Chapter 285

2013 -- H 5752

Enacted 07/15/13

 

A N A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

 

     Introduced By: Representatives Cimini, Bennett, Naughton, Tomasso, and Kazarian

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2013

 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

 

     SECTION 1. Section 42-12-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-12 entitled

"Department of Human Services" is hereby amended to read as follows:

 

     42-12-19. Permanent advisory commission on traumatic brain injuries --

Commission established. -- (a) There is hereby established a permanent advisory commission on

traumatic brain injuries.

      (b) The purpose of the commission shall be to:

      (1) Report on all matters relating to traumatic brain injury in Rhode Island to the

governor and the general assembly.

      (2) Advise the executive office of health and human services, the department of human

services, the department of mental health, retardation behavioral healthcare, developmental

disabilities and hospitals, and the department of health regarding the development of priorities

and criteria for disbursement of moneys in response to both individual requests and grant-seeking

entities from the traumatic brain injury fund. Such priorities and criteria shall be in accordance

with the expenditure guidelines set forth in section 42-12-28 of this chapter.

      (3) Advise the executive office of health and human services, the department of human

services, the department of mental health, retardation behavioral healthcare, developmental

disabilities and hospitals, and the department of health on all matters regarding traumatic brain

injury.

      (c) The commission shall consist of nineteen (19) twenty (20) members. They shall meet

not less than four (4) times a year and report their findings annually to the governor and general

assembly. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation. The commissioners

shall elect their own officers on a biennial basis.

      (d) The membership of the commission shall be as follows: The secretary of the

executive office of health and human services or his or her designee, the director of the

department of mental health, retardation behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and

hospitals or his or her designee; the director of the department of health or his or her designee; the

director of the department of human services or his or her designee; the director of the department

of education or his or her designee, all of whom shall serve ex-officio; the chief of neurosurgery

at Rhode Island Hospital or his or her designee; the president and executive director or two (2)

designees of the Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island; the director of the Rhode Island

Disability Law Center or his or her designee; the governor or his or her designee; and ten (10)

persons appointed by the governor as follows: two (2) persons who are unrelated, one of whom

must have a traumatic brain injury, and one of whom may be an immediate family member of an

individual with a traumatic brain injury; one person who is a neurologist; one person who is a

psychiatrist; one person who is a neuropsychologist; one person who is a cognitive rehabilitation

specialist; one of whom is a traumatic brain injury case manager; one of whom is a physical

therapist or occupational therapist; one of whom is a representative of a post-acute rehabilitation

facility; and one person who is a community-based service provider.

      (e) The first meeting of the members of the commission shall be called to order by the

governor or his or her designee within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this act [July 7,

2006] Of the ten (10) members appointed by the governor, three (3) shall serve a term of one

year, three (3) shall serve a term of two (2) years, and four (4) shall serve a term of three (3)

years. Upon expiration of the initial term, commission members shall serve terms of three (3)

years. The initial terms of commission members shall be determined by lot.

 

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

     

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LC01482

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