It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 30-31-1, 30-31-2 and 30-31-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 30-31 entitled "The Permanent Committee on the Rhode Island Medal of Honor Recipients" are hereby amended to read as follows:

30-31-1. Declaration of purpose. -- The legislature hereby finds and declares:

(1) Numerous Rhode Island residents have distinguished themselves in the armed services of the United States by gallantry above and beyond the call of duty;

(2) That as a result of that gallantry, these residents have been awarded the Medal of Honor by the President of the United States;

(3) That the state holds title to a parcel of land in the Medal of Honor Grove at Freedom Foundation, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, consisting of one acre, the parcel having been dedicated to the recipients of the Medal of Honor who were residents of the state;

(4) That the need exists to construct a suitable monument on that site honoring the Rhode Island recipients of the medal of honor; and

(5) (3) That the proper method of furthering that goal would be the establishment of a permanent committee.

30-31-2. Creation of committee members -- Vacancies. -- (a) There is hereby created a permanent committee on Rhode Island Medal of Honor recipients to consist of eleven (11) {ADD nine (9) ADD} members, four (4) {ADD three (3) ADD} of whom shall be from the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, not more than three (3) {ADD two (2) ADD} of whom shall be from the same political party; three (3) of whom shall be from the senate to be appointed by the majority leader of the senate, not more than two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party; and four (4) {ADD three (3) ADD} of whom shall be members of the general public with knowledge of veterans' affair, to be appointed by the governor.

(b) * * *

{ADD 30-31-4. Duties. -- ADD} It shall be the duty of the committee to coordinate the activities of veterans' organizations and other parties interested in veterans' affairs in order to decide upon a suitable monument or monuments to be placed on the site described in section 30-31-1(3). The committee is hereby empowered to determine the type of monument or monuments to be placed on that site and it shall be the exclusive responsibility of the committee to arrange for the placing of a monument or monuments and to maintain the grounds surrounding the monument.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.