§ 42-69-4. Powers and duties.
The commission is authorized and empowered:
(a) To accept as a gift or a donation, or otherwise acquire from the Republic of Cape
Verde, title to and possession of the schooner Ernestina, formerly known as the Effie
M. Morrissey, one hundred and twenty (120) tons, launched in Essex, Massachusetts,
in the year 1894, to be permanently berthed in the waters of Rhode Island;
(b) To hold, administer, control, operate, and repair the vessel for educational or training
purposes, including training of students or cadets, oceanographic and fisheries research
and training, scientific study, exhibitions, participation in celebrations and festivals,
and to sail the vessel for those purposes upon the oceans, the seas, and all navigable
waters and to fly the flag of the state of Rhode Island;
(c) To charge fees or tuition to students, trainees, cadets, or others who are carried
on voyages or trips for educational or training purposes;
(d) To operate a museum or exhibit, either aboard or off the vessel, to illustrate the
past history of the vessel or of similar vessels and to charge and receive admission
fees from the general public to visit the museum or exhibit;
(e) To receive and accept from any federal agency grants for or in aid of the acquisition
or operations of the vessel, and to receive and to accept contributions from any source
of either money, property, labor or other things of value, to be held, used, invested,
reinvested, and applied only for the purposes for which the grants and contributions
may be made, and which may be expended under the order or the approval of the commission
without specific appropriation;
(f) To appoint a director for a term not exceeding three (3) years to supervise and manage
the daily operations of the commission, who may also serve as officer in charge of
the schooner Ernestina/Morrissey, provided he or she is so qualified, and to engage
the services of those employees that it deems necessary; and
(g) To cooperate with, and/or enter into any agreements with other states, and the United
States Department of State, for the purpose of furthering the objectives of this chapter.