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     ARTICLE 15 AS AMENDED

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RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION

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     SECTION 1. Section 8-8-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-8 entitled "District Court"

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is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     8-8-1. District Court established -- Chief and associate justices. -- There is established

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a district court for the state of Rhode Island which shall consist of a chief judge and twelve (12)

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thirteen (13) associate judges. The district court shall be a court of record and shall have a seal

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with such words and devices as it shall adopt.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 8-8 of the General Laws entitled "District Court" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     8-8-1.1. Veterans' treatment calendar. – (a) Findings and declarations. The general

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assembly finds and declares as follows:

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     (1) Veterans and active military, Reserve and National Guard service members have

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provided or are currently providing an invaluable service to our country. In doing so, many return

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and suffer from mental health injuries, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress

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disorder, depression, anxiety, acute stress and other injuries that may affect brain function and

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may also suffer drug and alcohol dependency or co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse

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problems.

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     (2) The call back to active duty status rate of Rhode Island's National Guard is the second

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highest in the entire United States with over ten thousand (10,000) unit deployments.

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     (3) The number of veterans living in Rhode Island who have served in the Gulf Wars is

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three (3) times higher than the national per capita average and is expected to grow as troops

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continue to withdraw from Afghanistan.

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     (4) While the vast majority of returning military do not have contact with the justice

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system and are well adjusted, contributing members of society, there exists a growing number of

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defendants appearing in the district court who have served in the United States armed forces and

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are involved in the criminal justice system as a result of the above referenced diagnoses.

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     (5) As a grateful state, we must continue to honor the service of these participants by

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providing them an alternative to incarceration when feasible, permitting them instead to obtain

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proper treatment for mental health and substance abuse problems that have resulted from military

 

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service through a jail diversion program/treatment program that recognizes their special set of

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circumstances while at the same time providing accountability for their wrong-doing and

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providing for the safety of the public.

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     (b) Declaration of policy. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state of Rhode

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Island to successfully rehabilitate participants by providing the tools and skills necessary to

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address their unique challenges and to develop the insight to reintegrate successfully into society

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and maintain a productive and law abiding lifestyle within the community.

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     (c) Establishment. To accomplish this purpose in an effort to direct defendants who have

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served in the United States armed forces into a court program which integrates support and

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treatment plans with the judicial process that will result in potential jail diversion, possible

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reduction of charges or alternatives in sentencing, there shall be established a separate calendar

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within the jurisdiction of the district court for hearing, trial and disposition of certain offenses.

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     (d) Veterans' treatment calendar. The chief judge of the district court shall create a

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veterans' treatment calendar in the district court and shall assign personnel to the extent warranted

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to exclusively hear and decide all criminal actions involving offenses committed by defendants

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accepted into the program, and the calendar shall be referred to as the "veterans' treatment court".

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     (e) Use of section. Under no circumstances shall the defendant(s) be permitted to use this

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section as a basis for a dismissal of an action, as this section is enacted for the benefit and

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convenience of the district court.

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     SECTION 3. Sections 36-4-2 and 36-4-16.4 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-4 entitled

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"Merit System" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     36-4-2. Positions in unclassified service. -- (a) The classified service shall comprise all

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positions in the state service now existing or hereinafter established, except the following specific

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positions which with other positions heretofore or hereinafter specifically exempted by legislative

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act shall constitute the unclassified service:

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      (1) Officers and legislators elected by popular vote and persons appointed to fill

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vacancies in elective offices.

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      (2) Employees of both houses of the general assembly.

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      (3) Officers, secretaries, and employees of the office of the governor, office of the

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lieutenant governor, department of state, department of the attorney general, and the treasury

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department.

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      (4) Members of boards and commissions appointed by the governor, members of the

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state board of elections and the appointees of the board, members of the commission for human

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rights and the employees of the commission, and directors of departments.

