It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 42-66.3-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-66.3 entitled "In-home Service Care Advisory Committee" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 42-66.3-8. ADD} {DEL In-home service care advisory committee DEL} {ADD Home and community care advisory committee. -- ADD} (a) There is hereby established a permanent state committee to be known as the In-home service care advisory committee established for the purpose of advising the director of elderly [affairs] relative to the needs and concerns of in-home service care recipients. The commission shall consist of fifteen (15) members, three (3) of whom shall be members of the American Association of Retired Persons to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one of whom shall be a member of the national retired teachers association to be appointed by the senate majority leader; one of whom shall be the director of human services or his or her designee; one of whom shall be the auditor general or his or her designee; one of whom shall be the executive director of the Visiting Nurses Association of Rhode Island or his or her designee; three (3) of whom shall be representatives of the visiting nurses agencies within the state, one to be appointed by the senate majority leader, one to be appointed by the senate minority leader, and one to be appointed by the speaker; three (3) of whom shall be representatives of in-home service care, two (2) to be appointed by the speaker of the house, and one to be appointed by the house minority leader; one of whom shall be a third party insurer to be appointed by the senate majority leader and one of whom shall be the director of health or his or her designee.

(b) Forthwith upon the passage of this chapter, the members of the committee shall meet at the call of the speaker of the house and organize and shall select from among themselves a chairperson. Vacancies in the committee shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. The membership of the committee shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their travel and necessary expenses. The committee may engage such clerical, technical and other assistance as it may deem necessary, and spend such other funds as is necessary to accomplish its purpose.

(c) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, documentary and otherwise, to the committee and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the committee to facilitate the purposes of this chapter.

(d) The director of administration is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters for the committee.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.