Chapter 098
2024 -- S 2805
Enacted 06/12/2024

A N   A C T
RELATING TO INCORPORATING THE RHODE ISLAND COMMISSION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Lawson, and DiPalma

Date Introduced: March 22, 2024

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 2 of Chapter 395 of the Public Laws of 2017, as amended, entitled
"An Act Incorporating the Rhode Island Commission For National and Community Service" is
hereby further amended to read as follows:
     SECTION 2. (a) There is hereby created a commission, the name of which is the Rhode
Island commission for national and community Service service, d/b/a Serve RI (the "commission").
     (b) The commission is organized for the following purposes: to carry out on behalf of the
State of Rhode Island the objectives of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as
amended.
     (c) The powers of the commission shall be vested in a board of commissioners which will
have twenty-five (25) no less than fifteen (15) voting members who have demonstrated a
commitment to public service. To the extent possible, membership of the commission shall be
reflective of Rhode Island’s diverse population in terms of race, ethnicity, age, gender, and
geographic location.
     (d)(1) The governor shall appoint twenty-five (25) all voting members of the board of
commissioners. The governor and shall appoint the chair of the commission from among the voting
members.
     (2) Of the voting members of the board of commissioners, nine (9) shall be appointed for
initial terms of three (3) years beginning September 1, 2017; eight (8) shall be appointed for initial
terms of two (2) years beginning September 1, 2017; and eight (8) shall be appointed for initial
terms of one year beginning September 1, 2017. Thereafter, appointments shall be made for terms
of three (3) years. A vacancy in the office of a commissioner, created, other than by expiration of
a term, or in the office of a chairperson shall be filled in like manner as an original appointment but
only for the unexpired portion of the term. Members shall be eligible to succeed themselves;
however, members shall not be appointed to successive terms totaling more than eight (8) years.
     (3) The governor shall appoint twenty-five (25) voting members with a minimum of one
member selected from each of the following categories:
     (i) An individual with expertise in the educational training and developmental needs of
youth, particularly disadvantaged youth; and
     (ii) An individual with experience in promoting the involvement of older adults fifty-five
(55) years old or over) in service and volunteerism; and
     (iii) A representative of community-based agencies within the state; and
     (iv) A representative of local government; and
     (v) A representative of a local labor organization; and
     (vi) A representative of a for-profit business; and
     (vii) An individual between the ages of sixteen (16) and twenty-five (25) who is, or has
been a participant or supervisor in a volunteer or service program; and
     (viii) A representative of a national service program; and
     (ix) A representative of the volunteer sector; and
     (ix)(x) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education or his or her their
designee and the commissioner of postsecondary education or his or her their designee.
     (4) In addition, the governor shall have the authority to appoint nonvoting members to the
board of commissioners, one of whom shall be the designated representative of the Corporation of
National and Community Service. Other nonvoting members shall serve at the pleasure of the
governor.
     (5) To the extent practicable, members of the board of commissioners shall be appointed
in the manner described by the National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended 42
U.S.C. 12501 et seq.)
     (6) Not more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the voting members of the board of
commissioners may be officers and/or employees of state government, although additional state
agency representatives may be appointed to the board of commissioners as nonvoting members.
     (7) Not more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting members of the board of commissioners
plus one voting member may be from the same political party.
     (8) The members of the board of commissioners will receive no compensation for their
services, except that members are entitled to compensation for expenses incurred in the
performance of their duties on the commission in the same manner as state employees.
     (e) The commission will act on behalf of the state to:
     (1) Prepare and implement a three-year (3) national service plan for the state as called for
under the National Community Service Act of 1990, as amended, including conducting local
outreach to develop a comprehensive and inclusive state service plan, and coordinating with
existing programs in order to prevent unnecessary competition for private sources of funding;
     (2) Administer a competitive process to select the national service programs to be included
in any application for funding and prepare and submit the annual state applications for federal
funding of commission-selected national service programs;
     (3) Administer the grants and oversee the monitoring of the programs after the national
service funds are awarded;
     (4) Fulfill federal program administration requirements, such as assisting in the provision
of health care and child care for program participants;
     (5) Integrate new national service programs and existing ACTION and Older American
Volunteer Programs into the state strategic service plan;
     (6) Provide technical assistance to service programs, including the development of training
methods and curriculum materials;
     (7) Develop a statewide recruitment and placement system for individuals interested in
community service opportunities;
     (8) Prepare annual reports on progress for submission to the governor and the general
assembly; and
     (9) Identify and make application for financial support, particularly funding made available
under the National and Community Service Trust Action of 1990, as amended to sustain the
commission’s program and activities and to receive gifts and grants from public and private
sources.
     (g) Any conflicts of interest that arise will be resolved as prescribed by the Corporation for
National and Community Service.
     SECTION 32. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC004365
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