§ 42-12-19. Permanent advisory commission on traumatic brain injuries — Commission established.
(a) There is hereby established a permanent advisory commission on traumatic brain injuries.
(b) The purpose of the commission shall be to:
(1) Report on all matters relating to traumatic brain injury in Rhode Island to the governor
and the general assembly.
(2) Advise the executive office of health and human services, the department of behavioral
healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the department of health
regarding the development of priorities and criteria for disbursement of moneys in
response to both individual requests and grant-seeking entities from the traumatic
brain injury fund. The priorities and criteria shall be in accordance with the expenditure
guidelines set forth in § 42-12-28.
(3) Advise the executive office of health and human services, the department of behavioral
healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the department of health
on all matters regarding traumatic brain injury.
(c) The commission shall consist of twenty-six (26) members. They shall meet not less
than four (4) times a year and report their findings annually to the governor and
general assembly. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation.
The commissioners shall elect their own officers on a biennial basis.
(d) The membership of the commission shall be as follows: The secretary of the executive
office of health and human services or the secretary's designee, the director of the
department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals or the
director's designee; the director of the department of health or the director's designee;
the director of the department of human services or the director's designee; the director
of the department of education or the director's designee, all of whom shall serve
ex-officio; the chief of neurosurgery at Rhode Island Hospital or the chief's designee;
the president and executive director or two (2) designees of the Brain Injury Association
of Rhode Island; the director of the Rhode Island Disability Law Center or the director's
designee; the governor or the governor's designee; and sixteen (16) persons appointed
by the governor as follows: eight (8) persons who are unrelated, seven (7) of whom
must have a traumatic brain injury, and one of whom may be an immediate family member
of an individual with a traumatic brain injury; one person who is a neurologist; one
person who is a physiatrist; one person who is a neuropsychologist; one person who
is a cognitive rehabilitation specialist; one of whom is a traumatic brain injury
case manager; one of whom is a physical therapist or occupational therapist; one of
whom is a representative of a post-acute rehabilitation facility; and one person who
is a community-based service provider.
(e) The first meeting of the members of the commission shall be called to order by the
governor or the governor's designee within ninety (90) days of the effective date
of this act [July 7, 2006]. Of the sixteen (16) members appointed by the governor,
three (3) shall serve a term of one year, three (3) shall serve a term of two (2)
years, and four (4) shall serve a term of three (3) years. Upon expiration of the
initial term, commission members shall serve terms of three (3) years. The initial
terms of commission members shall be determined by lot.