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RELATING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- FIRE SAFETY ISSUES COMMSSION

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Title 22 of the General Laws entitled "General Assembly" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

22-18-1. Establishment of commission on fire safety issues - Purpose - Membership.-

(a) There is hereby established a commission on fire safety issued to study and investigate fire safety and related issued in this state. The study and investigation shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) The need for, and possible location of and means of both acquiring and developing, a permanent site for the state fire academy; and

(2) Means and methods of community outreach for fire safety programs and related fire safety education.

(b) The commission shall consist of nineteen (19) members, all of whom shall be citizens and residents of the state: four (4) of whom shall be members of the house of representatives, not more than three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the speaker of the house; four (4) of whom shall be members of the senate, not more then three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the majority leader; two (2) of whom shall be representatives from the insurance industry, one (1) member to be appointed by the speaker of the house and one to be appointed by the senate majority leader; one of whom shall be from the fire chief's association to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one member from the state fire academy to be appointed by the speaker of the house; the state fire marshal or his or her designee; two (2) members from the state association of firefighters possessing the qualifications found in subsection (c) below to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one member who shall be a full-time fire chief of department from a department with more than one hundred (100) members, possessing the qualifications found in subsection (c) below to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one member who shall be a full-time fire chief of a department from a department with one hundred (100) members or less, possessing the qualifications found in subsection (c) below to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one member who shall be a volunteer fire chief of a department to be appointed by the speaker of the house; and one member from the governor's office to be appointed by the governor.

(c) Those non - legislative members of the commission required under subsection (b) to have certain qualifications pursuant to this subsection shall possess the following minimum qualifications:

(1) Be a state certified NFPA 1041 instructor; or

(2) Be a specialty and/or adjunct instructor, at the college level, in any fire service discipline.

(d) The legislative members shall serve so long as they shall remain members of the house from which they were appointed and until their successors are appointed and qualified; the state fire marshal shall serve so long as he or she holds office and until a successor is appointed and qualified; all other members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and until their successors are appointed and qualified.

(e) Any vacancy on the commission shall be filled by the appointing authority in the same manner as the original appointment.

(f) The members shall annually elect, by majority vote, one of their members as chairperson, one of their members as vice-chairperson and one of their members as secretary.

(g) The commission shall from time to time and at least annually report to the general assembly and the governor on its findings and the result of its studies and make such recommendations to the general assembly and propose such legislation or initiate such studies as it shall deem advisable. The first such report shall be made prior to May 1, 2000.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.