§ 42-129-2. Commission established.
(a) There is established a Legislative Advisory Persian Gulf War information and relief
commission which shall obtain information relating to the health effects of exposure
to any Gulf War-related risk substance for veterans of this state who may have been
exposed to any such substance in the Persian Gulf region or Southwest Asia during
their period of military service in the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War or current Persian
Gulf hostilities or hostilities anywhere in Southwest Asia subsequent to September
11, 2001.
(b) The commission shall consist of eleven (11) members who shall serve for a term of
five (5) years. Five (5) non-appointed commissioner positions shall include:
(i) The director of veterans' affairs or the director's designee;
(ii) The president of the united veterans' council, or the president's designee;
(iii) The chairperson of the Multi Service council of Rhode Island or the chairperson's
designee;
(iv) The past director of veterans' affairs, or the past director's designee; and
(v) The chairperson of the advisory council for veterans' affairs, or the chairperson's
designee.
The remaining six (6) members shall be appointed as follows:
The president of the senate shall appoint two (2) members, one of whom shall be a
licensed physician in epidemiology, and one of whom shall be a veteran who served
in Southwest Asia subsequent to September 11, 2001; the speaker of the house of representatives
shall appoint two (2) members, one of whom shall be an honorably discharged veteran
from the Persian Gulf War; and the minority leaders of the senate and the house of
representatives shall each appoint one member, one who shall be an honorably discharged
veteran, and one who served in the Persian Gulf during the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf
War. The director of the office of veterans' affairs, the president of the united
veterans' council, and the chairperson of the advisory council shall be appointed
for a term to expire August 31, 2010. The members appointed by the president of the
senate and the speaker of the house shall be appointed for a term to expire August
31, 2009; the members appointed by the minority leaders of the house of representatives
and senate shall be appointed for a term to expire August 31, 2008. Thereafter the
commissioners shall serve staggered five-year (5) terms, each member serving until
the member's successor shall be appointed.
(c) The commission shall elect a chairperson from among its members. Reappointments shall
be made in the same manner as the original appointment. Vacancies in the membership
of the commission and its officers shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same
manner as the original appointment or election. The commission shall meet at least
four (4) times a year at the call of the chairperson. The initial meeting of the commission
shall be called by the director of the department of human services not later than
September 1, 2006. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for
their services.