Rhode Island § 42-131-3 - Intergovernmental Relations Council

§ 42-131-3. Purpose and duties.

The purpose of the council shall be to provide a forum to discuss intergovernmental issues between federal, state and local government and the private sector and to develop specific and comprehensive recommendations for executive and legislative action as may be necessary and proper to maintain and encourage improvements in intergovernmental relations. To enable the council to carry out that purpose, the council shall study the following matters and any others it deems appropriate:

(1) The existing, necessary, and desirable relationships between and among local governments, the state and the private sector;

(2) The existing, necessary, and desirable allocation of state and local functional responsibilities and fiscal resources, such as the manner in which the state delivers services to local communities and the powers and functions of local governments;

(3) The impact of federal aid programs in terms of their compatibility with state and local objectives and their fiscal and administrative impact on programs;

(4) Impact of federal or state judicial decisions, and/or existing or proposed federal, state, legislative or executive policies and regulations upon the capacities and effectiveness of local government;

(5) The special problems in interstate areas facing local governments, intrastate regional units, and area-wide bodies, such studies where possible to be conducted in conjunction with those of a pertinent sister state commission(s);

(6) Ways and means to foster better relations among local, state and federal governments, and between government and the private sector;

(7) Encourage and, where appropriate, coordinate studies relating to intergovernmental relations conducted by universities, state, local and federal agencies, and research and consulting organizations;

(8) Review the recommendations of national commissions studying private sector, federal, state and local government relationships and issues and assess their possible application to Rhode Island;

(9) Provide opportunities for state and local government officials and members of the private sector to become more knowledgeable about their shared duties and responsibilities to deliver effective services, such as conducting educational seminars and informational conferences on selected intergovernmental and state and local issues, including potential areas of interstate, state-local and private-public partnerships; and

(10) Review and propose any constitutional amendments and statutory changes required to implement proposals of the commission.