R 069

2003 -- S 0690 am

Enacted 02/27/03

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY ALL ASPECTS OF

LAW AND REGULATION CONCERNING PYROTECHNIC DISPLAYS AND FIRE

SAFETY

Introduced By: Senators Irons, J Montalbano, Alves, Celona, and Polisena

Date Introduced: February 26, 2003

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

consisting of seventeen (17) members who shall be appointed as follows: four (4) members shall

be from the House, of whom the Speaker shall appoint three (3) members and designate one (1)

member as co-chair, the House Minority Leader shall appoint the remaining member of the

House; four (4) members shall be from the Senate of whom the President shall appoint three (3)

members and designate one (1) member as co-chair; the Senate Minority Leader shall appoint the

remaining member of the Senate; the Governor shall appoint two (2) public members; one (1)

member shall be the State Fire Marshal or designee; one (1) member shall be from the Rhode

Island Association of Fire Chiefs; one (1) member shall be the Director of the Department of

Health or designee; one (1) member shall be the Director of the Emergency Management Agency

or designee; one (1) member shall be the executive director of the Fire Safety Code Board of

Appeal and Review or designee; one (1) member shall be the president of the Rhode Island State

Association of Firefighters union or designee; and one (1) member shall be the Lieutenant

Governor or designee.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to study all aspects of law and regulation

relating, but not limited to, pyrotechnic displays, sprinklers and other fire protective devices,

nightclub exit and evacuation plans, response efforts, crowd size and all other safety issues

including crowd control and crowd management, the adequacy of enforcement and penalties for

noncompliance, clarification of existing lines of authority to assert jurisdiction in particular cases,

and to recommend changes to applicable law, licensing, and regulation. Forthwith upon passage

of this resolution, members of the commission shall meet at the call of the Speaker and President.

Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agent as is deemed necessary or desirable

by the commission to facilitate the purpose of this resolution. The Speaker of the House is hereby

authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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

General Assembly on or before May 1, 2003 and said commission shall expire on December 31,

2003.

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LC02659/2

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