2023 -- H 5975
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LC002246
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- SMALL BUSINESS
ADVOCACY COUNCIL
Introduced By: Representatives Voas, and DeSimone
Date Introduced: March 01, 2023
Referred To: House Small Business
(Office of Lieutenant Governor)
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 1
Business Advocacy Council" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
42-91-2. Membership of council. 3
(a) The council shall consist of twenty (20) members, ten (10) thirteen (13) of whom shall 4
be public members, two (2) to be appointed by the governor, two (2) three (3) by the lieutenant 5
governor, two (2) three (3) by the speaker of the house, two (2) three (3) by the president of the 6
senate, one by the secretary of state, and one by the general treasurer; provided, however, that all 7
of the public members shall be officers, partners, or proprietors of Rhode Island companies that are 8
small businesses or nonprofit corporations as defined by the United States Small Business 9
Administration; one of whom shall be affiliated with a business-related department of a Rhode 10
Island institution of higher learning, to be appointed by the lieutenant governor; one of whom shall 11
be a minority party member of the joint committee on small business, to be appointed by the speaker 12
of the house; one of whom shall be affiliated with a nonprofit corporation, to be appointed by the 13
lieutenant governor; one of whom shall be affiliated with a nonprofit corporation, to be appointed 14
by the speaker of the house; one of whom shall be affiliated with a nonprofit organization, to be 15
appointed by the president of the senate; one of whom shall be a member of the governor’s staff, 16
to be appointed by the governor; and the chairperson of the joint committee on small business, ex 17
officio; the vice-chairperson of the joint committee on small business, ex officio; the director of the 18
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Rhode Island economic development corporation and the secretary of Rhode Island commerce, or 1
the director’s secretary's permanent designee, ex officio; the director of the department of labor and 2
training, or the director’s permanent designee, ex officio; the secretary of state, or the secretary’s 3
permanent designee, ex officio; the general treasurer, or the treasurer’s permanent designee, ex 4
officio; and the lieutenant governor, ex officio. The lieutenant governor shall serve as chairperson 5
of the council. 6
(b) One of the public members appointed by each of the appointing authorities shall be 7
appointed to serve until the first day of June, 1987, and the other to serve until the first day of June, 8
1988; and all members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. In the month 9
of May in any year in which a public member’s term of office expires, the respective appointing 10
authorities shall appoint successors to the members whose terms shall expire in that year, to hold 11
office commencing on the first day of June in the year of appointment for a term of three (3) years 12
or until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. Any vacancy of an appointed 13
member, which may occur in the council shall be filled by appointment by the respective appointing 14
authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. Ex-officio members shall serve until the end of 15
their term of office; the member of the governor’s staff shall serve until the end of the governor’s 16
term of office. 17
(c) The council shall meet at the call of the lieutenant governor and shall elect from among 18
themselves a vice-chairperson, who shall be one of the public members, and a secretary. The 19
council shall meet at least quarterly during each calendar year. 20
(d) The membership shall receive no compensation for their services. The council may 21
request, through the department of economic development, any clerical and technical assistance it 22
may deem necessary to accomplish its purpose. 23
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 24
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- SMALL BUSINESS
ADVOCACY COUNCIL
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This act would amend the composition of the small business advocacy council to 1
permanently provide for the vacancy of three (3) unappointed seats. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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