§ 40-17-5 - Commission established.
SECTION 40-17-5
§ 40-17-5 Commission established. (a) There is hereby created a permanent legislative commission to be called the"commission on the homeless" consisting of twenty (20) members:
(1) Two (2) of whom shall be from the house ofrepresentatives, not more than one from the same political party to beappointed by the speaker, of whom two (2) may be members of the general publicappointed in lieu of legislative appointments;
(2) Two (2) of whom shall be from the senate, not more thanone from the same political party to be appointed by the president of thesenate, of whom two (2) may be members of the general public appointed in lieuof legislative appointments;
(3) One of whom shall be representative of the general publicto be appointed by the governor;
(4) One of whom shall be the director of the department ofhealth or his or her designee;
(5) One of whom shall be the director of the department ofhuman services or his or her designee;
(6) One of whom shall be the director of mental health,retardation, and hospitals or his or her designee;
(7) One of whom shall be the director of children, youth, andfamilies or his or her designee;
(8) One of whom shall be the director of the Rhode Islandhousing and mortgage finance corporation or his or her designee;
(9) One of whom shall be the mayor of the city of Providence,or his or her designee;
(10) One of whom shall be the mayor of Warwick or his or herdesignee;
(11) One of whom shall be the mayor of Woonsocket or his orher designee;
(12) One of whom shall be the mayor of Newport or his or herdesignee;
(13) Two (2) of whom shall be representatives of shelters forthe homeless located in the state to be appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(14) One of whom shall be the director of the Providenceoffice of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, or hisor her designee;
(15) One of whom shall be the executive director of theAssociation of Community Mental Health Centers or his or her designee;
(16) One of whom shall be the executive director of theCouncil on Domestic Violence or his or her designee;
(17) One of whom shall be the chairperson of the EmergencyFood and Shelter Board or his or her designee and whose purpose it shall be toidentify the extent of the homeless problem in the state to evaluate programsfor the homeless developed by state and local governments and the Providencemental health center;
to study and make findings concerning homeless individualsand families in the state of Rhode Island and to make recommendations to thegovernor and general assembly concerning legislation and programs to assist thehomeless.
(b) Forthwith upon the passage of this chapter, the membersof the commission shall meet at the call of the governor and organize and shallselect from among the members a chairperson. Vacancies in the commission shallbe filled in like manner as the original appointment.
(c) The membership of the commission shall receive nocompensation for their services, but shall be allowed their travel andnecessary expenses. The commission may engage such clerical, technical, andother assistance as it may deem necessary, and spend such other funds as isnecessary to accomplish its purpose.
(d) The department of human services is hereby directed toprovide suitable quarters and staff for the commission.
(e) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnishsuch advice and information, documentary, and otherwise to the commission andits agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitatethe purposes of this chapter.