It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 42-91-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-91 entitled "Small Business Advisory Council" is hereby amended to read as follows:
42-91-2. Membership of council. -- (a) The council shall
consist of nineteen (19) {ADD twenty (20) ADD} members; ten (10) of whom
shall be public members, two (2) to be appointed by the governor, two
(2) by the lieutenant governor, two (2) by the speaker of the house,
two (2) by the senate majority leader, one by the secretary of state
and one by the general treasurer; provided, however, that all of the
public members shall be officers, partners, or proprietors of Rhode
Island companies that are small businesses as defined by the United
States small business administration; one of whom shall be affiliated
with a business-related department of a Rhode Island institution of
higher learning, to be appointed by the lieutenant governor; one of
whom shall be a minority party member of the joint committee on small
business, to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one of whom
shall be a member of the governor's staff, to be appointed by the
governor; and the chairperson of the joint committee on small
business, ex officio; the vice-chairperson of the joint committee on
small business, ex officio; the director of the department of economic
development or the director's permanent designee, ex officio; {ADD the
director of the department of employment and training or the
director's permanent designee, ex officio; ADD} the secretary of state or
the secretary's permanent designee, ex officio; the general treasurer
or the treasurer's permanent designee, ex officio; and the lieutenant
governor, ex officio. The lieutenant governor shall serve as
chairperson of the council.
(b) One of the public members appointed by each of the appointing authorities shall be appointed to serve until the first day of June, 1987, and the other to serve until the first day of June, 1988; and all members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. In the month of May in any year in which a public member's term of office expires, the respective appointing authorities shall appoint successors to the members whose terms shall expire in that year, to hold office commencing on the first day of June in the year of appointment for a term of three (3) years or until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. Any vacancy of an appointed member which may occur in the council shall be filled by appointment by the respective appointing authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. Ex-officio members shall serve until the end of their term of office; the member of the governor's staff shall serve until the end of the governor's term of office.
(c) The council shall meet at the call of the lieutenant governor and shall elect from among themselves a vice-chairperson, who shall be one of the public members, and a secretary. The council shall meet at least nine (9) times during each calendar year.
(d) The membership shall receive no compensation for their services. The council may request, through the department of economic development, such clerical and technical assistance as it may deem necessary to accomplish its purpose.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
