2018 -- H 7508

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LC004519

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS

     Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Corvese, Newberry, Shekarchi, and Keable

     Date Introduced: February 08, 2018

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     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Offenses" is hereby repealed.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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LC004519

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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 eliminate the election offense for posting political circulars that criticize a

candidate.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004519

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