§ 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� (hereinafter "RIPTA�).
(b) The authority shall consist of nine (9) members, one of whom shall be the director
of the department of transportation, or the director's designee, who shall serve as
an ex officio member, and eight (8) of whom shall be appointed by the governor with
the advice and consent of the senate, with at least one of the eight (8) being a regular
user of fixed-route RIPTA transportation and at least one of the eight (8) being a
person with a disability. The governor shall achieve a diverse membership in the board
and shall give due consideration to recommendations for nominations from the RIPTA
Riders Alliance, the National Federation of the Blind of Rhode Island, the Gray Panthers
of Rhode Island, the Sierra Club of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, the RIPTA
Transportation Advisory Committee, the Rhode Island business community, the Amalgamated
Transit Union, and the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns. No one shall be eligible
for appointment unless he or she is a resident of this state.
(c) Those members of the authority as of the effective date of this act [June 16, 2006]
who were appointed to the authority by members of the board of the general assembly
shall cease to be members of the authority on the effective date of this act [June
16, 2006], and the governor shall thereupon nominate two (2) members, each of whom
shall serve the balance of the unexpired term of their predecessor. Those members
of the authority as of the effective date of this act [June 16, 2006] who were appointed
to the authority by the governor shall continue to serve the balance of their current
terms. Thereafter, during the month of January in each year, the governor shall appoint
members to succeed the departing members. The newly appointed members shall serve
for a term of three (3) years, commencing on the day they are 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 the member's duties, shall take
an oath to administer the duties of the member's office faithfully and impartially,
and the oath shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state.
(e) The director of the department of transportation shall serve as chairperson. The authority
shall elect a secretary and such other officers as it deems necessary.
(f) Five (5) members of the authority shall constitute a quorum. The affirmative vote
of a majority of the members present and voting 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 shall receive no compensation, but 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.
(i) Members of the authority shall be removable by the governor pursuant to the provisions
of § 36-1-7 and for cause only, and removal solely for partisan or personal reasons unrelated
to capacity or fitness for the office shall be unlawful.
(j) The authority shall conduct a training course for newly appointed and qualified members
within six (6) months of their qualification or designation. The course shall be developed
by the general manager of the authority, be approved by the authority, and be conducted
by the general manager of the authority. The authority may approve the use of any
authority and/or staff members and/or individuals to assist with training. The training
course shall include instruction in the following areas: the provisions of chapter 46 of title 42, chapter 14 of title 36, and chapter 2 of title 38; and the authority's rules and regulations. The director of the department of administration
shall be responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of this subsection.