A N     A C T

RELATING TO APPOINTMENTS

Introduced By: Senators Enos, Irons, Walton, Paiva Weed and Revens

Date Introduced : February 9, 1999

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 16-41-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-41 entitled "New England Higher Education Compact" is hereby amended to read as follows:

16-41-3. Rhode Island board members -- Qualifications. -- (a) The authority shall appoint four (4) resident members from Rhode Island who shall serve in accordance with article II of the compact. The authority shall appoint the members as follows: one member to serve until the first day of June, 1980, one member to serve until the first day of June, 1981, and two (2) members to serve until the first day of June, 1982, and all members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. In the month of May 1980 and in the month of May in each year thereafter, the authority shall appoint successors to those members of the compact whose terms shall expire in that year, to hold office on the first day of June in the year of appointment and until the first day of June in the third year after their respective successors are appointed and qualified.

(b) The {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD} shall appoint two (2) members of the senate to serve in accordance with article II for the member's legislative term.

(c) The speaker of the house shall appoint two (2) members of the house to serve in accordance with article II for the member's legislative term.

(d) Any vacancy of a member which shall occur in the commission shall be filled by the appointing authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. All members shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of their duties.

SECTION 2. Section 16-58-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-58 entitled "Adult Education Commission" is hereby amended to read as follows:

16-58-3. Composition of commission. -- The commission shall be composed of thirty-two (32) members, as follows:

(1) Fourteen (14) members representing state officials, including three (3) members of the state senate, not more than two (2) from the same political party, who shall be nominated by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}; and three (3) members of the state house of representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party, who shall be nominated by the speaker of the house; and one member of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, who shall be nominated by the chairperson of the board; the commissioner of higher education, or his or her designee; and one member of the human resource investment council appointed by the chairperson; and five (5) members who shall be the directors or the director's designee of each of the following: (1) the department of labor and training; (2) the economic development corporation; (3) the department of health; (4) the department of human services; and (5) the department of library services.

(2) Nine (9) members representing the adult education profession, including the commissioner of elementary and secondary education, or his or her designee; and seven (7) other professionals; two (2) program administrators or teachers who shall be nominated by the executive board of the adult education association of Rhode Island, with not less than five (5) years experience in local adult education programs; five (5) program administrators or teachers nominated by the Rhode Island adult literacy council, including one representative from each of the following program areas: (i) English as a second language program; (ii) vocational literacy program; (iii) G.E.D. Preparation program; (iv) Basic reading and literacy program; (v) family literacy program; and one (1) member designated by the Rhode Island literary resource center.

(3) Nine (9) members from local cities and towns appointed by the governor, including one member of a school committee from a city or town which has an active adult education program appointed by the executive committee of the Rhode Island association of school committees, one representative of the Rhode Island school superintendents' association, to be nominated by the executive committee of the association; two (2) representatives of business or industry; one representative of organized labor; three (3) persons who have received, or are receiving, adult education services; and one member representing a public library from a city or town with an active adult education program.

(4) It is hereby recognized that the policy of the commission shall be to facilitate and insure, to the fullest extent possible, that adult education will provide adult Rhode Islanders the educational opportunities to achieve their fullest potential as community members, workers, parents, and productive citizens.

SECTION 3. Section 42-66-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-66 entitled "Department of Elderly Affairs" is hereby amended to read as follows:

42-66-7. Advisory commission on aging. -- (a) Within the department of elderly affairs there shall be an advisory commission on aging consisting of twenty-five (25) members, four (4) of whom shall be from the general assembly as hereinafter provided, and twenty-one (21) of whom shall be appointed by the governor, thirteen (13) of whom shall be elderly consumers representative of that segment of the population. In the case of members of the commission appointed by the governor, they shall be chosen and shall hold office for three (3) years, except that in the original appointments, seven (7) members shall be designated to serve for one year, seven (7) members shall be designated to serve for two (2) years and seven (7) members shall be designated to serve for three (3) years, respectively, and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. In the month of February in each year the governor shall appoint successors to the members of the commission whose terms shall expire in such year to hold office until the first day of March in the third year after their appointment and until their respective successors are appointed and qualified.

