§ 45-13.1-1. Findings and purpose. The legislature finds and declares that there is a need for a permanent intergovernmental body to strengthen and facilitate relationships between the state government, the cities and towns, the school districts, and other local governments in the state, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Perform the functions and roles of:

(i) Providing a forum for discussion of long-range state-local issues;

(ii) Promoting experimentation in intergovernmental processes, both state-local and inter-local;

(iii) Developing possible solutions, including reviewing and proposing legislative remedies, for state-local problems; and

(iv) Providing opportunities for local government officials to become more knowledgeable about their duties and responsibilities and the powers and functions of state and local government.

(2) Study and report on issues like:

(i) The existing, necessary, and desirable relationships between and among local governments, school districts, and the state;

(ii) The powers and functions of local governments and school committees, especially the adequacy of their fiscal resources to effectuate the powers and functions of local government and to adequately fund local education;

(iii) The existing, necessary, and desirable allocation of state and local responsibilities and fiscal resources;

(iv) Emerging local problems and the role of the state government concerning them;

(v) Impact of federal or state judicial decisions or the impact of existing or proposed federal, state legislative, or executive policies upon the capacities and effectiveness of local governments;

(vi) The special problems in interstate areas facing the local governments, intrastate regional units, and areawide bodies, studies where possible to be conducted in conjunction with those of a pertinent sister state commission(s);

(vii) Any constitutional amendments and statutory enactments required to implement proposals of the commission; and

(viii) The impact of federal and state mandates on school districts and local governments.

History of Section. (P.L. 1988, ch. 133, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 75, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 232, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 248, § 1.)