§ 36-14-8 Rhode Island ethics commission– Establishment – Members – Vacancies – Quorum –Compensation and quarters. – (a) There is hereby established an independent and nonpartisan Rhode Islandethics commission composed of nine (9) members appointed by the governor. Thepresident of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of thehouse of representatives, the majority leader of the house of representatives,and the minority leader of the house of representatives shall, within twenty(20) days of July 21, 1992, each submit to the governor a list of names of atleast five (5) individuals. The governor shall, within forty (40) days of July21, 1992, appoint one individual from each of the lists so submitted and four(4) individuals without regard to the lists submitted by the legislativeleaders.
(b) Members of the commission shall serve for terms of five(5) years, except that, of the members first appointed:
(1) The individual appointed from the list submitted by themajority leader of the house of representatives shall serve for one year;
(2) The individuals appointed from the lists submitted by theminority leader of the senate and one of the individuals appointed by thegovernor without regard to the lists submitted by the legislative leaders shallserve for two (2) years;
(3) The individual appointed from the list submitted by theminority leader of the house of representatives and one of the individualsappointed by the governor without regard to the lists submitted by thelegislative leaders shall serve for three (3) years;
(4) The individual appointed from the list submitted by thepresident of the senate and one of the individuals appointed from the listsubmitted by the minority leader of the house of representatives shall servefor four (4) years; and
(5) The individual appointed from the list submitted by thespeaker of the house of representatives and one of the individuals appointedfrom the list submitted by the minority leader of the senate shall serve forfive (5) years.
(c) No member shall be appointed for more than one full five(5) year term; provided, however, that each member shall continue to serveuntil his or her successor is appointed and qualified; and, provided further,that if, at the time of the expiration of any member's term, that member isactively engaged in the adjudication of a complaint, he or she shall continueto serve in that capacity until the commission has completed itsresponsibilities with respect to that complaint.
(d) The governor shall, at the time of the initialappointments to the commission, designate one member to act as chairperson ofthe commission for a period of one year and another to act as vice chairpersonof the commission for a period of one year. Thereafter, the commission shallelect a chairperson and a vice chairperson. The vice chairperson shall act aschairperson in the absence of the chairperson or in the event of a vacancy inthat position.
(e) Any vacancy on the commission, occurring for any reasonprior to the expiration of the term, shall be filled for the unexpired term bythe appointing authority in the same manner as the original appointment withinthirty (30) days of the vacancy occurring.
(f) No individual, while a member or employee of thecommission, including any legal counsel engaged by the commission, shall:
(1) Hold or campaign for any other public office;
(2) Hold office in any political party or political committee;
(3) Participate in or contribute to any political campaign;
(4) Directly or indirectly attempt to influence any decisionby a governmental body, other than as the duly authorized representative of thecommission on a matter within the jurisdiction of the commission;
(5) Have held elective public office or have been a candidatefor elective public office for a one year period prior to appointment.
(6) Have any equity interest or ownership interest in, or beemployed by a business entity that derives any of its revenue or income byengaging in lobbying, as defined in chapter 22-10 and chapter 42-139.
(g) The governor shall declare vacant the position on thecommission of any member who takes part in activities prohibited by subsection(f) of this section. An individual appointed to fill a vacancy occurring otherthan by the expiration of a term of office shall be appointed for the unexpiredterm of the member he or she succeeds, and is eligible for appointment to onefull five-year term thereafter. Any vacancy occurring on the commission shallbe filled within thirty (30) days in the manner in which that position wasoriginally filled.
(h) For any action to be taken under the terms of thischapter by the full commission, five (5) members of the commission shallconstitute a quorum.
(i) Commission members shall not be compensated forattendance at meetings of the commission or of any investigating committee oradjudicative panel of the commission.
(j) All departments and agencies of the state or of any cityor town or political subdivision within this state shall furnish such advice orinformation documentary or otherwise, to the commission and its agents as isdeemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes ofthis chapter.
(k) The director of administration is hereby authorized anddirected to provide suitable quarters for the commission.
(l) When commission members act in good faith within thescope of their authority and in their official capacities they shall beafforded protection against civil liability as provided in § 9-1-31.1.
