§ 42-105-2. Composition. (a)(1) The Newport and Bristol County convention and visitors' bureau shall be comprised of eighteen (18) members who are residents of the state of Rhode Island, preferably from Newport and Bristol Counties.

(2) All members of the bureau as of September 1, 2005 shall cease to be members of the authority on September 1, 2005, and the bureau shall thereupon be reconstituted as follows:

(i) Three (3) members shall be appointed by the Newport City Council; two (2) of whom shall be associated with the hospitality industry;

(ii) Three (3) members shall be appointed by the Middletown Town Council; two (2) of whom shall be associated with the hospitality industry;

(iii) One member shall be appointed by the Jamestown Town Council who shall be associated with the hospitality industry;

(iv) One member shall be appointed by the Portsmouth Town Council who shall be associated with the hospitality industry;

(v) One member shall be appointed by the Tiverton Town Council who shall be associated with the hospitality industry;

(vi) One member shall be appointed by the Little Compton Town Council who shall be associated with the hospitality industry;

(vii) One member shall be appointed by the Bristol Town Council who shall be associated with the hospitality industry;

(viii) One member shall be appointed by the Warren Town Council who shall be associated with the hospitality industry;

(ix) One member shall be appointed by the Barrington Town Council who shall be associated with the hospitality industry; and

(x) Those members appointed pursuant to paragraph (i) - (ix) shall thereupon appoint five (5) members, who shall be:

(A) One representative of hotels of more than one hundred (100) rooms;

(B) One representative of hotels, inns or bed-and-breakfasts of less than one hundred (100) rooms;

(C) One representative of the restaurant industry;

(D) One representative of the attractions industry; and

(E) One member of the general public to serve as an at-large representative who shall be associated with the hospitality industry.

(3) Those persons initially appointed under paragraphs (2)(i) and (2)(ii) of this section, shall serve initial terms of one year.

(4) Those persons initially appointed under paragraphs (2)(iii), (2)(iv), (2)(v), (2)(vi), (2)(vii), and (2)(viii) under this section shall serve initial terms of two (2) years.

(5) Those persons initially appointed under paragraphs (2)(ix) and (2)(x) of this section shall serve an initial term of three (3) years.

(6) Thereafter, all members shall be appointed to serve terms of three (3) years. Members of the bureau shall be eligible for appointment for two (2) consecutive terms.

(7) No state legislator shall serve or be otherwise eligible for membership on the bureau.

(b) The members of the Newport and Bristol County convention and visitors' bureau shall serve without compensation.

(c) The Newport and Bristol County convention and visitors' bureau shall meet every other month at a time to be designated by the chairperson. Special meetings of the authority may be called by the chairperson in accordance with the open meetings law. The chairperson shall be elected by the membership of the authority.

History of Section. (P.L. 1988, ch. 418, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 268, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 180, § 123; P.L. 2005, ch. 42, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 216, § 51; P.L. 2009, ch. 205, § 3; P.L. 2009, ch. 242, § 3; P.L. 2013, ch. 260, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 353, § 1.)