2010 Rhode Island Code
Title 16 Education
CHAPTER 16-28 Educational Television
§ 16-28-4 Advisory commission – Appointment and qualification of members.

§ 16-28-4 Advisory commission – Appointment and qualification of members. – (a) There is created for the purposes of this chapter the Rhode Island advisory commission on public telecommunications consisting of not less than twenty-five (25) members who shall be appointed by the governor as provided in this section. The members of the commission shall serve three (3) year terms or until their successors have been appointed and duly qualified; provided, upon the initial appointment of members to the commission and upon any expansion of the membership of the commission, the governor shall appoint one third (1/3) of the members to one year terms, one third (1/3) of the members to two (2) year terms, and the remainder of the members to three (3) year terms.

(b) The governor shall appoint the chairperson of the commission who shall serve at the governor's pleasure.

(2) Appointment shall be made in February of each year by the governor.

(c) Vacancies on the commission may be filled by the governor at any time and shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacancy.

(d) The membership of the commission shall include one member of each of the counties of the state and insofar as possible be broadly representative of the different educational, cultural, professional, religious, and social interests of the state.

(e) The advisory commission, among other matters as may be appropriate, is authorized and empowered:

(1) To advise the general manager respecting his powers pursuant to § 16-61-7, if the Rhode Island public telecommunications authority has appointed a general manager; if the authority has entered into a contract or agreement with a nonprofit entity for the operation of public telecommunications functions pursuant to § 16-61-6, then the advisory committee shall advise the entity concerning educational television programming.

(2) To do any other things as may be necessary to assist the general manager in carrying out the powers expressly provided for in § 16-61-7.

(f) Additionally, the advisory commission shall:

(1) Maintain minutes of all meetings;

(2) Delineate its goals and responsibilities;

(3) Provide forums at state educational institutions on educational television;

(4) Provide for promotional activities in educational television;

(5) Have media publicity on educational television;

(6) Continue efforts to obtain funding both public and private and establishment of a transmitter needed for the operation of the station;

(7) Provide twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per meeting up to three hundred dollars ($300), annually, as compensation for public members for attendance at meetings and travel expenses;

(8) Provide a written annual report to the Rhode Island public telecommunications authority of its activities.
History of Section.
(P.L. 1955, ch. 3514, § 4; G.L. 1956, § 16-28-4; P.L. 1979, ch. 147, § 1; P.L. 1980, ch. 226, § 3; P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 23; P.L. 1986, ch. 287, art. 8, § 2.)