§ 5-20.5-12. Commission - Creation - Composition - Appointment, terms, and compensation of members - Officers - Deputy directors - Seal. (a)(1) Within the department of business regulation there is created the Rhode Island real estate commission, subsequently referred to as "commission," to consist of nine (9) persons at least one from each county to be appointed by the governor, each of whom has been a citizen of this state for at least ten (10) years prior to the date of appointment, three (3) current licensed brokers each of whom have been engaged as a licensed broker in this state for at least five (5) years prior to the date of appointment, four (4) of whom are members of the general public, at least one of whom has substantial academic experience in real estate and at least one who has been active in citizen groups concerned with real estate practices and activities. Two (2) members appointed for one year; two (2) members shall be appointed for two (2) years; one member for three (3) years; one member for four (4) years; and one member for five (5) years; beginning on December 31, 1973. Successors of all members shall be appointed by the governor for terms of five (5) years each and until their successors are appointed and qualify by subscribing to the constitutional oath of office, which shall be filed with the secretary of state. Members to fill vacancies shall be appointed for the unexpired term. No member shall be appointed to succeed himself or herself for more than one full term. There are two (2) ex-officio members of the commission and they are the attorney general or his or her designee and the director of the department or his or her designee. All ex-officio members have full voting powers and serve without compensation. Upon qualification of the members appointed, the commission shall organize by selecting from its members a chairperson.

(2) The commission shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations to carry out its purposes. The department of business regulation with the assistance of the commission shall establish any reasonable rules and regulations that are appropriate for that program to ensure that education and practice requirements of license holders meet the public interest.

(b) The director shall employ a deputy director and any other employees that he or she deems necessary and proper to discharge the duties imposed by this chapter, and shall determine and prescribe their duties and fix their compensation, subject to the general laws of the state.

(c) No member of the commission shall receive compensation for his or her official duties but shall be reimbursed for his or her actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his or her official duties.

(d) The commission shall adopt a seal of any design that it prescribes. Copies of all records and papers in the office of the commission, duly certified and authenticated by its seal, shall be received in evidence in all courts with like effect as the original. All records of the commission are open to public inspection under any reasonable rules and regulations that it prescribes.

(e) The commission shall have a policy-making role in the preparation and composition of the examinations to be administered by the real estate division within the department of business regulation. Subsequent to the administration of the examination, the commission shall review the examinations to evaluate their effectiveness. The commission shall supervise the operations of the real estate division within the department of business regulation in an advisory capacity in promulgating any policy that is necessary to improve the operations of the real estate division within the department of business regulation in their areas of expertise. The promulgation of that policy is subject to the approval of the director.

History of Section. (P.L. 1973, ch. 215, § 2; P.L. 1980, ch. 226, § 14; P.L. 1982, ch. 414, § 15; P.L. 1985, ch. 181, art. 59, § 1; P.L. 2005, ch. 117, art. 21, § 7; P.L. 2011, ch. 102, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 113, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 92, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 93, § 1.)