Chapter 552

2006 -- H 7744 SUBSTITUTE A

Enacted 07/10/06

A N A C T

RELATING TO VETERANS' AFFAIRS

Introduced By: Representatives Malik, Carter, Gallison, Rose, and Winfield

Date Introduced: February 28, 2006

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 42-129-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-129 entitled "Persian

Gulf War Information Relief Commission" is hereby amended to read as follows:

42-129-2. Commission established. -- (a) There is established a Legislative Advisory

Persian Gulf War Information and Relief Commission which shall obtain information relating to

the health effects of exposure to any Gulf War-related risk substance for veterans of this state

who may have been exposed to any such substance in the Persian Gulf region or Southwest Asia

during their period of military service in the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War or current Persian Gulf

hostilities or hostilities anywhere in Southwest Asia subsequent to September 11, 2001.

      (b) The commission consists of seven (7) members who shall serve for a term of five (5)

years, one of whom is the associate director of the division of veteran's affairs or his or her

designee; one is the president of the united veteran's council or his or her designee; and one is the

chairperson of the advisory council to veteran's affairs or his or her designee. The remaining

members is appointed as follows: The lieutenant governor shall appoint one member who shall be

an honorable discharged veteran, the president of the senate shall appoint one member who shall

be a licensed physician and an epidemiologist, the speaker of the house shall appoint one member

who shall be a licensed physician and a toxicologist, and the minority leaders of the senate and

the house of representatives shall together appoint one member who shall be an honorably

discharged veteran who served in the Persian Gulf during the Persian Gulf War or in Southwest

Asia during any hostilities occurring subsequent to September 11, 2001.

The commission consists of eleven (11) members who shall serve for a term of five (5)

years, five (5) non-appointed commissioner positions shall include:

(i) The associate director of the division of veteran's affairs or his or her designee;

(ii) The president of the united veteran's council, or his or her designee;

(iii) The chairperson of the Multi Service council of Rhode Island or his or her designee;

(iv) The past associate director of the division of veteran's affairs, or his or her designee;

and

(v) The chairperson of the advisory council to veteran's affairs, or his or her designee.

The remaining four (4) members are appointed as follows:

The president of the senate shall appoint two (2) members, one of whom shall be a

licensed physician in epidemiology, and one of whom shall be a veteran who served in South

West Asia subsequent to September 11, 2001; the speaker of the house of representatives shall

appoint two (2) members, one of whom shall be an honorably discharged veteran from the

Persian Gulf War; and the minority leaders of the senate and the house of representatives shall

each appoint one member, one who shall be an honorably discharged veteran, and one who

served in the Persian Gulf during the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War. The associate director of the

division of veterans' affairs, the president of the united veterans' council and the chairperson of

the advisory council shall be appointed for a term to expire August 31, 2010. The members

appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house shall be appointed for a term

to expire August 31, 2009; the members appointed by the minority leaders of the house of

representatives and senate shall be appointed for a term to expire August 31, 2008. Thereafter the

commissioners shall serve staggered five (5) year terms, each member serving until his or her

successor shall be appointed.

      (c) The commission shall elect a chairperson from among its members. Reappointments

shall be made in the same manner as the original appointment. Vacancies in the membership of

the commission and its officers shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the

original appointment or election. The commission shall meet at least four (4) times a year at the

call of the chairperson. The initial meeting of the commission shall be called by the director of the

department of human services not later than September 1, 1998 2006. The members of the

commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC02488/SUB A

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