2016 -- S 2901

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LC005635

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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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-STATE ETHICS COMMISSION

     Introduced By: Senators Pagliarini, and Algiere

     Date Introduced: April 07, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     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 III, Section 8 which is hereby

amended, effective on January 1, 2017, to read as follows:

ARTICLE III

OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE

     Section 8. Ethics commission -- Code of ethics. -- The general assembly shall establish an

independent non-partisan ethics commission which shall adopt a code of ethics including, but not

limited to, provisions on conflicts of interest, confidential information, use of position, contract

with government agencies and financial disclosure. All elected and appointed officials and

employees of state and local government, of boards, commissions and agencies shall be subject to

the code of ethics. The ethics commission shall have the authority to investigate violations of the

code of ethics, excepting those privileged activities essential to the legislative process, as

determined by the supreme court if so requested, and to impose penalties, as provided by law; and

the commission shall have the power to remove from office officials who are not subject to

impeachment or to Article VI, Section 7.

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

Section 8 of Article III, effective January 1, 2017; and be it 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; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the question set forth to the qualified electors of the state relating to

Article III of the Constitution, shall appear on the ballots provided to the qualified electors of the

state as the second referendum question.

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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-STATE ETHICS COMMISSION

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     This resolution would authorize a proposition to amend the provisions of Article III,

Section 8, of the state constitution. More specifically, this amendment would except certain

privileged activities essential to the investigative authority of the state ethics commission.

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LC005635

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