Chapter 111
2022 -- H 7468 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/21/2022

A N   A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- BLACK REGIMENT MONUMENT COMMISSION

Introduced By: Representatives McGaw, Carson, Cortvriend, Abney, Donovan, Williams, Cassar, Ruggiero, Alzate, and Felix

Date Introduced: February 11, 2022

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND
GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER 77.2
BLACK REGIMENT MONUMENT COMMISSION
     42-77.2-1. Establishment - Purpose.
     There is established the Black Regiment Monument Commission, whose purpose and
function shall be to keep the memory of the Black Regiment alive and to ensure the proper upkeep
and maintenance of the Black Regiment Monument and surrounding park grounds.
     42-77.2-2. Membership and annual reports.
     (a) The commission shall be comprised of four (4) members:
     (1) The president of the Portsmouth town council, or designee member of the Portsmouth
town council;
     (2) The director of the Rhode Island department of environmental management, or
designee;
     (3) The president of the Newport County Branch - NAACP, or designee/member; and
     (4) The director of the office of veterans' veterans services, or designee.
     (b) The commission shall elect a chair, vice-chair, and a secretary on a biennial basis.
     (c) Commission members shall be appointed initially for three-(3) year (3) terms and shall
be subject to reappointment or replacement every three (3) years by their appointing bodies.
Vacancies shall be filled by their appropriate appointing bodies as necessary in accordance with
membership demographics.
     (d) The commission shall meet at least two (2) times per year, maintain minutes of
meetings, comply with open meetings laws and standards, and submit an annual report to the
president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives.
     42-77.2-3. Duties of commission.
     The duties of the commission shall be:
     (1) The commission shall establish standards and procedures consistent with its purpose
and function.
     (2) The commission shall approve of the use of the monument and grounds at Patriots Park,
including all ceremonies, commemorations, lectures, presentations, reenactment, signage,
adornments, and the like.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC004410/SUB A/4
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