It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 36-4-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-4 entitled "Merit System" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 36-4-2. Positions in unclassified service. -- ADD} The classified service shall comprise all positions in the state service now existing or hereinafter established, except the following specific positions which with other positions heretofore or hereinafter specifically exempted by legislative act shall constitute the unclassified service:

(1) Officers and legislators elected by popular vote and persons appointed to fill vacancies in elective offices.

(2) Employees of both houses of the general assembly.

(3) Officers, secretaries and employees of the office of the governor, office of the lieutenant-governor, department of state, department of the attorney-general and the treasury department.

(4) Members of boards and commissions appointed by the governor, members of the state board of elections and the appointees of the board, members of the commission for human rights and the employees of the commission, and directors of departments.

(5) The following specific offices:

(A) In the department of administration: director;

(B) In the department of business regulation: director, liquor control administrator;

(C) In the department of elementary and secondary education: commissioner of elementary and secondary education;

(D) In the department of higher education: commissioner of higher education;

(E) In the department of employment security: director;

(F) In the department of health: director;

(G) In the department of labor: director, administrative assistant, administrator of the labor board and legal counsel to the labor board;

(H) In the department of environmental management: director;

(I) In the department of transportation: director; employees of the administrative adjudication court as defined in section 31-43-1;

(J) In the department of human services: director;

(K) In the department of state library services: director; and all employees;

(L) In the state properties committee: secretary;

(M) In the workers' compensation court: judges, administrator, deputy administrator, members of the workers' compensation fraud prevention unit, clerk, assistant clerk, clerk-secretary;

(N) In the department of elderly affairs: director;

(O) In the department of economic development: director, and all employees as defined in section 42-63-4;

(P) In the department of mental health, retardation and hospitals: director; administrator of the Dr. Joseph H. Ladd Center;

(Q) In the department of corrections: director, assistant director (institutions/operations), assistant director (rehabilitative services), assistant director (administration) and wardens;

(R) In the department of children, youth and families: director, one (1) assistant director, one (1) associate director and one (1) executive director;

(S) In the public utilities commission: public utilities administrator.

{ADD (T) In the water resources board: general manager. ADD}

(6) Chief of the hoisting engineers, licensing division, and his employees; executive director of the veterans memorial building and his clerical employees.

(7) One (1) confidential stenographic secretary for each director of a department and each board and commission appointed by the governor.

(8) Special counsel, special prosecutors, regular and special assistants appointed by the attorney-general, the public defender and employees of his or her office, and members of the Rhode Island bar occupying a position in the state service as legal counsel to any appointing authority.

(9) The academic and/or commercial teaching staffs of all state institution schools, with the exception of those institutions under the jurisdiction of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education and the board of governors for higher education.

(10) Members of the military or naval forces, when entering or while engaged in the military or naval service.

(11) Judges, referees, receivers, clerks, assistant clerks and clerical assistants of the supreme, superior, family and district courts, jurors and any persons appointed by any court.

(12) Election officials and employees.

(13) Sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and their employees.

(14) Patient or inmate help in state charitable, penal and correctional institutions and religious instructors of these institutions and student nurses in training, residents in psychiatry in training and clinical clerks in temporary training at the institute of mental health within the state of Rhode Island medical center.

(15) Persons employed to make or conduct a temporary and special inquiry, investigation, project or examination on behalf of the legislature or a committee therefor, or on behalf of any other agency of the state if the inclusion of such persons in the unclassified service is approved by the personnel administrator. The personnel administrator shall notify the House Fiscal Advisor and the Senate Fiscal Advisor whenever he or she approves the inclusion of a person in the unclassified service.

The duration of the appointment of a person, other than the persons enumerated in this section, shall not exceed ninety (90) days or until presented to the Unclassified Pay Plan Board. The Unclassified Pay Plan Board may extend the appointment another ninety (90) days. In no event shall the appointment extend beyond one hundred eighty (180) days.

(16) Members of the division of state police.

(17) Executive secretary of the Blackstone Valley district commission.

(18) Artist and curator of state-owned art objects.

(19) Mental health advocate.

(20) Child advocate.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.