2012 -- S 2160

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LC00442

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (GENERAL ASSEMBLY)

     Introduced By: Senators P Fogarty, and Tassoni

     Date Introduced: January 18, 2012

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

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     RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the general

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assembly voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the state be proposed to

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the qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the

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Constitution for their approval and that it take the place of Article VI, Section 3 which is hereby

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amended to read as follows:

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     Section 3. Sessions of general assembly – Compensation of general assembly members

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and officers. – There shall be a session of the general assembly at Providence commencing on the

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first Tuesday of January in each year. Commencing in January 1995, senators and representatives

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shall be compensated at an annual rate of ten thousand dollars ($10,000). Commencing in January

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1996, the rate of compensation shall be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the cost of living,

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as determined by the United States government, during a twelve (12) month period ending in the

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immediately preceding year. Commencing in 2003, the president of the senate and the speaker of

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the house shall be compensated at an annual rate double that of other senators and representatives.

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     Senators and representatives shall receive the same health insurance benefits as full-time

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state employees. Senators, representatives and general office holders shall contribute twenty

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percent (20%) towards the premium for health care coverage paid for by the State of Rhode

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Island.

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     Senators and representatives shall be reimbursed for traveling expenses in going to and

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from the general assembly at the same mileage paid to state workers as of the 31st day of

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December in the year preceding each session.

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     No senator or representative shall be eligible for any pension on account of service in the

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general assembly after 1994; provided, however, that those senators and representatives first

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elected before 1994 who elect to receive compensation for legislative service in 1995 and

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thereafter, at the rate of five dollars for every day of actual attendance and eight cents (.08) per

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mile for traveling expenses in going to and returning from the general assembly, for a maximum

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of sixty days in any calendar year, shall be eligible for a pension on account of service in the

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general assembly after 1994. The amount of such pension shall be based upon the pension

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program in effect for legislators on January 1, 1994.

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     The general assembly shall regulate the compensation of the governor of all other

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officers, subject to limitations contained in the Constitution.

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     RESOLVED, That this amendment shall take, in the Constitution of the state, the place of

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Section 1, Article IV of the Constitution; it is further

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     RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors

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for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the

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several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for

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general officers of the state; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause the said proposition of amendment to

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be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the said

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meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or notices

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to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town, ward,

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or district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, ward, or district meetings to

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be held as aforesaid; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the town, ward and district meetings to be held aforesaid shall be

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warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and

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district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town,

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ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state.

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LC00442

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (GENERAL ASSEMBLY)

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     This resolution would have electors vote on a Rhode Island Constitutional amendment

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requiring all senators, representatives and general office holders to pay twenty percent (20%) of

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their health insurance premiums.

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     This resolution would take effect upon passage.

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LC00442

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