2014 -- S 2111

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LC003384

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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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 -- PROCEDURE TO FILL

VACANCY IN OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE SECRETARY OF

STATE, ATTORNEY GENERAL OR GENERAL TREASURER

     Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, Sheehan, Cote, E O`Neill, and Kettle

     Date Introduced: January 21, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

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

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

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

Constitution for their approval and that it take the place of Article IV Section 4 which is hereby

amended to read as follows:

ARTICLE IV

OF ELECTIONS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE

     SECTION 4. Temporary appointment Procedure to fill vacancies in office of lieutenant

governor, secretary of state, attorney general, or general treasurer. – Special elections to fill

vacancies in office of lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney-general, or general

treasurer. – (a) In case of a vacancy in the office of the lieutenant governor, the secretary of

state, attorney-general, or general treasurer from for any cause, reason, if there are less than two

(2) years remaining in the term of the office, the general assembly in grand committee shall elect

some person to fill the same; provided, that if such vacancy occurs when the general assembly is

not in session the governor shall appoint some person to fill such vacancy until a successor

elected by the general assembly is qualified to act.

     (b) In case of a vacancy in the office of the lieutenant governor, the secretary of state,

attorney general, or general treasurer for any reason, if there are two (2) or more years remaining

in the term of the office a new election shall be held for the purpose of filling the vacancy. The

general assembly shall provide by general law for the holding of such elections. Every person

elected in accordance with this section shall hold office for the remainder of the term or for the

full term, as the case may be, of the office which that person is elected to fill and until a successor

is elected and qualified.

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

Article IV Section 4 of the Constitution;

     It is further

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

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

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

general officers of the state; and be it further

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

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

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

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

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

be held as aforesaid; and be it further

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

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

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

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

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LC003384

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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 -- PROCEDURE TO FILL

VACANCY IN OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE SECRETARY OF

STATE, ATTORNEY GENERAL OR GENERAL TREASURER

***

     This resolution would present to the electors a Rhode Island constitutional amendment

which would provide the procedure to fill vacancies in the offices of lieutenant governor,

secretary of state, attorney general or general treasurer. Said procedure would empower the

general assembly to fill vacancies with less than two (2) years remaining in the term and require a

special election to fill vacancies with two (2) or more years remaining in the term.

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LC003384

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