2021 -- H 5814

========

LC001290

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE -- RHODE ISLAND VETERANS'

HOME

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Quattrocchi, Place, Filippi, Nardone, and Price

     Date Introduced: February 24, 2021

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

     SECTION 1. Chapter 30-24 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Veterans' Home"

2

is hereby repealed in its entirety.

3

CHAPTER 30-24

4

Rhode Island Veterans' Home

5

     30-24-1. Management and control.

6

     The management and control of the Rhode Island veterans' home, established in this state

7

for those who served in the army, navy, marine corps, coast guard, merchant marines, or air force

8

of the United States in any war or conflict and were honorably discharged therefrom, who shall be

9

in need of such care as is provided at the home, shall be the responsibility of the director of human

10

services, or his or her designee.

11

     30-24-2. Bylaws and regulations -- Supervision by director.

12

     (a) The director of human services, or his or her designee, shall have the general

13

supervision over, and shall prescribe rules for, the government and management of the Rhode

14

Island veterans' home. He or she shall make all needful bylaws and regulations governing the

15

admission, maintenance, and discharge of the residents of the home, which shall not be inconsistent

16

with the spirit and intent of this chapter, and generally may do all things necessary to successfully

17

carry into effect the purposes of this chapter.

18

     (b) The director shall appoint and employ all subordinate officials and persons needed for

 

1

the proper management of the home.

2

     30-24-3. Administrator -- Advisory council.

3

     (a) The director of veterans services shall appoint an administrator for the Rhode Island

4

veterans' home who shall be an honorably discharged war veteran of the United States Armed

5

Forces.

6

     (b) There shall be an advisory council for veterans' affairs, consisting of not more than

7

fifteen (15) qualified electors of this state, ten (10) of whom shall be honorably discharged veterans

8

of the armed forces of the United States; twelve (12) of the members shall be appointed by the

9

governor, consisting of a member designated by each of the various state departments of the active

10

federally chartered veteran organizations, and the remaining member or members at large;

11

provided, however, that each of those departments of veteran organizations shall have, and continue

12

to have, at least one member on the advisory council for veterans' affairs; and, provided further,

13

that one member shall be a female veteran, one member shall be a minority veteran; one member

14

of the house of representatives, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and

15

one member from the senate, to be appointed by the president of the senate. The members of the

16

general assembly who shall serve on the advisory council for veterans' affairs shall serve so long

17

as they are members of the general assembly. The final remaining member shall be an active

18

National Guard person to be appointed by the state adjutant general.

19

     30-24-4. Appointments to advisory council -- Organization and meetings.

20

     Annually, on or before July 1, the governor shall appoint a successor of each member of

21

the advisory council whose term expires, these appointments to be for a term of three (3) years. In

22

case of any vacancy or additional members on the council, the governor shall appoint a new

23

member for the unexpired portion of the term of that membership as hereinbefore provided.

24

Members of the council shall serve without pay. The advisory council shall elect one of its members

25

to serve as chairperson for a period of one year and until a successor is elected and qualified.

26

Meetings shall be held at the call of the chairperson; provided, however, that a majority of the

27

members may call a meeting of the advisory council at any time, all members being notified in any

28

case by mail and reasonably in advance of any such meetings. A majority of members shall

29

constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The governor may remove a member of the

30

council for neglect of duty. Administrative support for the council shall be provided by the director

31

of veterans services.

32

     30-24-5. Functions of advisory council.

33

     The advisory council for veterans' affairs shall exercise and perform all the duties and

34

functions formerly exercised and performed by the advisory council for the Rhode Island veterans'

 

LC001290 - Page 2 of 13

1

home. The advisory council for the Rhode Island veterans' home is hereby abolished. The advisory

2

council for veterans' affairs shall make suggestions to and shall advise the director of the office of

3

veterans services; provided, however, that the advisory council shall have no administrative power.

4

     30-24-6. Acceptance of gifts -- Veterans' home restricted account.

5

     (a) The director of human services is hereby authorized and empowered to take and receive

6

in the name of the state any grant, devise, gift, or bequest of real or personal property that may be

7

made for the use and benefit of the Rhode Island veterans' home or the residents or purposes thereof.

