RESOLVED, That a special house commission be and the same is hereby created consisting of twenty (20) 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; three (3) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island department of health; the director or a designee, a member of the board of medical licensure and discipline of the Rhode Island department of health, or a designee and a member of the Office of Minority health; four (4) of whom shall be foreign trained physicians to be appointed by the speaker; one (1) of whom shall be the dean of Brown University Medical School, or designee; one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs, to be appointed by the governor; one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to be appointed by the foundation's executive director; one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society, to be appointed by the society president; four (4) of whom shall be representatives from each of the teaching hospitals in the state of Rhode Island, to be appointed by the speaker; and three (3) of whom shall be members of urban community based organizations.

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 is to study and provide procedures for the efficient certification of foreign-trained immigrant physicians to increase the pool of qualified minority medical personnel available to serve and treat medically under served populations in Rhode Island's urban areas.

Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the member 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 and the committee on health, education and welfare on or before January 25, 1997 and said commission shall expire on March 25, 1997.