2024 -- S 2841

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LC004323

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- SMALL BUSINESS

ADVOCACY

     

     Introduced By: Senator Sandra Cano

     Date Introduced: March 22, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Commerce

     (Lieutenant Governor)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-91-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-91 entitled "Small

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Business Advocacy Council" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-91-2. Membership of council.

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     (a) The council shall consist of twenty (20) members, ten (10) of whom shall be public

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members, two (2) to be appointed by the governor, two (2) by the lieutenant governor, two (2) by

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the speaker of the house, two (2) by the president of the senate, one by the secretary of state, and

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one by the general treasurer; provided, however, that all of the public members shall be officers,

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partners, or proprietors of Rhode Island companies that are small businesses or nonprofit

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corporations as defined by the United States Small Business Administration; one of whom shall be

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affiliated with a business-related department of a Rhode Island institution of higher learning, to be

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appointed by the lieutenant governor; one of whom shall be a member of the minority party member

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of the joint committee on small business, to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one of whom

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shall be the chair of the house of representatives small business committee; one of whom shall be

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the chair of the senate committee on commerce; one of whom shall be a member of the governor’s

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staff, to be appointed by the governor; and the chairperson of the joint committee on small business,

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ex officio; the vice-chairperson of the joint committee on small business, ex officio; the director of

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the Rhode Island economic development corporation, and the secretary of the Rhode Island

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commerce corporation or the director’s secretary's permanent designee, ex officio; the director of

 

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the department of labor and training, or the director’s permanent designee, ex officio; the secretary

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of state, or the secretary’s permanent designee, ex officio; the general treasurer, or the treasurer’s

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permanent designee, ex officio; and the lieutenant governor, ex officio. The lieutenant governor

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shall serve as chairperson of the council.

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     (b) One of the public members appointed by each of the appointing authorities shall be

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appointed to serve until the first day of June, 1987, and the other to serve until the first day of June,

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1988; and all members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. In the month

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of May in any year in which a public member’s term of office expires, the respective appointing

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authorities shall appoint successors to the members whose terms shall expire in that year, to hold

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office commencing on the first day of June in the year of appointment for a term of three (3) years

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or until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. Any vacancy of an appointed

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member, which may occur in the council shall be filled by appointment by the respective appointing

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authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. Ex-officio members shall serve until the end of

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their term of office; the member of the governor’s staff shall serve until the end of the governor’s

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term of office.

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     (c) The council shall meet at the call of the lieutenant governor and shall elect from among

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themselves a vice-chairperson, who shall be one of the public members, and a secretary. The

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council shall meet at least quarterly during each calendar year.

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     (d) The membership shall receive no compensation for their services. The council may

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request, through the department of economic development, any clerical and technical assistance it

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may deem necessary to accomplish its purpose.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- SMALL BUSINESS

ADVOCACY

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     This act would amend the composition of the small business advisory council.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004323

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