8

All money so received, and all money received under the provisions of §§ 30-24-9 and 30-24-10,

9

shall be paid over to the general treasurer and shall be kept by him or her as a restricted account to

10

be known as the "veterans' home restricted account". Use of the "veterans' home restricted account"

11

funds may only be made upon prior approval of the house of representatives' finance committee

12

and senate finance committee. The director may sell and dispose of any real or personal property

13

received under this section, and any property received under § 30-24-9, and the proceeds of the sale

14

shall be paid over to the general treasurer to be made a part of the restricted account. The restricted

15

account shall be used for the improvement of social, recreational, and educational programs,

16

including the purchase of educational and recreational supplies and equipment for the welfare of

17

members and for operational expenses and capital improvements at the veterans' home and

18

veterans' cemetery, as deemed necessary by the director of human services.

19

     (b) [Deleted by P.L. 1999, ch. 11, section 5.]

20

     (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, there is hereby

21

established a restricted receipt account within the general fund of the state for the sole purpose of

22

the collection and disbursement of any grant, devise, gift, or bequest of real or personal property

23

that may be made for the use and benefit of the design, construction, and furnishing of a new Rhode

24

Island veterans home in Bristol. This account shall be known as "donations -- new veterans' home

25

construction".

26

     30-24-7. Repealed.

27

     30-24-8. Funds remaining at end of year.

28

     The unexpended balance of such sum or sums of money as are received and appropriated

29

as provided in § 30-24-6 for the veterans' home restricted account remaining in the treasury at the

30

close of each fiscal year, shall be continued to, and is hereby annually appropriated for, the same

31

account for the ensuing year.

32

     30-24-9. Property of deceased residents.

33

     All goods, chattels, property, money, and effects of a deceased resident of the Rhode Island

34

veterans' home that have not been disposed of by him or her by a completed inter vivos conveyance

 

LC001290 - Page 3 of 13

1

or gift, or by a valid will, after payment therefrom of the funeral expenses, which shall not exceed

2

ten thousand dollars ($10,000), and after payment therefrom of the reasonable debts and expenses

3

of the deceased resident to be determined by rules and regulations as shall be adopted by the

4

director, shall upon his or her decease become the property of the state, and shall be applied by the

5

director of human services, or his or her designee, to the uses and purposes of the veterans' restricted

6

account; provided, however, that the director may, in his or her discretion, deliver to any surviving

7

relative of the deceased resident any of the property or effects as may serve as a memento of the

8

deceased resident. For purposes of this section, the provisions of chapter 24 of title 33 shall be

9

applicable.

10

     30-24-10. Admissible to home -- Fees.

11

     (a) Any person who has served in the army, navy, marine corps, coast guard, or air force

12

of the United States for a period of ninety (90) days or more and that period began or ended during

13

any foreign war in which the United States shall have been engaged or in any expedition or

14

campaign for which the United States government issues a campaign medal, and who was

15

honorably discharged from it, and who shall be deemed to be in need of care provided at the Rhode

16

Island veterans' home, may be admitted to that facility subject to such rules and regulations as shall

17

be adopted by the director of human services to govern the admission of applicants to the facility.

18

Any person who has served in the armed forces of the United States designated herein and otherwise

19

qualified, who has served less than the ninety-day (90) period described in this section, and who

20

was honorably discharged from service, and who, as a result of the service, acquired a service-

21

connected disability or disease, may be admitted. No person shall be admitted to the facility unless

22

the person has been accredited to the enlistment or induction quota of the state or has resided in the

23

state for at least two (2) consecutive years next prior to the date of the application for admission to

24

the facility.

25

     (b)(1) The director shall, at the end of each fiscal year, determine the net, per-diem

26

expenses of maintenance of residents in the facility and shall assess against each resident who has

27

"net income", as defined in this section, a fee equal to eighty percent (80%) of the resident's net

28

income, provided that fee shall not exceed the actual cost of care and maintenance for the resident;

29

and provided that an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the maintenance fee assessed shall

30

be allocated to, and deposited in, the veterans' restricted account. For the purposes of this section,

31

"net income" is defined as gross income minus applicable federal and state taxes and minus:

32

     (i) An amount equal to one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per month of residency and fifty

33

percent (50%) of any sum received due to wounds incurred under battle conditions for which the

34

resident received the purple heart; and

 

LC001290 - Page 4 of 13

1

     (ii) The amount paid by a resident for the support and maintenance of his or her spouse,

2

parent(s), minor child(ren), or child(ren) who is/are blind or permanently and totally disabled as

3

defined in title XVI of the Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1381 -- 1383d, subject to a

4

maximum amount to be determined by rules and regulations as shall be adopted by the director.