(b) The four (4) members from the general assembly shall be appointed, two (2) from the house of representatives by the speaker, one from each of the two (2) major political parties, and two (2) from the senate by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}, one each from the two (2) major political parties, each to serve until the thirty-first day of December in the second year of the term to which the member has been elected. Any vacancy which may occur in the commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment, for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(c) The members of the commission at the first meeting shall elect a chairperson and such other officers as they may deem necessary. The commission shall meet at the call of the governor or the chairperson and shall make suggestions to and advise the governor or the director concerning the policies and problems confronting the aged and aging of the state. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be compensated for their necessary and actual traveling expenses in the performance of their official duties.

SECTION 4. Section 31-10-34 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-10 entitled "Operators' and Chauffeurs' Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:

31-10-34. Drivers' training school licensing board. -- There shall be established a board of licensing examiners of drivers' training schools consisting of five (5) members: one of whom shall be from the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker; one of whom shall be from the senate to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}; two (2) of whom shall be operators of licensed driving schools appointed by the governor; and one of whom shall be the registrar of motor vehicles or his or her designee; all of whom shall serve without compensation for a two (2) year term beginning September 1, 1976, and who shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as aforesaid.

SECTION 5. Section 46-23-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-23 entitled "Coastal Resources Management Council" is hereby amended to read as follows:

46-23-2. Coastal resources management council created -- Appointment of members. -- (a) There is hereby created the coastal resources management council.

(1) The coastal resources management council shall consist of sixteen (16) members, two (2) of whom shall be members of the house of representatives, at least one of the members shall represent a coastal municipality, appointed by the speaker, two (2) of whom shall be members of the senate, each of whom shall represent a coastal municipality, appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}, two (2) of whom shall be from the general public appointed by the speaker of the house for a term of two (2) years, two (2) of whom shall be from a coastal municipality appointed by the speaker of the house for a term of three (3) years.

(2) In addition, four (4) of the members shall be appointed or elected officials of local government appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be from a municipality of less than twenty-five thousand (25,000) population, appointed to serve until January 31, 1972, one of whom shall be from a coastal municipality of more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) population appointed to serve until January 31, 1973, and one of whom shall be from a coastal municipality of less than twenty-five thousand (25,000) population appointed to serve until January 31, 1974, and one of whom shall be from a coastal community of more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) population appointed to serve until January 31, 1975, the populations are to be determined by the latest federal census; all members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified; during the month of January, the governor shall appoint a member to succeed the member whose term will then next expire for a term of four (4) years commencing on the first day of February then next following and until his or her successor is named and qualified; each municipal appointment shall cease if the appointed or elected official shall no longer hold or change the office which he or she held upon appointment, and further, each appointee shall be eligible to succeed him or herself.

(3) Three (3) members shall be appointed by the governor from the public, with the advice and consent of the senate, one of whom shall serve until January 1, 1972, one of whom shall serve until January 1, 1973 and one of whom shall serve until January 1, 1974; the members and their successors shall represent a coastal community.

(4) All members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified; during the month of January, the governor shall appoint, with advice and consent of senate, a member to succeed the members whose term will then next expire for a term of three (3) years commencing on the first day of February next following and until his or her successor is named and qualified. A member shall be eligible to succeed him or herself. No more than two (2) persons on the council shall be from the same community.

(5) Appointments shall first be made by the governor, then by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}, and then by the speaker. A vacancy other than by expiration shall be filled in like manner as an original appointment but only for the unexpired portion of the term. The commissioner of the environmental protection branch or his or her designee within the department of environment shall serve ex officio. The ex-officio member shall not be counted as serving from any particular community.

