(a)  There is hereby created the Rhode Island emergency management advisory council (hereinafter in this chapter called the “council”). The council will consist of thirty-eight (38) members as follows:

(1)  Twenty-three (23) ex officio members as follows:

(i)  The lieutenant governor or designee;

(ii)  The adjutant general or designee;

(iii)  The director of the department of administration or designee;

(iv)  The director of the department of health or designee;

(v)  The director of transportation or designee;

(vi)  The director of human services or designee;

(vii)  The director of the department of public safety or designee;

(viii)  The administrator of the division of public utilities and carriers or designee;

(ix)  The director of the department of environmental management or designee;

(x)  The director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals or designee;

(xi)  [Deleted by P.L. 2017, ch. 84, § 1 and P.L. 2017, ch. 86, § 1];

(xii)  [Deleted by P.L. 2017, ch. 84, § 1 and P.L. 2017, ch. 86, § 1];

(xiii)  The chairperson of the governor’s commission on disabilities or designee;

(xiv)  The chairperson of the Rhode Island public transit authority or designee;

(xv)  The executive director of the coastal resources management council or designee;

(xvi)  The executive director of the American Red Cross, Rhode Island chapter, or designee;

(xvii)  The director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency or designee;

(xviii)  The state court administrator or designee;

(xix)  The executive director of the commission on the deaf and hard of hearing or designee;

(xx)  The director of the Providence emergency management agency or designee;

(xxi)  The executive director of the E-911 emergency telephone system division or designee;

(xxii)  [Deleted by P.L. 2017, ch. 84, § 1 and P.L. 2017, ch. 86, § 1];

(xxiii)  The secretary of the executive office of health and human services or designee;

(xxiv)  The president of the Rhode Island Association of Emergency Managers or designee;

(xxv)  The president of the United Way of Rhode Island or designee; and

(xxvi)  The executive director of the Rhode Island commission for national and community services or designee.

(2)  Fifteen (15) members appointed by, and serving at the pleasure of, the governor, as follows:

(i)  Two (2) members of the senate, recommended by the president of the senate, not more than one of whom shall be from the same political party;

(ii)  Two (2) members of the house of representatives, recommended by the speaker of the house, not more than one of whom shall be from the same political party;

(iii)  One representative of the gas and electric industry;

(iv)  [Deleted by P.L. 2017, ch. 84, § 1 and P.L. 2017, ch. 86, § 1];

(v)  One representative of the telephone industry;

(vi)  [Deleted by P.L. 2017, ch. 84, § 1 and P.L. 2017, ch. 86, § 1];

(vii)  Two (2) representatives of the general public, one of whom shall have expertise in disaster preparedness;

(viii)  One representative of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns;

(ix)  One representative of the media;

(x)  One representative of the water supply industry;

(xi)  One representative of the healthcare industry;

(xii)  One representative of the Rhode Island State Association of Firefighters;

(xiii)  One representative of the Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs; and

(xiv)  [Deleted by P.L. 2017, ch. 84, § 1 and P.L. 2017, ch. 86, § 1];

(xv)  [Deleted by P.L. 2017, ch. 84, § 1 and P.L. 2017, ch. 86, § 1];

(xvi)  One representative of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association.

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(b)  It shall be the duty of the council to advise the governor and the director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency on all matters pertaining to disaster preparedness. The lieutenant governor shall serve as chairperson of the council and the director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency shall serve as vice-chairperson. A quorum shall consist of twelve (12) members of the council. In providing advice to the governor and the director, the council shall, among other matters reasonably related to its authority, do the following:

(1)  Establish a regular meeting schedule and form subcommittees as may be appropriate;

(2)  Review emergency management plans and other matters as may be acted upon or otherwise provided for in this chapter;

(3)  Establish priorities and goals on emergency management matters on an annual basis;

(4)  Study emergency management plans in conjunction with the director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency, and otherwise conduct such other studies as may be deemed appropriate;

(5)  Review the coordination of the state’s emergency management programs with appropriate authorized agencies and conduct studies on the programs as may be necessary;

(6)  Review the plans and operations of the various cities and towns in disaster preparedness in conjunction with the director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency and his or her office as required or necessary; and

(7)  [Deleted by P.L. 2000, ch. 170, § 2];

(8)  Provide an annual report on its activities in conjunction with the director.