2015 -- H 5758

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LC001881

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS NEAR OR OVER

MINE SITES AND ON HOW TO INSURE SAFETY AROUND MINES IN RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives McLaughlin, Messier, MacBeth, McNamara, and Trillo

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2015

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of eight (8) members: one of whom shall be the Chair of the House Committee on

Health, Education & Welfare, or designee; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of the State

Building Code Commission, or designee; one of whom shall be the Chair of the Rhode Island

Building Code Standards Committee, or designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, or designee; one of whom shall be the

Director of the Providence area office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or

designee; one of whom shall be the State Fire Marshal, or designee; one of whom shall be the

Dean of Engineering of the University of Rhode Island College of Engineering, or designee; and

one of whom shall be the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, or designee.

     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 member of the general public.

      The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study and analysis of

the current and/or necessary additional requirements/legislation/regulations for investigating the

safety of construction of schools located on, over, or near the location of mine sites in the state,

the general conditions and safety of mines located in this state, the application of principles set

forth in the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to mines located in Rhode

Island, and the feasibility of denying a certificate of occupancy for school building construction

on the site of a former mine.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select 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 prepare a preliminary report of its findings and

recommendations to the United States Department of Labor – Mine Safety and Health

Administration no later than January 4, 2016, and request comment from said Administration;

and be if further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its final findings and recommendations to

the House of Representatives no later than April 29, 2016, and said commission shall expire on

June 29, 2016.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS NEAR OR OVER

MINE SITES AND ON HOW TO INSURE SAFETY AROUND MINES IN RHODE ISLAND

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     This resolution would create an eight (8) member special legislative study commission

whose purpose it would be to make a comprehensive study of the current requirements for

investigating the safety of construction of school buildings located on, over, or near the location

of mine sites in the state, to study the general conditions and safety of mines located in this state,

and to make recommendations on the feasibility and potential need to deny the issuance of a

certificate of occupancy for a school building constructed on the site of a former mine, and who

would report back to the House of Representatives no later than April 29, 2016, and whose life

would expire on June 29, 2016.

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LC001881

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