(b) In addition to the foregoing voting members, the council shall include a varying number of other members who shall serve in an advisory capacity without the right to vote and who shall be invited to serve by either the governor or the voting members. These advisory members shall represent the federal agencies such as the navy, coast guard, corps of engineers, public health service, and the federal water pollution control administration, and such regional agencies as the New England river basins commission and the New England regional commission and any other group or interest not otherwise represented.

(c) There shall be established a coastal resources advisory committee which committee, appointed by the executive director of the coastal resources management council, shall include, but not be limited to, representation from the following groups: one (1) of whom shall be a representative of the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography and the College of Resources Development, one (1) of whom shall be a representative of the Sea Grant National College Program, one (1) of whom shall be a representative of the army corps of engineers, one (1) of whom shall be a representative of the federal environmental protection agency's Narragansett Bay laboratory, one (1) of whom shall be a representative of the coastal resources management council, one (1) of whom shall be the director of environmental management; one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Rhode Island Marine Trade Association and one (1) of whom shall be a representative of a regional environmental group. The council shall have the authority to appoint such additional members to said advisory committee as is deemed necessary or advisable by the advisory committee or the council. It shall be the responsibility of the committee to advise the coastal resources management council on environmental issues relating to dredging and permitting related thereto, including but not limited to those issues defined in sections 46-23-18.1 -- 46-23-18.3, inclusive.

(d) The council shall have the authority to form committees of other advisory groups as needed from both its own members and others.

SECTION 6. Section 42-23-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-23 entitled "Commission on Interstate Cooperation" is hereby amended to read as follows:

42-23-2. Composition -- Tenure of members. -- (1) The commission on interstate cooperation shall consist of:

(a) The governor, the lieutenant governor, the attorney general, of the house of representatives, ex officios;

(b) Four (4) members of the senate to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}, not more than three (3) of whom shall be members of the same political party;

(c) Four (4) members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker, not more than three (3) of whom shall be members of the same political party; and

(d) Five (5) qualified electors of the state, not more than four (4) of whom shall be members of the same political party, to be appointed by the governor.

(2) Each member of the commission who holds public office shall serve during his or her term of office and the other members shall serve during the pleasure of the governor.

SECTION 7. Section 30-29-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 30-29 entitled "Committee on Naval Affairs" is hereby amended to read as follows:

30-29-1. Permanent committee -- Composition. -- There is hereby created a permanent committee on naval affairs, to consist of sixteen (16) members, six (6) of whom shall be appointed by the speaker, at least one of whom shall be a member of the house of representatives, and at least one of whom shall be a member of the general public; {DEL five (5) DEL} {ADD three (3) ADD} of whom shall be appointed by the lieutenant governor {ADD ; ADD} two (2) of whom shall be members of the senate, not more than one from the same party, {DEL and at least one of whom shall be a member of the general public; DEL} {ADD to be appointed by the majority leader of the senate; ADD} one of whom shall be a member of the general public appointed by the governor; one of whom shall be the director of the department of economic development, ex officio or his or her designee; and three (3) of whom shall be naval personnel, appointed by the senior naval officer permanently stationed in Rhode Island. Vacancies shall be filled in like manner as the original appointments. The members of the committee shall, without compensation, serve for two (2) years and until their successors are duly appointed.

SECTION 8. Section 40.1-8-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 40.1-8 entitled "Governor's Committee on Mental Retardation" is hereby amended to read as follows:

40.1-8-1. Creation -- Members. -- There is hereby created a fourteen (14) member permanent committee to be known as the "governor's committee on mental retardation," hereinafter referred to as the committee; six (6) of whom shall be representatives of non-governmental organizations or groups concerned with education, employment, rehabilitation, welfare, and health, to be appointed by the governor; six (6) of whom shall be representatives of consumers of services provided by facilities for the mentally retarded; three (3) of whom shall be selected from a list of nominees submitted by the Rhode Island association for retarded children, to be appointed by the governor; one of whom shall be from the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker; and one of whom shall be from the senate to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}. The assistant director for mental retardation within the department of mental health, retardation, and hospitals shall serve as an ex officio member but shall not be eligible to vote. No employee of any state agency or institution engaged in the care or training of the mentally retarded shall be eligible for appointment to the committee.

