the senate; one of whom shall be a member of the governor’s staff,

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to be appointed by the governor; and the chairperson of the joint committee on small business, ex

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officio; the vice-chairperson of the joint committee on small business, ex officio; the director of the

 

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Rhode Island economic development corporation and the secretary of Rhode Island commerce, or

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the director’s secretary's permanent designee, ex officio; the director of the department of labor and

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training, or the director’s permanent designee, ex officio; the secretary of state, or the secretary’s

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permanent designee, ex officio; the general treasurer, or the treasurer’s permanent designee, ex

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officio; and the lieutenant governor, ex officio. The lieutenant governor shall serve as chairperson

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of the council.

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     (b) One of the public members appointed by each of the appointing authorities shall be

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appointed to serve until the first day of June, 1987, and the other to serve until the first day of June,

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1988; and all members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. In the month

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of May in any year in which a public member’s term of office expires, the respective appointing

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authorities shall appoint successors to the members whose terms shall expire in that year, to hold

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office commencing on the first day of June in the year of appointment for a term of three (3) years

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or until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. Any vacancy of an appointed

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member, which may occur in the council shall be filled by appointment by the respective appointing

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authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. Ex-officio members shall serve until the end of

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their term of office; the member of the governor’s staff shall serve until the end of the governor’s

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term of office.

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     (c) The council shall meet at the call of the lieutenant governor and shall elect from among

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themselves a vice-chairperson, who shall be one of the public members, and a secretary. The

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council shall meet at least quarterly during each calendar year.

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     (d) The membership shall receive no compensation for their services. The council may

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request, through the department of economic development, any clerical and technical assistance it

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may deem necessary to accomplish its purpose.

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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 STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- SMALL BUSINESS

ADVOCACY COUNCIL

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     This act would amend the composition of the small business advocacy council to

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permanently provide for the vacancy of three (3) unappointed seats.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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