| Chapter 149 |
| 2023 -- H 5606 Enacted 06/20/2023 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- CITIZENS' COMMISSION FOR THE SAFETY AND CARE OF THE ELDERLY |
Introduced By: Representatives Messier, McNamara, Potter, Diaz, and Fellela |
| Date Introduced: February 15, 2023 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. The title of Chapter 12-1.4 of the General Laws entitled "Citizens’ |
| Commission for the Safety and Care of the Elderly" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| CHAPTER 12-1.4 |
| Citizens’ Commission for the Safety and Care of the Elderly |
| CHAPTER 12-1.4 |
| COMMISSION FOR THE SAFETY AND CARE OF THE ELDERLY |
| SECTION 2. Sections 12-1.4-1, 12-1.4-2, 12-1.4-3, 12-1.4-4, 12-1.4-7 and 12-1.4-9 of the |
| General Laws in Chapter 12-1.4 entitled "Citizens’ Commission for the Safety and Care of the |
| Elderly" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 12-1.4-1. Short title. |
| This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Citizens’ “Commission for the Safety |
| and Care of the Elderly.” |
| 12-1.4-2. Creation. |
| There is established within the department of elderly affairs the citizens’ commission for |
| the safety and care of the elderly office of healthy aging the commission for the safety and care of |
| the elderly. |
| 12-1.4-3. Purpose. |
| The purpose of the commission shall be to act as a liaison between the legislature, public |
| safety officials, the office of healthy aging, and the older population of Rhode Island in the area of |
| crime against the elderly, injury and fire safety, and protective service options available to the |
| elderly. The commission shall also outline suggested responsibilities for and facilitate training |
| requirements of older adults, police, and fire advocates. |
| 12-1.4-4. Membership. |
| (a) The commission shall consist of twenty-one (21) twenty-two (22) members, eight (8) |
| three (3) of whom shall be older citizens adults appointed by the speaker and seven (7) three (3) of |
| whom shall be older citizens adults appointed by the president of the senate; one of whom shall be |
| an older adult appointed by the governor's office; all seven (7) of whom shall be appointed for a |
| term of two (2) years. The speaker shall appoint three (3) members and the president of the senate |
| shall appoint two (2) members for terms of three (3) years; the speaker shall appoint three (3) |
| members and the president of the senate shall appoint two (2) members for terms of two (2) years; |
| and the speaker shall appoint two (2) members and the president of the senate shall appoint three |
| (3) members for a term of one year. These terms shall commence with the date of appointment and |
| expire on the January 31 after the appointment corresponding with the number of years of the term |
| to which appointed. Appointments shall be made for terms of three (3) years commencing on |
| February 1 in the year of appointment and ending on January 31 in the third year after the |
| appointment. Commission members may remain in their position beyond the three-(3)year (3) term |
| until new members are duly appointed. Any vacancy among the members shall be filled by the |
| appointing authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. |
| (b) The remaining six (6) fifteen (15) members of the commission shall be the president of |
| the Police Chiefs’ Association or his or her the president’s designee; the attorney general or his or |
| her the attorney general’s designee; the director of elderly affairs the office of healthy aging or |
| his or her the director’s designee; a representative of the state police appointed by the |
| superintendent of the state police,; the president of the fire chief’s association, or his or her the |
| president’s designee; and, the state fire marshal or his or her the state fire marshal’s designee; |
| all six (6) of whom shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years and up to nine (9) representatives |
| to be decided by the commission to include representatives of agencies and organizations who work |
| directly with older adults. Such members and organizations represented may include, but not be |
| limited to, individuals residing in elder housing and/or elder shelters, medical providers, legal |
| services, community organizations, and senior centers. |
| (c) The members of the commission shall meet at the call of the speaker of the house |
| director and organize and shall select a chairperson from among themselves. Vacancies on the |
| commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. |
| 12-1.4-7. Cooperation of departments. |
| (a) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish any advice and information, |
| documentary and otherwise, to the commission and its agents deemed necessary or desirable by the |
| commission to facilitate the purposes of this chapter. |
| (b) Each local police and fire chief shall designate at least one sworn police officer |
| department representative or sworn fire fighter department representative to serve as the |
| department’s “senior citizen police older adults police safety advocate” to work as a liaison between |
| the department and the elderly community to help address elderly safety and protection issues. |
| 12-1.4-9. Reports to general assembly. |
| The commission shall report its findings and recommendations regarding the improvement |
| of elder safety issues to the general assembly, the governor's office, and the office of healthy aging |
| on or before January 25 of each year. |
| SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC001407 |
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