SECTION 9. Section 40.1-6-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 40.1-6 entitled "Governor's Council on Mental Health" is hereby amended to read as follows:

40.1-6-1. Creation -- Members. -- There is hereby created a council to be known as "the governor's council on mental health". The council shall consist of the director of health, the director of elementary and secondary education, the director of human services, the director of mental health, retardation, and hospitals, the director of corrections, the director of the department of elderly affairs, the director of children, youth, and families, or designees, ex officio and without vote, the chairperson of the Rhode Island advisory council on substance abuse, the attorney general and the mental health advocate, with vote. In addition there shall be twenty-two (22) other members of which eighteen (18) shall be appointed by the governor representing such community interests as medicine, particularly the specialty of psychiatry, psychology, social work, nursing, commerce and/or industry, labor, law, hospitals, voluntary mental health organizations, and community health and welfare planning, and adult and elderly consumers of mental health services and their families, including families of children who are consumers of mental health services, who should have a broad interest in mental health corresponding to the scope of the council's mission and not limited to specific professional or advocacy interests. Not less than fifty percent (50%) of the twenty-two (22) public members shall be individuals who are not state employees or providers of mental health services. There shall be four (4) members of the legislature, two (2) shall be from the senate and shall be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}, one from each of the two (2) major political parties, and two (2) shall be from the house of representatives and shall be appointed by the speaker, one from each of the two (2) major political parties.

SECTION 10. Section 28-21-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-21 entitled "Hazardous Substances Right-to-Know Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

28-21-21. Permanent commission on hazardous substances in the workplace. -- (a) There is hereby created a permanent commission on hazardous substances in the workplace whose purpose it shall be to oversee and study the implementation of this chapter and to advise the general assembly with respect to methods of improving the purpose of this chapter. The commission shall annually submit its report to the general assembly not later than January 15 of each year.

(b) The commission shall consist of seventeen (17) members, three (3) of whom shall be from the house of representatives, not more than two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party, to be appointed by the speaker to serve for their legislative term; two (2) of whom shall be from the senate, one from each political party, to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant DEL} {DEL governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD} to serve for his or her legislative term; two (2) representatives of labor, two (2) representatives of business, one member from the department of health, one member from the department of labor and training, four (4) members from the public, one member from the medical profession, and one member from the jewelry industry, all of whom shall be appointed by the speaker, to serve for terms of three (3) years.

(c) During the month of February every year, the speaker shall appoint a member to succeed the members whose term will then next expire, to serve for a term of three (3) years commencing on the first day of March then next following, and until his successor is appointed and qualified.

(d) A member shall be eligible to succeed himself or herself.

(e) A vacancy, other than by expiration, shall be filled in like manner as an original appointment, but only for the unexpired portion of the term.

(f) The speaker shall select a chairperson from among the membership of the commission to serve at the pleasure of the speaker.

(g) The membership of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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

(i) The speaker of the house is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters for the commission.

SECTION 11. Section 22-8-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 22-8 entitled "Legislative Council" is hereby amended to read as follows:

22-8-2. Composition -- Appointment of members. -- The legislative council shall consist of three (3) senators and four (4) representatives. At the January session of the general assembly in each odd-numbered year the {DEL lieutenant-governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD} shall designate three (3) senators, not more than two (2) of whom shall be members of the same political party, and the speaker of the house shall designate four (4) members of the house of representatives, not more than three (3) of whom shall be members of the same political party, to serve as legislative councilors.

