2019 -- H 5077

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LC000213

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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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 OF RHODE ISLAND

(SESSIONS OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY)

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Lombardi, Hull, and Walsh

     Date Introduced: January 10, 2019

     Referred To: House Judiciary

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     RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the general

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assembly voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the state be proposed to

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the qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the

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Constitution for their approval and that this amendment take the place of Article VI, Section 3,

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which Article and Section is hereby amended, effective on January 1, 2020, to read as follows:

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ARTICLE VI

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OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER

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     Section 3. Sessions of general assembly – Compensation of general assembly

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members and officers. – There shall be a session of the general assembly at Providence

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commencing on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of January in each year and terminating

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on or before the Friday next prior to Memorial Day in that year.

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     Commencing in January 1995, senators and representatives shall be compensated at an

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annual rate of ten thousand dollars ($10,000). Commencing in 1996, the rate of compensation

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shall be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the cost of living, as determined by the United

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States government, during a twelve (12) month period ending in the immediately preceding year.

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Commencing in 2003, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house shall be

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compensated at an annual rate double that of other senators and representatives.

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     Senators and representatives shall receive the same health insurance benefits as full-time

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state employees.

 

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     Senators and representatives shall be reimbursed for traveling expenses in going to and

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from the general assembly at the same mileage paid to state workers as of the 31st day of

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December in the year preceding each session.

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     No senator or representative shall be eligible for any pension on account of service in the

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general assembly after 1994; provided, however, that those senators and representatives first

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elected before 1994 who elect to receive compensation for legislative service in 1995 and

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thereafter, at the rate of five dollars ($5.00) for every day of actual attendance and eight cents

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(.08) per mile for traveling expenses in going to and returning from the general assembly, for a

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maximum of sixty (60) days in any calendar year, shall be eligible for a pension on account of

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service in the general assembly after 1994. The amount of such pension shall be based upon the

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pension program in effect for legislators on January 1, 1994.

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     The general assembly shall regulate the compensation of the governor and of all other

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officers, subject to limitations contained in the Constitution.

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     RESOLVED, That this amendment take, in the Constitution of the state, the place of

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Article VI, Section 3, of the Constitution; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors

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for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election to be held in November,

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2018. The voting places in the several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours

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required by law for voting therein for members of the state general assembly; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause the said proposition of amendment to

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be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the said

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meetings of said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or notices to

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be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town, ward or

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district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, ward or district meetings to be

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held as aforesaid; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the town, ward and district meetings to be held aforesaid shall be

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warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward and

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district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town,

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ward and district meetings for the next general election of members to the state general assembly

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and such other general officers of the state as may be up for election.

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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 OF RHODE ISLAND

(SESSIONS OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY)

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     This joint resolution would propose a constitutional amendment which, if approved by

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the voters, would change the opening date of the general assembly to the first Tuesday after the

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first Monday in January, and would provide for adjournment no later than the Friday preceding

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Memorial Day.

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