§ 33-26-1. Legislative commission established. (a) There is hereby established a special legislative commission consisting of twenty-one (21) members: three (3) of whom shall be from the house of representatives, not more than two (2) from the same political party to be appointed by the speaker; two (2) of whom shall be from the senate, not more than one from the same political party, to be appointed by the president of the senate; one of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island Probate Judges Association, or his or her designee, one of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island Town Clerks Association, or his or her designee; five (5) of whom shall be members in good standing of the Rhode Island Bar Association with experience in probate matters, of whom three (3) shall be appointed by the speaker and two (2) by the president of the senate; two (2) of whom shall be currently serving probate clerks, one to be appointed by the speaker and one to be appointed by the president of the senate; one of whom shall be the chairperson of the Rhode Island Bar Association Committee on Probate and Trust Law; and one of whom shall be the executive director, or his or her designee, of the alliance for better long-term care; one of whom shall be appointed by the director of the department of elderly affairs; and four (4) of whom shall be members of the general public who have an interest in probate matters, of whom one shall be appointed by the speaker, one of whom shall be appointed by the house minority leader, and one by the president of the senate and one by the senate minority leader. Each member shall serve for a term of two (2) years or until his or her successor is appointed, whichever occurs later.

(b) In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a general assembly resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator, provided that the president of the senate or the minority leader of the political party which is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

(c) The purpose of said commission shall be to study the feasibility of modernizing probate law and procedure in Rhode Island, including but not limited to the feasibility of adopting the Uniform Probate Code, and to make recommendations therefor.

(d) Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of the speaker of the house and organize and shall select from among their members a chairperson. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

(e) The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

(f) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

(g) The speaker of the house is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters for said commission.

(h) The commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the general assembly on an annual basis on or before February 10 of each year.

History of Section. (P.L. 1996, ch. 110, § 14; P.L. 2001, ch. 180, § 69; P.L. 2004, ch. 573, § 4; P.L. 2011, ch. 363, § 11.)