2015 -- H 5869

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LC001983

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- ELECTION OFFENSES

     Introduced By: Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi

     Date Introduced: March 12, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Board of Elections)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-23-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-23 entitled "Election

Offenses" is hereby repealed.

     17-23-2. Signature of posters, fliers, and circulars. -- No person shall intentionally

write, print, post, or distribute, or cause to be written, printed, posted, or distributed, a circular,

flier, or poster designed or tending to injure or defeat any candidate for nomination or election to

any public office, by criticizing the candidate's personal character or political action, or designed

or tending to aid, injure, or defeat any question submitted to the voters, unless there appears upon

the circular, flier, or poster in a conspicuous place the name of the author and either the names of

the chairperson and secretary, or of two (2) officers, of the political or other organization issuing

the poster, flier, or circular, or of some voter who is responsible for it, with the voter's name and

residence, and the street and numbers, if any.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC001983

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- ELECTION OFFENSES

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     This act would repeal the requirement that all posters, fliers and circulars used in political

campaigns contain the name(s) and address(es) of the person or organization responsible for it.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC001983

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