It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 30-24-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 30-24 entitled "Rhode Island Veterans' Home" is hereby amended to read as follows:

30-24-3. Commandant -- Advisory council -- (a) The director of human services shall appoint a commandant for the Rhode Island veterans' home who shall also act as the chief associate director of the division of veterans' affairs. There shall be an advisory council for veterans' affairs, consisting of nineteen (19) not more than twenty-seven (27) qualified electors of this state, ten (10) of whom shall be honorably discharged war veterans of the armed forces of the United States; twelve (12) sixteen (16) of the members shall be appointed by the governor, consisting of a member designated by each of the various state departments of chartered veteran organizations, one of whom shall be a member of the purple heart organization, and the remaining member or members at large; provided, however, that each of those departments of veteran organizations shall have and continue to have at least one member on the advisory council for veterans' affairs; and provided further that one (1) member shall be a female veteran, one (1) member shall be a minority veteran, one (1) member shall be a representative of the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Association, and one (1) member shall be a representative of the Korean War Veterans' Association; seven (7) members shall consist of five (5) members of the house of representatives, not more than four (4) members from the same political party, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and two (2) members from the senate, not more than one from the same political party, to be appointed by the majority leader of the senate. The seven (7) members of the general assembly who shall serve on the advisory council of veteran affairs shall serve so long as they are members of the general assembly.

(b) The remaining two (2) members shall be one former representative having served at least five (5) years on the advisory council, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one former senator having served at least five (5) years on the advisory council, to be appointed by the majority leader of the senate. If either of the last two (2) mentioned are not available, the selections may be members at-large selected from the general public; provided, further, the immediate past chief of veterans' affairs shall serve as ex-officio of the veterans' council with voting privileges for a period of five (5) years and may be reappointed for an additional term by the governor. The final remaining member shall be an active National Guard person to be appointed by the State Adjutant General.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.