§ 36-14-8 Rhode Island ethics commission– Establishment – Members – Vacancies – Quorum –Compensation and quarters. – (a) There is hereby established an independent and nonpartisan Rhode Islandethics commission composed of nine (9) members appointed by the governor. Thepresident of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of thehouse of representatives, the majority leader of the house of representatives,and the minority leader of the house of representatives shall, within twenty(20) days of July 21, 1992, each submit to the governor a list of names of atleast five (5) individuals. The governor shall, within forty (40) days of July21, 1992, appoint one individual from each of the lists so submitted and four(4) individuals without regard to the lists submitted by the legislativeleaders.
(b) Members of the commission shall serve for terms of five(5) years, except that, of the members first appointed:
(1) The individual appointed from the list submitted by themajority leader of the house of representatives shall serve for one year;
(2) The individuals appointed from the lists submitted by theminority leader of the senate and one of the individuals appointed by thegovernor without regard to the lists submitted by the legislative leaders shallserve for two (2) years;
(3) The individual appointed from the list submitted by theminority leader of the house of representatives and one of the individualsappointed by the governor without regard to the lists submitted by thelegislative leaders shall serve for three (3) years;
(4) The individual appointed from the list submitted by thepresident of the senate and one of the individuals appointed from the listsubmitted by the minority leader of the house of representatives shall servefor four (4) years; and
(5) The individual appointed from the list submitted by thespeaker of the house of representatives and one of the individuals appointedfrom the list submitted by the minority leader of the senate shall serve forfive (5) years.
(c) No member shall be appointed for more than one full five(5) year term; provided, however, that each member shall continue to serveuntil his or her successor is appointed and qualified; and, provided further,that if, at the time of the expiration of any member's term, that member isactively engaged in the adjudication of a complaint, he or she shall continueto serve in that capacity until the commission has completed itsresponsibilities with respect to that complaint.
(d) The governor shall, at the time of the initialappointments to the commission, designate one member to act as chairperson ofthe commission for a period of one year and another to act as vice chairpersonof the commission for a period of one year. Thereafter, the commission shallelect a chairperson and a vice chairperson. The vice chairperson shall act aschairperson in the absence of the chairperson or in the event of a vacancy inthat position.
(e) Any vacancy on the commission, occurring for any reasonprior to the expiration of the term, shall be filled for the unexpired term bythe appointing authority in the same manner as the original appointment withinthirty (30) days of the vacancy occurring.
(f) No individual, while a member or employee of thecommission, including any legal counsel engaged by the commission, shall:
(1) Hold or campaign for any other public office;
(2) Hold office in any political party or political committee;
(3) Participate in or contribute to any political campaign;
(4) Directly or indirectly attempt to influence any decisionby a governmental body, other than as the duly authorized representative of thecommission on a matter within the jurisdiction of the commission;
(5) Have held elective public office or have been a candidatefor elective public office for a one year period prior to appointment.
(6) Have any equity interest or ownership interest in, or beemployed by a business entity that derives any of its revenue or income byengaging in lobbying, as defined in chapter 22-10 and chapter 42-139.
(g) The governor shall declare vacant the position on thecommission of any member who takes part in activities prohibited by subsection(f) of this section. An individual appointed to fill a vacancy occurring otherthan by the expiration of a term of office shall be appointed for the unexpiredterm of the member he or she succeeds, and is eligible for appointment to onefull five-year term thereafter. Any vacancy occurring on the commission shallbe filled within thirty (30) days in the manner in which that position wasoriginally filled.
(h) For any action to be taken under the terms of thischapter by the full commission, five (5) members of the commission shallconstitute a quorum.
(i) Commission members shall not be compensated forattendance at meetings of the commission or of any investigating committee oradjudicative panel of the commission.
(j) All departments and agencies of the state or of any cityor town or political subdivision within this state shall furnish such advice orinformation documentary or otherwise, to the commission and its agents as isdeemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes ofthis chapter.
(k) The director of administration is hereby authorized anddirected to provide suitable quarters for the commission.
(l) When commission members act in good faith within thescope of their authority and in their official capacities they shall beafforded protection against civil liability as provided in § 9-1-31.1.
