Introduced By: Senators Parella and Gibbs
Date Introduced : June 25, 1999
RESOLVED, That a special senate commission be and the same is hereby created consisting of sixteen (15) members: five (5) of whom shall be members of the senate, not more than three (3) of whom shall be from the same political party, to be appointed by the senate majority leader; one (1) of whom shall be the director of the department of health or her designee; one (1) of whom shall be the director of human services or her designee; one (1) of whom shall be the director of the department of children, youth and their families or his designee; one (1) of whom shall be the director of mental health, retardation and hospitals or her designee; one (1) of whom shall be the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or his designee; one (1) of whom shall be a representative of a hospital associated with a school based health center, to be appointed by the senate majority leader; one (1) of whom shall be a representative of a community based health center associated with a school based health center, to be appointed by the senate majority leader; one (1) of whom shall be a representative of the association of health maintenance organizations, to be appointed by the senate majority leader; one (1) of whom shall be a representative of the Rhode Island Association of Community Health Centers, to be appointed by the senate majority leader; one (1) of whom shall be a representative of health insurance companies to be appointed by the senate majority leader.
The purpose of said commission shall be to develop long-term funding strategies to ensure adequate financial support for school-based health centers; and to study the relationship of school based health center services to Rite Care, the relationship of school based health centers to integrated services initiatives, the relationship of school based health centers to special education programs, and the relationship and potential integration of mental health services and substance abuse services to school based health centers.
Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members shall meet at the call of the senate majority leader and organize and shall select from among the legislators a chairperson. Members of the general public may be appointed in lieu of legislators provided that at least one (1) member shall be appointed from the senate and one (1) member shall be appointed from the house, and said appointments shall be made by the same authority as for the legislators supplanted. 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 agent as is deemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.
The senate majority leader 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 recommendation to the general assembly on or before February 15, 2000 and said commission shall expire on April 15, 2000.
