Introduced By: Senators Parella, Kells, Walaska, Montalbano, Damiani, et al.
Date Introduced : January 15, 1998
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:
{ADD 42-129-1. Definitions. -- ADD} {ADD As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: ADD}
{ADD (1) "Commission" means the Persian Gulf War Information and Relief Commission; ADD}
{ADD (2) "Director" means the director of the department of human services; ADD}
{ADD (3) "Department" means the department of human services; ADD}
{ADD (4) "Veteran" means a person who (A) was a resident of the state at the time of his induction into the armed forces of the United States or is currently a resident of the state, and (B) served during the Persian Gulf War during Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm, as defined by the U.S. department of veterans affairs; and ADD}
{ADD (5) "Gulf War-related risk substance" means any environmental or chemical substance or condition which was present in the Persian Gulf region during and following the Persian Gulf War, including, but not limited to, pesticides, chemical or biological warfare agents, vaccines, pyridostigmine bromide, infectious diseases, depleted uranium, oil well fires and smoke and petroleum products. ADD}
{ADD 42-129-2. Commission established. -- ADD} {ADD (a) There is established a Persian Gulf War Information and Relief Commission which shall obtain information relating to the health effects of exposure to any Gulf War-related risk substance for veterans of this state who may have been exposed to any such substance in the Persian Gulf region during their period of military service in the Persian Gulf War. ADD}
{ADD (b) The commission shall consist of five (7) members, who shall serve for a term of five (5) years, one (1) of whom shall be the associate director of the division of veteran's affairs or his or her designee. The remaining members shall be appointed as follows: The lieutenant governor shall appoint one (1) member, the majority leader of the senate shall appoint one (1) member, the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one (1) member and the minority leaders of the senate and of the house of representatives shall together appoint one (1) member. Of the five (5) members, there shall be at least two (2) honorably discharged veterans on the commission, one (1) of whom shall have served in the Persian Gulf region during the Persian Gulf War. One (1) member of the commission shall be a toxicologist, one (1) member shall be an epidemiologist, each of whom shall be licensed by the state, one (1) shall be the president of the united veteran's council on his or her designee and one (1) shall be the chairperson of the advisory council to veteran's affairs on his or her designee. ADD}
{ADD (c) The commission shall elect a chairperson from among its members. Vacancies in the membership of the commission and its officers shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment or election. The commission shall meet at least four (4) times a year at the call of the chairperson. The initial meeting of the commission shall be called by the director of the department of human services not later than September 1, 1998. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services. ADD}
{ADD 42-129-3. Duties. -- ADD} {ADD (a) The Persian Gulf War Information and Relief Commission shall advise the department of human services on (1) medical, administrative and social assistance needed for veterans who were or may have been exposed to any Gulf War-related risk substance, and (2) information that should be provided to veterans concerning epidemiological or other studies relating to exposure to any Gulf War-related risk substance and any illness suffered by veterans of military service in the Persian Gulf War as a result of such veterans' exposure to any such Gulf War-related risk substance which are being conducted by the federal government. ADD}
{ADD (b) The commission shall not disclose information received pursuant to this chapter so as to divulge the identities of the persons to whom it relates except as is necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. ADD}
{ADD (c) The commission shall submit a preliminary report to the governor and the general assembly on or before April 1, 1999, on its findings, recommendations and conclusions. The commission shall submit annual reports thereafter on or before February fifteenth of each year. ADD}
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 1998.
