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CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO EXAMINE THE CURRENT PROCESSES IN PLACE IN RHODE ISLAND FOR BOTH THE LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION OF CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY PROFESSIONALS AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THOSE DUAL PROCESSES CAN BE STREAMLINED INTO A SINGLE, MORE EFFICIENT LICENSING PROCESS

RESOLVED, That a special house commission be and the same is hereby created consisting of eleven (11) members: two (2) of whom shall be from the house of representatives, not more than one (1) from the same political party to be appointed by the speaker; two (2) of whom shall be representative of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Association of Rhode Island, to be appointed by the association's president; two (2) of whom shall be current members of the Rhode Island Board for the Licensing of Chemical Dependency Professionals, to be appointed by its chairman; two (2) of whom shall be current members of the Rhode Island Board for the Certification of Chemical Dependency Professionals, to be appointed by its chairman; two (2) of whom shall represent the department of mental health, retardation and hospitals, to be appointed by the director; one (1) of whom shall represent the department of health to be appointed by the director.

In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a general assembly resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator, provided that the majority leader or the minority leader of the political party which is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

The purpose of said commission shall be to examine the current processes in place in Rhode Island for both the licensing and certification of chemical dependency professionals in order to determine on how those dual processes can be streamlined into a single, more efficient licensing process and to develop a plan for the successful transition of the licensing process and the licensing board from the department of mental health, retardation and hospitals/division of substance abuse, to the department of health/division of professional regulation.

Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of the Speaker of the house and organize and shall select from among the legislators a chairperson. 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 agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes 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 House of Representatives on or before June 12, 2002, and said commission shall expire on August 12, 2002.