 

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      (5) The following specific offices:

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      (i) In the department of administration: director, chief information officer; director of

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office of management and budget, and director of performance management, deputy director,

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chief of staff, public information officer and legislative/policy director; and within the health

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benefits exchange: director, deputy director, administrative assistant, senior policy analyst, and

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chief strategic planning monitoring and evaluation;

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      (ii) In the department of business regulation: director;

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      (iii) In the department of elementary and secondary education: commissioner of

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elementary and secondary education;

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      (iv) In the department of higher education: commissioner of higher postsecondary

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education;

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      (v) In the department of health: director, executive director, and deputy director;

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      (vi) In the department of labor and training: director, administrative assistant,

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administrator of the labor board and legal counsel to the labor board, executive director and

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communications director;

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      (vii) In the department of environmental management: director;

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      (viii) In the department of transportation: director, chief operating officer,

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administrator/division of project management, administrator/division of planning, chief of staff,

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communications director, legislative director and policy director;

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      (ix) In the department of human services: director and director of veterans' affairs;

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      (x) In the state properties committee: secretary;

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      (xi) In the workers' compensation court: judges, administrator, deputy administrator,

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clerk, assistant clerk, clerk secretary;

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      (xii) In the division of elderly affairs: director;

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      (xiii) In the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and

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hospitals: director;

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      (xiv) In the department of corrections: director, assistant director

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(institutions/operations), assistant director (rehabilitative services), assistant director

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(administration), and wardens;

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      (xv) In the department of children, youth and families: director, one assistant director,

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one associate director, and one executive director, and a chief of staff;

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      (xvi) In the public utilities commission: public utilities administrator;

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      (xvii) In the water resources board: general manager;

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      (xviii) In the human resources investment council: executive director.

 

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      (xix) In the office of health and human services: secretary of health and human services.

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     (xx) In the office of commerce: secretary, deputy secretary, chief of staff,

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communications director, legislative director, and policy director.

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      (6) Chief of the hoisting engineers, licensing division, and his or her employees;

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executive director of the veterans memorial building and his or her clerical employees.

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      (7) One confidential stenographic secretary for each director of a department and each

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board and commission appointed by the governor.

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      (8) Special counsel, special prosecutors, regular and special assistants appointed by the

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attorney general, the public defender and employees of his or her office, and members of the

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Rhode Island bar occupying a position in the state service as legal counsel to any appointing

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authority.

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      (9) The academic and/or commercial teaching staffs of all state institution schools, with

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the exception of those institutions under the jurisdiction of the board of regents for elementary

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and secondary education and the board of governors for higher education.

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      (10) Members of the military or naval forces, when entering or while engaged in the

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military or naval service.

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      (11) Judges, referees, receivers, clerks, assistant clerks, and clerical assistants of the

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supreme, superior, family, and district courts, the traffic tribunal, security officers of the traffic

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tribunal, jurors and any persons appointed by any court.

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      (12) Election officials and employees.

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      (13) Deputy sheriffs and other employees of the sheriffs division within the department

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of public safety.

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      (14) Patient or inmate help in state charitable, penal, and correctional institutions and

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religious instructors of these institutions and student nurses in training, residents in psychiatry in

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training, and clinical clerks in temporary training at the institute of mental health within the state

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of Rhode Island medical center.

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      (15) (i) Persons employed to make or conduct a temporary and special inquiry,

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investigation, project or examination on behalf of the legislature or a committee therefor, or on

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behalf of any other agency of the state if the inclusion of these persons in the unclassified service

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is approved by the personnel administrator. The personnel administrator shall notify the house

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fiscal advisor and the senate fiscal advisor whenever he or she approves the inclusion of a person

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in the unclassified service.

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      (ii) The duration of the appointment of a person, other than the persons enumerated in

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this section, shall not exceed ninety (90) days or until presented to the department of

 

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administration. The department of administration may extend the appointment another ninety (90)

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days. In no event shall the appointment extend beyond one hundred eighty (180) days.

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      (16) Members of the division of state police within the department of public safety.

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      (17) Executive secretary of the Blackstone Valley district commission.