5

     (2) The fees shall be paid monthly to the home and any failure to make payment when due

6

shall be cause for dismissal from the facility. Prior to dismissal, the resident shall be afforded

7

administrative due process.

8

     (c) Admissions to the veterans' home shall be made without discrimination as to race, color,

9

national origin, religion, sex, disability, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or

10

expression, assets, or income.

11

     (d) Laundry services shall be provided to the residents of the Rhode Island veterans' home

12

at no charge to the residents, with such funds to cover the cost of providing laundry services for

13

residents of the Rhode Island veterans' home derived from monies appropriated to the department

14

of human services.

15

     30-24-10.1. Domiciliary care program for homeless veterans.

16

     The director of the department of human services is hereby authorized and empowered to

17

establish and maintain a domiciliary care program for homeless veterans (veterans transitional

18

supportive program, V.T.S.P.) at the Rhode Island veterans' home. Any veteran admitted to the

19

Rhode Island veterans' home pursuant to this section shall be exempt from the maintenance fee

20

assessment established pursuant to § 30-24-10; provided, however, that the director shall assess

21

against each veteran admitted under this program a monthly maintenance fee equal to ten percent

22

(10%) of the veteran's monthly gross income, from whatever source derived and whether taxable

23

or non-taxable. In addition there will also be additional beds called extended, V.T.S.P. beds to

24

which a monthly maintenance fee of thirty percent (30%) will be charged. Extended V.T.S.P. will

25

be available to eligible veterans in the V.T.S.P. program, but occupancy will not exceed four (4)

26

months. The maintenance fee shall be paid monthly to the veterans' home and shall be deposited in

27

the veterans' home fund. Any failure to make payment when due shall be cause for dismissal from

28

the facility. Prior to any dismissal for non-payment of fees, the veteran shall be afforded

29

administrative due process. The director is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to

30

effectuate the intent and provisions of this section, and this grant of authority to promulgate rules

31

and regulations shall be liberally construed.

32

     30-24-11. Severability.

33

     If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section, or part of this chapter is adjudged by any court

34

of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, that judgment will not affect, impair, or invalidate the

 

LC001290 - Page 5 of 13

1

remainder thereof, but will be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section,

2

or part directly involved in the controversy in which the judgment has been rendered.

3

     SECTION 2. Title 30 of the General Laws entitled "MILITARY AFFAIRS AND

4

DEFENSE" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

5

CHAPTER 24.1

6

RHODE ISLAND VETERANS' HOME REORGANIZATION ACT

7

     30-24.1-1. Short title.

8

     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Rhode Island Veterans' Home

9

Reorganization Act."

10

     30-24.1-2. Establishment -- Purpose.

11

     (a) There is hereby authorized, created, and established a public corporation of the state

12

having a distinct legal existence from the state and not constituting a department of state

13

government to be known as the "Rhode Island Veterans' Home," with such powers as are set forth

14

in this chapter, for the purposes of the administration and enforcement of the provisions of this

15

chapter.

16

     (b) It is the intent of the general assembly, by the passage of this chapter, to vest the home

17

with all powers, authority, rights, privileges, and titles which may be necessary to enable it to

18

accomplish the purposes herein set forth, and this chapter and the powers herein granted shall be

19

literally construed in conformity with those purposes.

20

     (c) The home and its corporate existence shall continue until terminated by law. Upon

21

termination of the existence of the authority, all its rights and properties shall pass to and be vested

22

in the state.

23

     30-24.1-3. General powers.

24

     The home shall have the following powers, together with all powers incidental thereto or

25

necessary for the performance of those stated in the chapter:

26

     (1) To sue and be sued, complain and defend, in its corporate name.

27

     (2) To have a seal which may be altered at pleasure and to use the seal by causing it, or a

28

facsimile thereof, to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.

29

     (3) To purchase, take, receive, lease, or otherwise acquire, own, hold, improve, use, and

30

otherwise deal in and with, real or personal property, or any interest therein, wherever situated.

31

     (4) To make and execute agreements of lease, construction contracts, operation contracts,

32

and all other contracts and instruments necessary or convenient in the exercise of the powers and

33

functions of the home granted by this chapter.

