R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-23-1
There is hereby created within the department of human services a permanent committee to be known as the adaptive telephone equipment loan program committee. This committee shall advise on the program and shall consist of fifteen (15) members, one of whom shall be from the house of representatives, to be appointed by the speaker; one of whom shall be from the senate, to be appointed by the president of the senate; one of whom shall be a representative of the telephone company, to be appointed by its chief executive officer; one of whom shall be a representative of the public utilities commission, to be appointed by the chairperson of the public utilities commission; and eleven (11) of whom shall be appointed by the governor as follows: seven (7) consumers, including at least one from each of the following communities: the hard of hearing or deaf community, the speech-impaired community, and the neuromuscular-impaired community; one professional member who shall be an audiologist, physician, or speech pathologist, and three (3) members of the general public.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-23-1