(a)  There is established an interagency coordinating council on environmental lead within the department of health consisting of six (6) members.

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(b)  The purpose of the council shall be as follows:

(1)  To coordinate the activities of its member agencies with respect to: (i) environmental lead policy; (ii) the development of educational materials; (iii) drafting regulations which have as their purpose reducing or preventing lead poisoning; and (iv) enforcement of laws, regulations, and ordinances pertaining to lead poisoning and lead poisoning prevention.

(2)  To recommend the adoption of policies with regard to the detection and elimination of the hazards to the public posed by exposure to lead in the environment;

(3)  To recommend the adoption of policies with regard to the screening and treatment of individuals suffering from elevated exposures to environmental lead; and

(4)  To report on or before March 1 of each year to the governor, speaker of the house and the president of the senate on both the progress of the comprehensive environmental lead program and recommendations for any needed changes in legislation, which report shall at a minimum: (i) provide by city and town, the incidence and levels of lead poisoning; (ii) describe educational programs; (iii) summarize regulations adopted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and chapter 128.1 of Title 42, and state the number of enforcement actions pursuant to this chapter initiated, the number completed or closed due to successful remediation of lead hazards, the number completed or closed for other reasons (which reasons shall be explained), and the number that remain open (including information on how long such actions have been open and the reasons they have not been completed).

(c)  The members of the council shall be as follows:

(1)  There shall be five (5) ex officio members: the director, the director of environmental management, the director of human services, the attorney general, and the executive director of the housing resources commission or their designees.

(2)  There shall be one local government official, who shall have knowledge of lead hazard reduction programs at the local level, appointed by the president of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns.

(3)  [Deleted by P.L. 2002, ch. 187, § 2 and by P.L. 2002, ch. 188, § 2.]

(d)  The members shall elect from among their members a chairperson, a vice chairperson, and secretary.

(e)  The council shall meet at the call of the chairperson, but not less than quarterly. The director shall provide any meeting and hearing rooms and secretarial staff that the council may require.