SECTION 12. Section 39-18-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-18 entitled "Rhode Island Public Transit Authority" is hereby amended to read as follows:

39-18-2. Authority created -- Composition -- Terms -- Oath -- Officers -- Quorum -- Compensation -- Conflicts of interest. -- (a) There is hereby created a body corporate and politic to be known as the "Rhode Island public transit authority".

(b) The authority shall consist of seven (7) members, four (4) of whom shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate; one shall be a member of the senate ex officio appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}, one shall be a member of the house of representatives ex officio appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one of whom shall be the director of the department of transportation who shall serve as an ex officio member. Forthwith, upon the enactment of this chapter, the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint one member to serve until the first day of April, 1965, one member to serve until the first day of April, 1966, and one member to serve until the first day of April, 1967, and until their respective successors shall be duly appointed and qualified. Ex officio members shall serve during their respective terms of office.

(c) In the month of March 1965, and in the months of March annually thereafter, the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint one member of the authority to serve for a term of three (3) years to succeed the member whose term will then next expire. On or before July 1, 1979, the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint the seventh member to serve until the first day of April, 1982 and until his or her respective successor shall be duly appointed and qualified. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the membership, the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint a member for the unexpired term. Any member of the authority shall be eligible for reappointment.

(d) Each member of the authority, before entering upon his or her duties, shall take an oath to administer the duties of his or her office faithfully and impartially, and the oath shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state.

(e) The authority shall elect one of its members as chairperson, and shall also elect a secretary.

(f) Four (4) members of the authority shall constitute a quorum and the vote of four (4) members shall be necessary for any action taken by the authority. No vacancy in the membership of the authority shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the authority.

(g) The members of the authority appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate shall receive twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per day as compensation for attendance at meetings of the authority, but not to exceed the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars ($2,500) annually as compensation of each member, such amounts to be payable from the revenue of the authority. Ex officio members shall receive no compensation, but all members of the authority shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.

(h) No member of the authority shall be in the employ of, or own any stock in, or be in any way directly or indirectly pecuniarily interested in any railroad corporation, bus, or street railway company, nor shall any member of the authority personally or through a partner or agent render any professional service or make or perform any business contract with or for any company; nor shall any member of the authority, directly or indirectly, receive a commission, bonus, discount, present, or reward from any company.

SECTION 13. Section 2-4-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 2-4 entitled "Soil Conservation" is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-4-3. State conservation committee. -- (a) There is hereby established, within the department of environmental management to serve as an agency of the state and to perform the functions conferred upon it by this chapter, the state conservation committee. The following shall serve as members of the committee: the director of environmental management, one (1) conservation district director representative from each conservation district, one (1) governor's appointee, one (1) state senator, and one (1) state representative.

(b) District director representatives to the state committee will be selected for a term of three (3) years by the district board of directors at their annual meeting and the state committee shall be duly notified of the results of this election at least thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the term of office. State committee members shall hold office until a successor has been duly selected. Vacancies shall be filled for any unexpired terms. The selection of successors to fill an unexpired term or for a full term shall be in the same manner in which the respective state committee member shall have been selected.

(c) The governor's appointive member of the committee shall be selected every two (2) years by the governor, and select and represent those interests within the state not already represented, or less fully represented, on the committee.

(d) General assembly members of the committee shall be selected every two (2) years. The state senator member shall be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD}. The house of representatives member to the committee shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(e) The committee shall invite the director of the cooperative extension service and agricultural experiment station, chief of the office of state planning, director of transportation, the president of the Rhode Island Association of conservation districts, the state conservationist of the USDA soil conservation service, the state executive director of the USDA agricultural stabilization and conservation service, the chairperson of the water resources board, and the executive director of the coastal resources management council, and any other agency representatives necessary, to carry out the intent of this chapter, to serve as advisors to the state committee.

(f) The committee shall keep a record of its official actions, and may perform such acts, hold such public hearings, and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the execution of its functions under this chapter.

