§ 42-91-2. Membership of council. (a) The council shall consist of twenty (20) members, ten (10) of whom shall be public members, two (2) to be appointed by the governor, two (2) by the lieutenant governor, two (2) by the speaker of the house, two (2) by the president of the senate, one by the secretary of state, and one by the general treasurer; provided, however, that all of the public members shall be officers, partners, or proprietors of Rhode Island companies that are small businesses as defined by the United States Small Business Administration; one of whom shall be affiliated with a business-related department of a Rhode Island institution of higher learning, to be appointed by the lieutenant governor; one of whom shall be a minority party member of the joint committee on small business, to be appointed by the speaker of the house; one of whom shall be a member of the governor's staff, to be appointed by the governor; and the chairperson of the joint committee on small business, ex officio; the vice-chairperson of the joint committee on small business, ex officio; the director of the Rhode Island economic development corporation, or the director's permanent designee, ex officio; the director of the department of labor and training, or the director's permanent designee, ex officio; the secretary of state, or the secretary's permanent designee, ex officio; the general treasurer, or the treasurer's permanent designee, ex officio; and the lieutenant governor, ex officio. The lieutenant governor shall serve as chairperson of the council.

(b) One of the public members appointed by each of the appointing authorities shall be appointed to serve until the first day of June, 1987, and the other to serve until the first day of June, 1988; and all members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. In the month of May in any year in which a public member's term of office expires, the respective appointing authorities shall appoint successors to the members whose terms shall expire in that year, to hold office commencing on the first day of June in the year of appointment for a term of three (3) years or until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. Any vacancy of an appointed member, which may occur in the council shall be filled by appointment by the respective appointing authority for the remainder of the unexpired term. Ex-officio members shall serve until the end of their term of office; the member of the governor's staff shall serve until the end of the governor's term of office.

(c) The council shall meet at the call of the lieutenant governor and shall elect from among themselves a vice-chairperson, who shall be one of the public members, and a secretary. The council shall meet at least quarterly during each calendar year.

(d) The membership shall receive no compensation for their services. The council may request, through the department of economic development, any clerical and technical assistance it may deem necessary to accomplish its purpose.

History of Section. (P.L. 1985, ch. 189, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 608, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 203, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 379, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 294, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 180, § 120.)