2018 -- S 2420 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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J O I N T   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL TASK FORCE TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY CHANGES TO THE LAW, COURT RULES OR TO

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO ENHANCE THE TIMELY

AND COMPLETE DISCLOSURE OF DISCOVERABLE MATERIAL IN CRIMINAL CASES

     Introduced By: Senators Archambault, Metts, Jabour, Lynch Prata, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 15, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     RESOLVED, That a special task force be and the same is hereby created consisting of

twelve (12) members: one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Bar Association, or

designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island Association of Criminal

Defense Lawyers, or designee; one of whom shall be the President of the Roger Williams

University School of Law, or designee; one of whom shall be the Executive Director of the

Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights, or designee; one of whom shall be the

Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, or designee; one of whom shall be the Public

Safety Commissioner for the City of Providence, or designee; one of whom shall be the Rhode

Island Attorney General, or designee, who shall serve as Co-Chairperson of the Task Force; one

of whom shall be the Rhode Island Public Defender, or designee, who shall serve as Co-

Chairperson of the Task Force; one of whom shall be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, or

designee; one of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs' Association, or

designee; and two (2) of whom shall be law enforcement representatives, one of whom shall be a

Chief of Police from a department with more than forty-five (45) sworn officers, and one of

whom shall be a Police Chief from a department with fewer than forty-five (45) sworn officers, to

be appointed by the task force.

     The purpose of said task force shall be to study and make recommendations, in

consultation with judges, practitioners, and appropriate experts in the field, any changes it deems

necessary to the law, court rules, or to policies and procedures currently in place, to enhance the

timely and complete disclosure of discoverable material in criminal cases. The task force may

also consider and make recommendations that include, but are not limited to, additional in-house

or outside training for attorneys and law enforcement personnel, promulgation of protocols to

enhance inter-agency cooperation, standardization of procedures, the sharing of information via

the internet or other secure electronic means and the potential use of sanctions to ensure

compliance.

     Upon passage of this resolution, the members of the task force shall meet and organize at

the call of the Co-Chairpersons, no later than January 31, 2019.

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

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

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for said task force; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the

General Assembly, the Governor, the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, the

Presiding Justice of the Superior Court, the Chief Judge of the District Court, and the Chief Judge

of the Family Court, no later than January 1, 2020. The task force shall meet periodically

thereafter, at the call of the Co-Chairpersons, in order to assess the impact of its

recommendations, and said task force shall expire on January 1, 2022.

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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

CREATING A SPECIAL TASK FORCE TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY CHANGES TO THE LAW, COURT RULES OR TO

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO ENHANCE THE TIMELY

AND COMPLETE DISCLOSURE OF DISCOVERABLE MATERIAL IN CRIMINAL CASES

***

     This resolution would create an twelve (12) member special task force whose purpose it

would be to investigate and make recommendations for any changes to the law, court or to

policies and procedures currently in place to enhance the timely and complete disclosure of

discoverable material in criminal cases, and who would report back to the General Assembly, the

Governor, the Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, the Presiding Justice of the

Superior Court, the Chief Judge of the District Court, and the Chief Judge of the Family Court, no

later than January 1, 2020, and whose life would expire on January 1, 2022.

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