Building a future Rhode Island economy in a healthy environment requires an extraordinary effort to build consensus among many initially competing interest groups. We are all interdependent upon one another. I am of the firm belief that working to understand others’ points of view can lead to new solutions to our state’s most vexing problems.
My most successful legislative programs have been those that have spanned several years in time and have involved hundreds of participants from multiple stakeholder groups. Good policy formation demands time and patience. In both the Bay Trust and the Aquaculture Commissions, I brought together stakeholders and officials from around the state and from out of state to work on solutions to complex problems. Building trust and forming consensus among all involved has yielded long-lasting and fair solutions benefitting all stakeholders.
The following links are to special house commissions which I chair; these came about through my efforts to unify disparate groups:
Development of a statewide plan for aquaculture further illustrates how consensus can be attained by dedicated efforts to bring people of differing perspectives together:
H 7157—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN. This resolution would extend the reporting date of the special house commission to promote and develop a comprehensive system of education for the visually impaired children from March 18, 2004 to March 18, 2005.
H 8192—RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STROKE TASK FORCE. This act would direct the director of the department of health to establish and maintain a comprehensive statewide stroke task force.
H 8234—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO REVIEW CURRENT SCIENCE EDUCATION K-12 STANDARDS AND THOSE FOR "THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" REQUIREMENT. This resolution would create a nine (9) member special house commission whose purpose it would be to review current science education and who would report back to the House of Representatives no later than March 17, 2005.
H 8300—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO PROMOTE, DEVELOP AND ARTICULATE A PUBLIC SCIENCE SCHOOL FOR GRADES 6-12 ALIGNED WITH HIGHER EDUCATION. This resolution would create a nine (9) member special legislative commission whose purpose it would be to review current science education and who would report back to the House of Representatives no later than March 17, 2005.
H 8359—RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND BAYS AND WATERSHEDS COORDINATION TEAM. This act would establish the Rhode Island Bays and Watersheds Coordination Team to promote multi-state and multi-agency coordination in the management, restoration, protection and development of the state's bays and watersheds. The act would also provide for the establishment of several committees to assist the coordination team in the performance of its duties.
H 8424—PROCLAIMING MAY 7, 2004 "URI COMMERCIAL FISHERIES DAY". RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in celebration of over a century of cooperation between the University of Rhode Island and the state’s oldest industry, commercial fishing, hereby proclaims Friday, May 7, 2004 to be “URI Commercial Fisheries Day” in the state of Rhode Island.
H 8440—RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND RIVERS COUNCIL. This act would refine the powers and duties relating to the Rhode Island Rivers Council.
H 8641—RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION. This act would create the Comprehensive Watershed and Marine Monitoring Act of 2004.
H 8642—RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION. This act would authorize the director of the department of environmental management to coordinate various governmental agencies and private organizations to insure that watershed management and preservation are optimized. It would also make the Rhode Island Rivers Council an arm of the Water Resources Board instead of the department of administration,division of planning.
H 8692—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE STATUS OF THE STATE'S POLICY FORMULATION FOR SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES. This resolution would create a 20 member special House commission whose purpose it would be to study the status of the state's policy formulation for sustainable fisheries, and who would report back to the House of Representatives no later than March 11, 2005.
H 8703—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO DEVELOP AND PROMOTE A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF AQUACULTURE AND SEAFOOD COMMERCE. This resolution would create a sixteen (16) member special House commission, whose purpose it would be to develop, promote and stimulate a comprehensive system of aquaculture and seafood commerce, and who would report back to the House of Representatives no later than May 31, 2005.