2017 -- H 5698

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LC001844

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - ELECTION OFFENSES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Winfield, Diaz, Barros, and Ajello

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2017

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Board of Elections)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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Offenses" is hereby repealed.

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     17-23-2. Signature of posters, fliers, and circulars.

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     No person shall intentionally write, print, post, or distribute, or cause to be written,

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printed, posted, or distributed, a circular, flier, or poster designed or tending to injure or defeat

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any candidate for nomination or election to any public office, by criticizing the candidate's

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personal character or political action, or designed or tending to aid, injure, or defeat any question

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submitted to the voters, unless there appears upon the circular, flier, or poster in a conspicuous

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place the name of the author and either the names of the chairperson and secretary, or of two (2)

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officers, of the political or other organization issuing the poster, flier, or circular, or of some voter

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who is responsible for it, with the voter's name and residence, and the street and numbers, if any.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC001844

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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 eliminate the requirement of identifying the name or names of the author

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of a circular, flier, or poster designed to injure or defeat any candidate for election to public

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office.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC001844

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