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      (18) Artist and curator of state owned art objects.

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      (19) Mental health advocate.

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      (20) Child advocate.

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      (21) The position of aquaculture coordinator and marine infrastructure specialist within

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the coastal resources management council.

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      (22) Employees of the office of the health insurance commissioner.

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      (23) In the department of revenue: the director, secretary, attorney.

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      (24) In the department of public safety: the director.

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     (b) Provided however that, if any position added to the unclassified service by legislative

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act after January 1, 2015, is occupied by a classified employee on June 30, 2015, such position

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shall remain in the classified service until such position becomes vacant.

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     36-4-16.4. Salaries of directors. -- (a) In the month of March of each year, the

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department of administration shall conduct a public hearing to determine salaries to be paid to

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directors of all state executive departments for the following year, at which hearing all persons

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shall have the opportunity to provide testimony, orally and in writing. In determining these

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salaries, the department of administration will take into consideration the duties and

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responsibilities of the aforenamed officers, as well as such related factors as salaries paid

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executive positions in other states and levels of government, and in comparable positions

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anywhere which require similar skills, experience, or training. Consideration shall also be given

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to the amounts of salary adjustments made for other state employees during the period that pay

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for directors was set last.

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      (b) Each salary determined by the department of administration will be in a flat amount,

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exclusive of such other monetary provisions as longevity, educational incentive awards, or other

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fringe additives accorded other state employees under provisions of law, and for which directors

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are eligible and entitled.

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      (c) In no event will the department of administration lower the salaries of existing

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directors during their term of office.

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      (d) Upon determination by the department of administration, the proposed salaries of

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directors will be referred to the general assembly by the last day in April of that year to go into

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effect thirty (30) days hence, unless rejected by formal action of the house and the senate acting

 

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concurrently within that time.

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     (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for 2015 only, the time period for the

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Department of Administration to conduct the public hearing shall be extended to July and the

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proposed salaries shall be referred to the general assembly by August 30. The salaries may take

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effect before next year, but all other provisions of this section shall apply.

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     SECTION 4. Section 37-5-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 37-5 entitled "Department

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of Transportation" is hereby repealed.

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     37-5-5. Highway engineer as deputy director. -- The director of transportation shall

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appoint a deputy director who shall be a highway engineer.

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     SECTION 5. Section 42-13-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-13 entitled "Department

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of Transportation" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-13-2. Organization and functions of the department. -- (a) The department shall be

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organized into such divisions as are described in this section and such other divisions,

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subdivisions, and agencies as the director shall find are necessary to carry out the responsibilities

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of the department.

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      (1) Division of administration. - This division shall be headed by an assistant director for

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administration. The division shall provide assistance to the director in managing and controlling

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the work of the department, shall collect bridge tolls and administer any financial support made

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available to support railroad passenger or freight service. The division of administration shall

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include:

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      (i) A business management office which shall provide central personnel, financial

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programming, payroll, and other management services to all divisions and agencies of the

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department.

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      (ii) A legal counsel who shall prepare or review any legislation pertaining to the

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department, assist in preparing contracts, handle claims against the department, and provide other

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legal services as required.

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      (iii) A public information office which shall inform the public of the programs and

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projects of the department, answer inquiries by the public, prepare and release progress reports

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and other publications, and provide photographic services.

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      (iv) An audits office which shall continuously audit all of the activities of the department

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and insure compliance with state and federal laws and administrative regulations.

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      (v) A property management office which shall acquire all real property for the

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department, make appraisals of property, manage real property under the department's

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jurisdiction, and operate a family and business relocation program. The property management

 

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office shall manage those state piers and related facilities which are used for port or waterways

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transportation purposes.

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      (2) Planning division. - This division shall be headed by a chief of transportation

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planning. The division shall assist the division of planning in the department of administration to

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prepare transportation elements of the long-range state guide plan. The division will prepare

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functional and area plans, project plans, improvement programs, and implementation programs

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which are consistent with the long-range state guide plan. The division will undertake corridor,

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route location, feasibility, facility needs, and other studies as required to support the work of the

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department. The division shall collect and analyze statistical and other data on all types of

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transportation needs and facilities.

