§ 42-12-19. Permanent advisory commission on traumatic brain injuries - Commission established. (a) There is hereby established a permanent advisory commission on traumatic brain injuries.

(b) The purpose of the commission shall be to:

(1) Report on all matters relating to traumatic brain injury in Rhode Island to the governor and the general assembly.

(2) Advise the executive office of health and human services, the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the department of health regarding the development of priorities and criteria for disbursement of moneys in response to both individual requests and grant-seeking entities from the traumatic brain injury fund. The priorities and criteria shall be in accordance with the expenditure guidelines set forth in § 42-12-28 of this chapter.

(3) Advise the executive office of health and human services, the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals, and the department of health on all matters regarding traumatic brain injury.

(c) The commission shall consist of twenty-six (26) members. They shall meet not less than four (4) times a year and report their findings annually to the governor and general assembly. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation. The commissioners shall elect their own officers on a biennial basis.

(d) The membership of the commission shall be as follows: The secretary of the executive office of health and human services or his or her designee, the director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals or his or her designee; the director of the department of health or his or her designee; the director of the department of human services or his or her designee; the director of the department of education or his or her designee, all of whom shall serve ex-officio; the chief of neurosurgery at Rhode Island Hospital or his or her designee; the president and executive director or two (2) designees of the Brain Injury Association of Rhode Island; the director of the Rhode Island Disability Law Center or his or her designee; the governor or his or her designee; and sixteen (16) persons appointed by the governor as follows: eight (8) persons who are unrelated, seven (7) of whom must have a traumatic brain injury, and one of whom may be an immediate family member of an individual with a traumatic brain injury; one person who is a neurologist; one person who is a physiatrist; one person who is a neuropsychologist; one person who is a cognitive rehabilitation specialist; one of whom is a traumatic brain injury case manager; one of whom is a physical therapist or occupational therapist; one of whom is a representative of a post-acute rehabilitation facility; and one person who is a community-based service provider.

(e) The first meeting of the members of the commission shall be called to order by the governor or his or her designee within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this act [July 7, 2006]. Of the ten (10) members appointed by the governor, three (3) shall serve a term of one year, three (3) shall serve a term of two (2) years, and four (4) shall serve a term of three (3) years. Upon expiration of the initial term, commission members shall serve terms of three (3) years. The initial terms of commission members shall be determined by lot.

History of Section. (P.L. 1986, ch. 536, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 180, § 97; P.L. 2006, ch. 363, § 1; P.L. 2006, ch. 456, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 285, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 382, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 501, § 5; P.L. 2019, ch. 211, § 1; P.L. 2019, ch. 222, § 1.)