34

     (5) To make guarantees and incur or assume liabilities as the home may deem appropriate.

 

LC001290 - Page 6 of 13

1

     (6) To invest and reinvest funds.

2

     (7) To secure the cooperation and assistance of the United States, and any of its agencies

3

and of agencies of this state and its municipalities in the work of the home.

4

     (8) To accept grants, donations, drafts, loans of funds, and contributions in money, services,

5

materials, or otherwise, from the United States or any of its agencies, from this state and its

6

agencies, or from any other source, and to use or expend those monies, services, materials, or other

7

contributions in carrying out the purposes of this chapter.

8

     (9) To acquire or contract to acquire, from any person, the federal government or the state,

9

or any agency of either the federal government or state, by grant, purchase, lease, gift,

10

condemnation, or otherwise, or to obtain options for the acquisition of any property, real or

11

personal, improved or unimproved, and interests in land less than the fee thereof; and to own, hold,

12

clear, improve, develop, and rehabilitate, and to sell, assign, exchange, transfer, convey, lease,

13

mortgage, or otherwise dispose of or encumber the property for the purposes of carrying out the

14

provisions and intent of this chapter for such consideration as the home shall determine.

15

     (10) To elect or appoint officers and agents of the home, and to define their duties and fix

16

their compensation, including authority to employ attorneys, accountants, architectural, and

17

engineering consultants, and such other employees or agents as the home shall deem necessary in

18

its judgment.

19

     (11) To make and alter bylaws, not inconsistent with this chapter, for the administration

20

and regulation of the affairs of the home, and the bylaws may contain provisions indemnifying any

21

person who is or was a director or an officer of the home.

22

     (12) To issue orders of general or specific applicability to carry out the purposes of this

23

chapter.

24

     (13) To have and exercise all powers necessary or convenient to effect its purposes.

25

     (14) To enter into agreements, contracts, and other arrangements with the state and any of

26

its departments, agencies, boards or commissions relating to the execution or performance of any

27

function or purpose of the home, including, but not limited to, investments, employee compensation

28

and employee benefits, and the state and its departments, agencies, boards and commissions are

29

hereby authorized to enter into such agreements, contracts and other arrangements with the home,

30

and upon the request of the home shall enter into such agreements, contracts and other arrangements

31

with the home.

32

     (15) To manage and control the Rhode Island veterans' home, established in this state for

33

those who served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, or Air Force

34

of the United States in any war or conflict and were honorably discharged therefrom, who shall be

 

LC001290 - Page 7 of 13

1

in need of such care as is provided at the home, shall be the responsibility of the board of directors.

2

     30-24.1-4. Composition of the board -- Appointment of members.

3

     (a) The home shall be operated by a board of directors consisting of eleven (11) appointed

4

members as follows:

5

     (1) Three (3) members of the senate to be appointed by the president of the senate, not

6

more than two (2) members of the same political party;

7

     (2) Three (3) members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of

8

the house of representatives, not more than two (2) members of the same political party;

9

     (3) Five (5) members to be appointed by the governor who shall be honorably discharged

10

war veterans of the armed forces of the United States; one of whom shall be a member of the purple

11

heart organization; one member shall be a female veteran; one member shall be a minority veteran,

12

one member shall be a representative of the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Association; and one

13

member shall be a representative of the Korean War Veterans' Association.

14

     (b)(1) No person shall be eligible for appointment to the board unless he or she is a resident

15

of this state.

16

     (2) Each county in Rhode Island shall be represented on the board.

17

     (3) Members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified and shall be

18

eligible to succeed themselves. In the month of February in each year, the governor, with the advice

19

and consent of the senate, shall appoint successors to the public members of the board whose terms

20

shall expire in that year, to hold office commencing on the day they are qualified and until the first

21

day of March in the third year after their respective appointments and until their respective

22

successors are appointed and qualified.

23

     (c) Any vacancy which may occur on the board for a public member shall be filled by the

24

governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, for the remainder of the unexpired term in the

25

manner as prescribed in subsection (a) of this section.

26

     (d) Members of the board shall be removable by the governor pursuant to § 36-1-7 and for

27

cause only, and removal solely for partisan or personal reasons unrelated to capacity or fitness for

28

the office shall be unlawful.