§ 36-14-8 Rhode Island ethics commission– Establishment – Members – Vacancies – Quorum –Compensation and quarters. – (a) There is hereby established an independent and nonpartisan Rhode Islandethics commission composed of nine (9) members appointed by the governor. Thepresident of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of thehouse of representatives, the majority leader of the house of representatives,and the minority leader of the house of representatives shall, within twenty(20) days of July 21, 1992, each submit to the governor a list of names of atleast five (5) individuals. The governor shall, within forty (40) days of July21, 1992, appoint one individual from each of the lists so submitted and four(4) individuals without regard to the lists submitted by the legislativeleaders.
(b) Members of the commission shall serve for terms of five(5) years, except that, of the members first appointed:
(1) The individual appointed from the list submitted by themajority leader of the house of representatives shall serve for one year;
(2) The individuals appointed from the lists submitted by theminority leader of the senate and one of the individuals appointed by thegovernor without regard to the lists submitted by the legislative leaders shallserve for two (2) years;
(3) The individual appointed from the list submitted by theminority leader of the house of representatives and one of the individualsappointed by the governor without regard to the lists submitted by thelegislative leaders shall serve for three (3) years;
(4) The individual appointed from the list submitted by thepresident of the senate and one of the individuals appointed from the listsubmitted by the minority leader of the house of representatives shall servefor four (4) years; and
(5) The individual appointed from the list submitted by thespeaker of the house of representatives and one of the individuals appointedfrom the list submitted by the minority leader of the senate shall serve forfive (5) years.
(c) No member shall be appointed for more than one full five(5) year term; provided, however, that each member shall continue to serveuntil his or her successor is appointed and qualified; and, provided further,that if, at the time of the expiration of any member's term, that member isactively engaged in the adjudication of a complaint, he or she shall continueto serve in that capacity until the commission has completed itsresponsibilities with respect to that complaint.
(d) The governor shall, at the time of the initialappointments to the commission, designate one member to act as chairperson ofthe commission for a period of one year and another to act as vice chairpersonof the commission for a period of one year. Thereafter, the commission shallelect a chairperson and a vice chairperson. The vice chairperson shall act aschairperson in the absence of the chairperson or in the event of a vacancy inthat position.
(e) Any vacancy on the commission, occurring for any reasonprior to the expiration of the term, shall be filled for the unexpired term bythe appointing authority in the same manner as the original appointment withinthirty (30) days of the vacancy occurring.
(f) No individual, while a member or employee of thecommission, including any legal counsel engaged by the commission, shall:
(1) Hold or campaign for any other public office;
(2) Hold office in any political party or political committee;
(3) Participate in or contribute to any political campaign;
(4) Directly or indirectly attempt to influence any decisionby a governmental body, other than as the duly authorized representative of thecommission on a matter within the jurisdiction of the commission;
(5) Have held elective public office or have been a candidatefor elective public office for a one year period prior to appointment.
(6) Have any equity interest or ownership interest in, or beemployed by a business entity that derives any of its revenue or income byengaging in lobbying, as defined in chapter 22-10 and chapter 42-139.
(g) The governor shall declare vacant the position on thecommission of any member who takes part in activities prohibited by subsection(f) of this section. An individual appointed to fill a vacancy occurring otherthan by the expiration of a term of office shall be appointed for the unexpiredterm of the member he or she succeeds, and is eligible for appointment to onefull five-year term thereafter. Any vacancy occurring on the commission shallbe filled within thirty (30) days in the manner in which that position wasoriginally filled.
(h) For any action to be taken under the terms of thischapter by the full commission, five (5) members of the commission shallconstitute a quorum.
(i) Commission members shall not be compensated forattendance at meetings of the commission or of any investigating committee oradjudicative panel of the commission.
(j) All departments and agencies of the state or of any cityor town or political subdivision within this state shall furnish such advice orinformation documentary or otherwise, to the commission and its agents as isdeemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes ofthis chapter.
(k) The director of administration is hereby authorized anddirected to provide suitable quarters for the commission.
(l) When commission members act in good faith within thescope of their authority and in their official capacities they shall beafforded protection against civil liability as provided in § 9-1-31.1.
