2016 -- H 7415

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LC004243

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS

     Introduced By: Representatives Marcello, Tanzi, Malik, and Serpa

     Date Introduced: January 29, 2016

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-7-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-7 entitled "State Board of

Elections" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-7-2. Composition of board. -- There shall be, independent of every other department

and agency of this state, a board of elections consisting of seven (7) qualified electors of this

state, of outstanding honesty and ability and none of whom shall hold any other public office or

be employees of persons who hold state wide public office, but no person shall be disqualified

solely because that person is a notary public, who shall be appointed by the governor with the

advice and consent of the senate, as provided in this chapter. The secretary of state shall be a

nonvoting ex officio member of the board of elections.

     SECTION 2. Section 17-19-49 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-19 entitled "Conduct

of Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-19-49. Political literature and influence. -- (a) No poster, paper, circular, or other

document designed or tending to aid, injure, or defeat any candidate for public office or any

political party on any question submitted to the voters shall be distributed or displayed within the

voting place or within fifty (50) feet of the entrance or entrances to the building in which voting is

conducted at any primary or election. The local board of canvassers shall clearly mark this fifty

foot (50') buffer zone at each polling place, to ease enforcement of it.

     (b) Neither shall any election official display on his or her person within the voting place

any political party button, badge, or other device tending to aid, injure, or defeat the candidacy of

any person for public office or any question submitted to the voters or to intimidate or influence

the voters.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS

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     This act would add the secretary of state to the board of elections as a nonvoting ex

officio member. It would also require the board of canvassers to clearly mark the fifty foot (50')

buffer zone at each polling place, where political campaigning is prohibited.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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