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      (3) Public works division. - This division shall be headed by a chief engineer. The

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division shall be responsible for the design and engineering of roads, bridges, transit facilities,

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airport facilities, port and waterways facilities, and all other transportation facilities. The division

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shall prepare contracts and specifications for all construction projects undertaken by the

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department. The division shall supervise the execution of all construction projects. The division

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shall perform traffic engineering functions, make surveys and soil studies, test materials, and

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perform other functions necessary to support the department's design and construction activities.

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      (4) Maintenance division. - This division shall be headed by a maintenance engineer.

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The division shall maintain all roads, bridges, airports, piers, port terminal facilities, and other

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transportation facilities and landscaped areas which are under the jurisdiction of the department

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of transportation. The division shall install and maintain traffic control signs and signals.

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      (5) Airports division. - This division shall be headed by an assistant director for airports.

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The division shall operate all state-owned airports, heliports, and other facilities for air

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transportation, including passenger and cargo terminals, parking facilities and other supporting

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facilities, emergency services, and security services. The division shall regulate aeronautical

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matters and shall supervise the location, maintenance, operation, and use of privately-owned civil

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airports, landing areas, navigation facilities, air schools, and flying clubs.

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      (b) The director may assign such other responsibilities to the divisions and agencies as

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he or she shall find appropriate and may reassign functions to divisions and agencies other than as

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set out in this section if he or she shall find this reassignment necessary to the proper and efficient

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functioning of the department or of the state's transportation system. (a) The department shall be

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organized in accordance with a project management-based program and shall utilize an asset

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management system.

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     (1) A project management-based program, manages the delivery of the department's

 

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portfolio of transportation improvement projects from project conception to the project

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completion. Project management activities include:

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     (i) Managing and reporting on the delivery status of portfolio projects;

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     (ii) Developing overall workload and budget for the portfolio;

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     (iii) Developing and implementing the tools to estimate the resources necessary to deliver

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the projects; and

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     (iv) Developing and implementing processes and tools to improve the management of the

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projects.

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     (2) Asset management is the process used for managing transportation infrastructure by

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improving decision making for resource allocation. Asset management activities include a

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systemic process based on economic, engineering and business principles which includes the

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following functions:

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     (i) Completing a comprehensive inventory of system assets;

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     (ii) Monitoring system performance; and

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     (iii) Performing analysis utilizing accurate data for managing various assets within the

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transportation network.

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     (b) The director of transportation shall appoint a chief operating officer to oversee the

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day-to-day operations of the department.

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     (c) The department shall be organized into such divisions as are described in this section

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and such other divisions, subdivision, and agencies as the director shall find are necessary to

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carry out the responsibilities of the department, including: office of audit; division of finance;

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division of planning; division of project management; division of operations and maintenance;

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office of civil rights; office of safety; office of external affairs; office of legal; office of personnel;

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office of information services.

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     (d) The director may assign such other responsibilities as he or she shall find appropriate

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and may reassign functions other than as set out in this section if he or she finds the reassignment

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necessary to the proper and efficient functioning of the department or of the state's transportation

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system.

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     (e) The department shall submit a report annually no later than March 31 to the speaker

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of the house, the president of the senate, and the house and senate fiscal advisors concerning the

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status of the ten (10) year transportation plan.

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     SECTION 6. Section 42-75-12 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-75 entitled "Council

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on the Arts" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-75-12. Rhode Island film and television office. -- Within the department of

 

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administration Rhode Island Council on the Arts there is established a separate, distinct office

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entitled the "Rhode Island film and television office." This office is established in order to

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promote and encourage film and television productions within the state of Rhode Island. This

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office is also responsible for the review of applications of motion picture productions pursuant to

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the requirements of chapter 31.2 of title 44.

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     SECTION 7. This article shall take effect upon passage.

 

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