R 271 |
2021 -- H 6125 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 05/25/2021 |
H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
RESPECTFULLY RECOMMENDING THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF EACH RHODE ISLAND CITY AND TOWN CREATE AN INDEPENDENT FIVE PERSON COMMISSION TO ENSURE THAT ANY AND ALL FEDERAL MONIES RECEIVED BY THE CITIES AND TOWNS IN THE FORTHCOMING COVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE ARE ADMINISTERED WISELY, FAIRLY, HONESTLY AND WITH TRANSPARENCY |
Introduced By: Representatives Barros, Shanley, Ruggiero, Batista, Alzate, Giraldo, Kislak, Cassar, Potter, and Baginski |
Date Introduced: March 11, 2021 |
WHEREAS, The President of the United States and his administration, and leaders of the |
United States Congress, are currently in the process of negotiating a COVID-19 stimulus Bill |
that, according to news reports, reach two or more trillion dollars and offer relief to both State |
Governments and local City and Town governments; and |
WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives recently passed a COVID-19 |
aid package, The American Rescue Plan, that would provide the State of Rhode Island with |
almost 1.7 billion dollars in aid, with 1.1 billion going to the State and the rest of the funds being |
distributed to Rhode Island’s Cities and Towns; and |
WHEREAS, Given the magnitude of the suffering COVID-19 has caused, and the |
immense need for assistance that exists throughout the country in all layers of our society, it is |
more important than ever that all funds received by Rhode Island’s local Cities and Towns be |
administered and distributed with transparency, and in a manner that guarantees the honesty and |
integrity of the entire process; and |
WHEREAS, One of the ways this objective can be accomplished would be to recommend |
that each of Rhode Island’s Cities and Towns creates a five member commission appointed by |
each City or Town’s Chief Executive Officer that would be responsible for oversight to ensure |
accountability and transparency and to make sure that the entire process is completely open to the |
public and members of the media. It is recommended that each local commission should consist |
of five members, one of whom to be a Mayor or CEO of a Rhode Island City or Town, two of |
whom to be members of Rhode Island City/Town Councils, and two members of the Rhode |
Island general public; now, therefore be it |
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
respectfully recommends that the Chief Executive Officer of each Rhode Island City and Town |
appoint a five person independent commission charged with the duty and responsibility of |
providing oversight and accountability to the process of how the Federal COVID-19 Relief assets |
are distributed; and be it further |
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Daniel McKee, Governor of the |
State of Rhode Island. |
======== |
LC002354/SUB A |
======== |