2015 -- H 5667

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LC001822

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Marshall, Winfield, and Carnevale

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2015

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-140.1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-140.1 entitled "The

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Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and Resource Management Council" is hereby amended to read

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as follows:

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     42-140.1-4. Composition and appointment. -- (a) The council shall consist of thirteen

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(13) fifteen (15) members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate;

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nine (9) members shall be voting members, and the governor shall give due consideration to

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appointing persons with knowledge of: (1) energy regulation and law; (2) large

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commercial/industrial users, (3) small commercial/industrial users; (4) residential users; (5) low

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income users; (6) environmental issues pertaining to energy; (7) energy design and codes; (8)

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energy efficiency education and employment tracking; and (9) municipal energy users; (10) large

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nonprofit institutional users; and (11) small nonprofit institutional users. Four (4) members shall

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be ex-officio, non-voting members, representing an electric distribution entity, a gas distribution

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entity, fuel oil or heating fuel industry, and the commissioner of the office of energy resources.

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From the nine (9) eleven (11) voting members, the governor shall appoint one person to be

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chairperson of the council and one person to be vice chairperson of the council; the commissioner

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of the office of energy resources shall be the executive secretary and executive director of the

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council.

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      (b) With the exception of the commissioner of the office of energy resources; of the

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initial appointments; three (3) members shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years, three (3)

 

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members shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years, and four (4) members shall be appointed

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for a term of five (5) years; thereafter members of the council shall be appointed for a term of five

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(5) years and may be reappointed.

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      (c) A simple majority of the total number of voting members shall constitute a quorum.

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      (d) A vacancy other than by expiration shall be filled in the manner of the original

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appointment but only for the unexpired portion of the term. The appointing authority shall have

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the power to remove its appointee for just cause.

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      (e) The members of the council shall not be compensated for their service but shall be

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reimbursed for their actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties. The

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provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to the executive secretary/executive director.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT

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     This act would increase the membership of the Rhode Island Energy Efficiency and

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Resource Management Council to fifteen (15) and includes large and small nonprofit institutional

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users among the persons to be considered for appointment.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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