2013 -- H 5964

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LC02248

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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

AMENDING THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE YEARS

2013-2014

     Introduced By: Representatives Lombardi, Amore, Ackerman, Costantino, and Almeida

     Date Introduced: April 04, 2013

     Referred To: House Rules

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     RESOLVED, That Section 45 of the rules for the House of Representatives adopted by

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the House of Representatives at its January session, A.D. 2013, entitled “House Resolution

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Adopting Rules of the House of Representatives for the Years 2013-2014,” be and the same is

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     Establishment of Caucuses

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     (45)(a) Members of the House may establish affiliate groups to be known as "Caucuses."

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     (b) Membership in any said Caucus is limited to duly elected members of the House. No

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party, person, nor organization who is not a duly elected member of the House shall be involved

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in nor be allowed to join nor participate in any manner in the business of the Caucus.

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     (c) Membership in any said Caucus is open to those who are primarily in said affiliate

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group, but should not necessarily be closed to other House members.

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     (d) Notwithstanding 45(c):

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     (1) Any Caucus organized around a political party affiliation is limited solely to those

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House members who belong to said party.

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     (2) Any Caucus organized around a county and/or municipal affiliation is limited solely

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to those House members who represent said county and or municipality.

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     (e) The duties of each Caucus shall be to provide a common association and opportunity

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for members to interact with each other and to address concerns and to act as a positive body to

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implement legislation, initiatives, suggestions and other forms of action on issues of common

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interest to the membership.

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     (f) The governing body of any Caucus is limited to a chairperson and vice chairperson

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and any member of the Caucus shall be eligible to hold any office.

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     (g) The duties of the officers shall be as follows:

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     (1) Chairperson:

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     (i) To preside over all meetings of the Caucus;

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     (ii) To provide an agenda for each meeting to those attending; and

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     (iii) To conduct the annual election of officers.

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     (2) Vice Chairperson:

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     (i) To assume duties of the Chairperson in his/her absence; and

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     (ii) To conduct all votes, not withstanding 45(g)(1)(iii), at meetings.

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     (h) Office holders shall be elected by a simple majority of a quorum vote by the body for

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a two (2) - year term.

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     (i) In the event an officer cannot fulfill his or her term, the following rules shall apply:

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     (1) A vacancy in the Chairperson’s office shall be filled by the Vice Chairperson.

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     (2) A vacancy in the Vice-Chairperson’s office shall be filled by a majority vote of a

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quorum of the membership of the Caucus.

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     (3) The term of the replaced officers shall begin immediately and shall terminate upon the

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regular election of new officers.

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     (j) A quorum shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of the current membership of the Caucus.

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     (k) No budget shall be appropriated for any Caucus nor shall any Caucus engage in the

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raising of funds nor in-kind donations to pay for any of its activities.

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     (l) All caucuses shall be established by written notification to the Speaker or his/her

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designee with all elections being held one month after the establishment. The two (2) - year

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election term shall run from the date of said election.

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     (m) Rules 45(f), 45(g), 45(h), and 45(i) shall not apply to political party caucuses.

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     (n) Nothing shall preclude the formation of joint caucuses between the house and senate.

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     (o) Effective with the 2013 legislative session, there shall be a standing caucus to be

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known as the “Freshman Caucus.” The Freshman Caucus shall consist of and be limited to all

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members of the house who are serving in their first or second year as a member of the House of

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Representatives, without regard to political affiliation. The Speaker of the House shall convene

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the first session of the Freshman Caucus as soon as practicable for organizational purposes, and

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the Freshman Caucus shall then organize itself in accordance with these rules. After the

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Freshman Caucus convened in 2013 has served for two (2) consecutive legislative sessions, said

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Caucus shall be dissolved, and a new Freshman Caucus shall be formed from among the then

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newly elected members of the House. Provided, nothing shall prohibit a group of representatives

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who have served together as a Freshman Caucus to organize into a new Caucus once their

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Freshman Caucus has been dissolved.

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LC02248

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