29

     (e) The home is designated to carry out the provisions of this chapter. In exercising its

30

powers under this chapter, the home constitutes a body politic and corporate and a public

31

instrumentality of the state having a distinct legal existence from the state and not constituting a

32

department of the state government. The board may take actions under this chapter at any meeting

33

of the board. Upon the enactment of this chapter, and annually in the month of March thereafter,

34

the board shall choose a treasurer. The treasurer need not be a member of the board or its staff and

 

LC001290 - Page 8 of 13

1

shall serve until his or her successor is chosen and takes office, unless sooner removed by the board

2

with or without cause. In the event of a vacancy in the office of treasurer, the board shall fill the

3

vacancy for the unexpired term.

4

     (f) Members of the board shall be eligible for reappointment.

5

     30-24.1-5. Officers of the board -- Quorum and vote required.

6

     Commencing October 1, 2021, and annually in the month of October thereafter, the board

7

shall elect one of its members as chairperson, and one of its members as vice chairperson. A simple

8

majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum. No vacancy in the membership of

9

the board shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all of the duties

10

of the board.

11

     30-24.1-6. Compensation -- Personnel.

12

     (a) The members of the board shall not be compensated for attendance at any home board

13

meeting, but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in carrying out their duties under this

14

chapter.

15

     (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, no officer or employee of the state

16

shall be deemed to have forfeited or shall forfeit his or her office or employment by reason of his

17

or her acceptance of membership on the board or his or her service thereto.

18

     (c) The members of the board shall employ an executive director for the home who shall

19

be an honorably discharged war veteran of the United States Armed Forces and who shall also be

20

the secretary who shall administer, manage, and direct the affairs and business of the home, subject

21

to the policies, control, and direction of the members of the board. The executive director shall not

22

be a member of the board. The members of the board may employ technical experts and other

23

officers, agents, and attorneys and fix their qualifications, duties, and compensation. Employees of

24

the home shall not, by reason of their employment, be employees of the state for any purpose, and

25

provision of the general laws to the contrary notwithstanding, including, without limiting the

26

generality of the foregoing, chapters 29, 39, and 42 of title 28 and chapters 4, 8, 9, and 10 of title

27

36. The employees are not entitled to the provisions of §§ 36-4-59, 36-5-7 and 36-5-8 while

28

employed by the home. The employees are only entitled to the provisions of these statutes in the

29

event that any such employee returns to employment in the classified service in a department within

30

the executive branch. The members of the board may employ other employees, permanent and

31

temporary. The members of the board may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees and

32

administrative duties that they may deem proper.

33

     (d) The secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the board and shall be custodian

34

of all books, documents and papers filed with the board and of its minute book and seal. He or she

 

LC001290 - Page 9 of 13

1

shall have authority to cause to be made copies of all minutes and other records and documents of

2

the board, and to give certificates under the seal of the board to the effect that the copies are true

3

copies and all persons dealing with the board may rely upon the certificates.

4

     (e) The members of the board shall, at regular intervals, conduct business meetings for the

5

purpose of carrying out its general business. The meetings shall be subject to the provisions of

6

chapter 46 of title 42 entitled "open meetings."

7

     30-24.1-7. Admissible to home - Fees.

8

     (a) Any person who has served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or Air

9

Force of the United States for a period of ninety (90) days or more and that period began or ended

10

during any foreign war in which the United States shall have been engaged or in any expedition or

11

campaign for which the United States government issues a campaign medal, and who was

12

honorably discharged from it, and who shall be deemed to be in need of care provided at the Rhode

13

Island veterans' home, may be admitted to that facility subject to such rules and regulations as shall

14

be adopted by the executive director to govern the admission of applicants to the facility. Any

15

person who has served in the armed forces of the United States designated herein and otherwise

16

qualified, who has served less than the ninety (90) day period described in this section, and who

17

was honorably discharged from service, and who, as a result of the service, acquired a service-

18

connected disability or disease, may be admitted. No person shall be admitted to the facility unless

19

the person has been accredited to the enlistment or induction quota of the state or has resided in the

20

state for at least two (2) consecutive years next prior to the date of the application for admission to

21

the facility.

