It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 23-28.2-23 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-28.2 entitled "Division of Fire Safety" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 23-28.2-23. Fire education and training coordinating board. -- ADD} (a) There is hereby created within the division of fire safety a fire education and training coordinating board. The governor shall appoint one representative from each of the following groups to serve on the board:

(1) Chiefs of fire departments with predominately fully paid personnel, defined as departments in which the vast majority of members are full-time, salaried personnel.

(2) Chiefs of fire departments with part paid/combination personnel, defined as departments in which members consist of both full-time salaried personnel and a large percentage of volunteer or call personnel.

(3) Chiefs of fire departments with predominately volunteer personnel, defined as departments in which the vast majority of members respond voluntarily and receive little or no compensation.

(4) Rhode Island firefighters' instructor's association.

(5) Rhode Island department of environmental management.

{DEL (6) Rhode Island state bureau of vocational and adult education. DEL}

{DEL (7) Rhode Island league of cities and towns. DEL}

{DEL (8) American insurance association (New England region). DEL}

{DEL (9) DEL} {ADD (6) ADD} Rhode Island fire safety association.

{DEL (10) Rhode Island communications officers association. DEL}

{DEL (11) DEL} {ADD (7) ADD} Rhode Island state firemen's league.

{DEL (12) A college/university offering fire service education courses. DEL}

(b) The governor shall also appoint three (3) members from the Rhode Island association of fire fighters and two (2) members from regional firemen's leagues.

(c) The senate majority leader and the speaker of the house shall each appoint one member.

(d) The state fire marshal and the chief of training and education shall serve as ex-officio members.

{DEL (e) The chairperson and vice chairperson shall be elected by the members of the board in accordance with bylaws to be established by the board.

(f) The board shall establish bylaws to govern operational procedures not addressed by legislation. DEL}

{DEL (g) DEL} {ADD (e) ADD} Members shall be appointed for terms of three (3) years, except that the terms of the first appointments shall be one year for approximately one-third (1/3) of the members, two (2) years for approximately one-third (1/3) of the members, and three (3) years for approximately one-third (1/3) of the members. The governor shall determine which members will fall into the one, two (2), and three (3) categories when making initial appointments. No person shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms, except that service on the board for a term of less than two (2) years resulting from an initial appointment or an appointment for the remainder of an unexpired term shall not constitute a full term. Members shall hold office until a successor is appointed, and no member shall serve beyond the time he or she ceases to hold office or employment by reason of which he or she was eligible for appointment.

{DEL (h) DEL} {ADD (f) ADD} Members shall serve without compensation, but shall receive travel expenses in the same amount per mile approved for state employees.

{DEL (i) DEL} {ADD (g) ADD} The commission shall meet at the call of the chairperson or upon written petition of a majority of the members, but not less than {DEL four (4) DEL} {ADD six (6) ADD} times per year.

{DEL (j) DEL} {ADD (h) ADD} Staff support to the commission beyond that which can be provided by the state fire marshal shall be provided by the governor's justice commission.

{DEL (k) DEL} {ADD (i) ADD} The board shall {DEL be responsible for:

(1) Developing and offering a recruit training program based on national fire protection association (NFPA) firefighter I standards.

(2) Developing and offering in-service fire education and training courses based on NFPA standards such as firefighter II and III, fire apparatus driver/operator, airport firefighter, fire officer I-VI, fire inspector, fire investigator, fire prevention education officer, and fire department safety officer; and based on special needs such as chemicals and hazardous waste.

(3) Developing and offering a state certification process for firefighters and fire officers based on the same NFPA standards used to produce training and education courses, where applicable.

(4) Developing and offering certification programs for instructors based on NFPA instructor I-IV standards.

(5) Developing and offering fire prevention education programs for the public.

(6) Developing and offering fire education and training programs for private industry and other interested organizations.

(7) Monitoring and evaluating all programs to determine their effectiveness.

(l) The board shall make every attempt to provide programs to fire department personnel on a no cost basis. However, should this prove impossible, a fee structure shall be developed.

(m) The board shall establish a fee structure for programs provided to private industry and other nonlocal or state fire fighting agencies, in an amount necessary to cover the costs of implementing the programs. The fees shall be placed in a restricted receipt account exclusively for fire education and training programs. Profits earned from these programs shall not result in reduction of the training unit's annual state budget appropriation.

(n) As a first priority the board shall undertake a study of the need for, cost, and general feasibility of obtaining a statewide training facility. The board shall have an ongoing responsibility for ensuring that sufficient facilities, equipment, and other resources are available for fire training and education.

(o) In addition to any sums appropriated for the operation of the fire education and training unit within the division of fire safety, there is hereby appropriated an additional sum of forty two thousand five hundred dollars ($42,500). DEL}

{ADD (1) establish by-laws to govern operational procedures not addressed by legislation.

(2) elect a chairman and vice-chairman of the board in accordance with by-laws to be established by the board.

(3) develop and offer training programs for fire fighters and fire officers based on applicable NFPA standards used to produce training and education courses.

(4) develop and offer a state certification programs for instructors based on NFPA standards.

(5) Monitor and evaluate all programs to determine their effectiveness.

(6) Establish a fee structure in an amount necessary to cover costs of implementing the programs. Such fees shall be placed in a restricted receipt account exclusively for fire education and training programs. Profits earned from these programs shall not result in reduction of the training unit's annual state budget appropriation. ADD}

{DEL (h) DEL} {ADD (j) ADD} in addition to any sums appropriated for the operation of the fire education and training unit within the division of fire safety there is hereby appropriated an additional sum of forty-two thousand five hundred dollars ($42,500).

{DEL (i) DEL} {ADD (k) ADD} in an effort to prevent potential conflicts of interest, any fire education and training coordinating board member shall not simultaneously serve as a paid instructor and/or administrator within the fire education and training unit.

{DEL (j) DEL} {ADD (l) ADD} A quorum for conducting all business before the board, shall be at least seven (7) members.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.