SECTION 14. Sections 22-7-1 and 22-7-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 22-7 entitled "Joint Committee on Accounts and Claims" are hereby amended to read as follows:

22-7-1. Permanent committee -- Composition. -- The joint committee on accounts and claims, heretofore created under joint rules of the senate and the house of representatives, shall consist of four (4) members of the senate to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD} and five (5) members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker and is hereby created a permanent joint committee on accounts and claims of the general assembly. The members of this joint committee on accounts and claims shall serve until their successors shall be duly appointed as provided below and until the successors shall have been duly qualified.

22-7-3. Filling of vacancies. -- Vacancies in the membership of the joint committee {DEL occurring while the legislature is in session shall be filled, if on the part of the senate, by nomination of the lieutenant governor as presiding officer of the senate, or in the lieutenant governor's absence, by the person performing his or her duties; and if on the part of the house, by nomination of the speaker of the house as presiding officer of the house, or in the speaker's absence, by the person performing his or her duties. DEL} {ADD shall be filled in a like manner as the original appointment. ADD}

SECTION 15. Section 22-7.1-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 22-7.1 entitled "Permanent Joint Committee On Water Resources" is hereby amended to read as follows:

22-7.1-1. Permanent committee -- Composition. -- There is hereby created a permanent joint committee of the general assembly on water resources to consist of seven (7) members of the general assembly, four (4) of whom shall be from the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker, not more than three (3) of whom shall be from the same political party; three (3) of whom shall be from the senate to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor, DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD} not more than two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party. Vacancies shall be filled in like manner as the original appointments. The members of the joint committee on water resources shall serve so long as they shall remain members of the house from which they were appointed and until their successors are duly appointed and qualified.

SECTION 16. Section 22-7.2-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 22-7.2 entitled "Permanent Joint Committee on Highway Safety" is hereby amended to read as follows:

22-7.2-1. Permanent committee -- Composition. -- There is hereby created a permanent joint committee of the general assembly on highway safety to consist of eleven (11) members of the general assembly, six (6) of whom shall be from the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker, not more than four (4) of whom shall be from the same political party; five (5) of whom shall be from the senate to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor, DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD} not more than three (3) of whom shall be from the same political party. Vacancies shall be filled in like manner as the original appointments. The members of the joint committee on highway safety shall serve so long as they shall remain members of the house from which they were appointed and until their successors are duly appointed and qualified.

SECTION 17. Section 22-7.3-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 22-7.3 entitled "Permanent Joint Committee on Environment and Energy" is hereby amended to read as follows:

22-7.3-1. Permanent committee -- Composition. -- There is hereby created a permanent joint committee of the general assembly on environment and energy to consist of eleven (11) members of the general assembly, six (6) of whom shall be from the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker, not more than four (4) of whom shall be from the same political party; five (5) of whom shall be from the senate to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor, DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD} not more than three (3) of whom shall be from the same political party. Vacancies shall be filled in like manner as the original appointments. The members of the joint committee on environment and energy shall serve so long as they shall remain members of the house from which they were appointed and until their successors are duly appointed and qualified.

SECTION 18. Section 22-7.4-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 22-7.4 entitled "Permanent Joint Committee on Naming All New Buildings, Bridges, Edifices and Other State Constructions" is hereby amended to read as follows:

22-7.4-1. Permanent committee -- Composition. -- There is hereby created a permanent joint committee of the general assembly on naming all new buildings, bridges, edifices, and other state constructions to consist of seven (7) members of the general assembly, four (4) of whom shall be from the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker, not more than three (3) of whom shall be from the same political party; three (3) of whom shall be from the senate to be appointed by the {DEL lieutenant governor, DEL} {ADD majority leader of the senate ADD} not more than two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party. Vacancies shall be filled in like manner as the original appointments. The members of the joint committee on naming all new buildings, bridges, edifices, and other state constructions shall serve so long as they shall remain members of the house from which they were appointed and until their successors are duly appointed and qualified.

SECTION 19. This act shall take effect upon passage.