2017 -- H 5243 AS AMENDED

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LC000563

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY RHODE ISLAND'S

MINIMUM PRICING STATUTES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Barros, Regunberg, McLaughlin, Johnston, and Shanley

     Date Introduced: January 26, 2017

     Referred To: House Finance

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     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

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consisting of nine (9) members: four (4) of whom shall be members of the Rhode Island House of

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Representatives, not more than three (3) from the same political party, to be appointed by the

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Speaker of the House; one of whom shall be the Director of the Rhode Island Division of

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Taxation, or designee; one of whom shall be an individual who represents the New England

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Convenience Stores Association, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House; one of whom shall

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be a representative from a tobacco wholesale distributer, to be appointed by the Speaker of the

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House; one of whom shall be an individual who represents the dairy industry, to be appointed by

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the Speaker of the House; and one of whom shall be an individual with expertise in finance or

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consumer economics, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader of the political party

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which is entitled to the appointment, consents to the member of the general public.

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      The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of all Rhode

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Island laws and regulations pertaining to minimum pricing and to make recommendations to:

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     (1) Examine the minimum pricing laws in existence in Rhode Island and the purpose

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behind their initial creation;

 

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     (2) Examine the minimum pricing laws of Rhode Island's neighboring states;

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     (3) Provide an analysis of the impact of the Rhode Island minimum pricing laws on the

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cost and price of products so regulated;

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     (4) Provide an analysis of the impact of the neighboring states' minimum pricing laws on

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the cost and price of products so regulated;

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     (5) Develop recommendations as to whether Rhode Island's minimum pricing laws

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continue to serve their original purpose and whether such laws put Rhode Island and its

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businesses and residents at a competitive disadvantage; and

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     (6) Determine whether the state's minimum pricing laws benefit certain businesses as

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opposed to others by creating subsidies of unnecessarily large profit.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the Speaker of the House and organize and shall select a chairperson.

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     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or

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desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Speaker of the House is hereby authorized and directed to provide suitable quarters

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for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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House of Representatives no later than April 6, 2017 April 5, 2018, and said commission shall

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expire on June 6, 2017 June 5, 2018.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY RHODE ISLAND'S

MINIMUM PRICING STATUTES

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      This resolution would create a nine (9) member special legislative study commission

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whose purpose it would be to study Rhode Island's minimum pricing statutes, and who would

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report back to the House no later than April 6, 2017 April 5, 2018, and whose life would expire

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on June 6, 2017 June 5, 2018.

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LC000563

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