22

     (b)(1) The executive director shall, at the end of each fiscal year, determine the net, per-

23

diem expenses of maintenance of residents in the facility and shall assess against each resident who

24

has "net income," as defined in this section, a fee equal to eighty percent (80%) of the resident's net

25

income; provided that fee shall not exceed the actual cost of care and maintenance for the resident;

26

and provided that an amount equal to twenty percent (20%) of the maintenance fee assessed shall

27

be allocated to, and deposited in, the veterans' restricted account. For the purposes of this section,

28

"net income" is defined as gross income minus applicable federal and state taxes and minus:

29

     (i) An amount equal to one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per month of residency and fifty

30

percent (50%) of any sum received due to wounds incurred under battle conditions for which the

31

resident received the purple heart; and

32

     (ii) The amount paid by a resident for the support and maintenance of his or her spouse,

33

parent(s), minor child(ren), or child(ren), or child(ren) who is/are blind or permanently and totally

34

disabled as defined in title XVI of the Federal Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1381- 1383d,

 

LC001290 - Page 10 of 13

1

subject to a maximum amount to be determined by rules and regulations as shall be adopted by the

2

executive director.

3

     (2) The fees shall be paid monthly to the home and any failure to make payment when due

4

shall be cause for dismissal from the facility. Prior to dismissal, the resident shall be afforded

5

administrative due process.

6

     (c) Admissions to the veterans' home shall be made without discrimination as to race, color,

7

national origin, religion, sex, disability, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or

8

expression, assets, or income.

9

     (d) Laundry services shall be provided to the residents of the Rhode Island veterans' home

10

at no charge to the residents, with those funds to cover the cost of providing laundry services for

11

residents of the Rhode Island veterans' home derived from monies appropriated to the home by the

12

general assembly.

13

     30-24.1-8. Rules and regulations.

14

     The board is hereby authorized and empowered to make general rules and regulations and

15

to take such actions and issue such orders as may be required for the enforcement of this chapter,

16

and the rules and regulations, in addition hereto and not inconsistent herewith.

17

     30-24.1-9. Consultants.

18

     The board is authorized to employ such technical consultants as may be required by the

19

board for the proper performance of its powers and duties within the limit of funds provided

20

therefor.

21

     30-24.1-10. Relations with other governmental bodies and agencies.

22

     In order to adequately protect the interests of the state in its care of veterans at the home,

23

the board is hereby authorized to:

24

     (1) Cooperate with the appropriate agencies of the federal government, of the state or other

25

states, or any interstate bureau, group, division, or agency with respect to the administration of the

26

home and the welfare of its residents.

27

     (2) Appear, represent, and act for the state in respect to any proceeding before either a

28

federal or state governmental body or agency where the administration of the home and the welfare

29

of its residents is affected, and may do and perform such acts in connection therewith as it deems

30

proper to protect the interests of the state; and

31

     (3) Present for the consideration of the congress or officers of the federal government, as

32

occasion requires, the just rights of the state in relation to the home, and institute and prosecute

33

appropriate actions and proceedings to secure those rights, and defend any action or proceeding

34

calculated to impair those rights.

 

LC001290 - Page 11 of 13

1

     30-24.1-11. Exemption from taxation.

2

     The board and the home shall not be required to pay taxes or assessments upon or in respect

3

of those properties or facilities acquired, leased, or used by the board and the home under the

4

provisions of this chapter, or upon any improvement constructed on property owned by the board

5

and the home.

6

     30-24.1-12. Reporting requirements.

7

     Within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year, the board shall approve and submit

8

an annual report to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the president of

9

the senate and the secretary of state of its activities during that fiscal year. The report shall provide:

10

     (1) A summary of the board meetings including when the board and its committees met,

11

subjects addressed, decisions rendered and meeting minutes; a summary of the board's actions; a

12

consolidated financial statement of all funds received and expended by the board including the

13

source of the funds; a listing of the staff and/or consultants employed by the board; and a listing of

14

findings and recommendations derived from board activities.

15

     (2) The report shall be posted electronically as prescribed in § 42-20-8.2. The director of

16

the department of administration shall be responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of this

17

subsection.

18

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC001290

========

 

LC001290 - Page 12 of 13

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE -- RHODE ISLAND VETERANS'

HOME

***

1

     This act would reorganize the Rhode Island Veterans' Home into a quasi-public corporation

2

of the state operated by a board of directors consisting of eleven (11) members.

3

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC001290

========

 

LC001290 - Page 13 of 13