2019 -- H 6044

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LC002512

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - POLITICAL ADVERTISING

     Introduced By: Representatives Lyle, Filippi, McNamara, and Shekarchi

     Date Introduced: May 01, 2019

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 17-23-18 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-23 entitled "Election

Offenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     17-23-18. Political advertising from official budgets prohibited.

     (a) No elected official shall permit the expenditure of public funds from any official

budget under his or her authority for any publication, advertisement, broadcast, or telecast of his

or her photograph, voice, or other likeness to be broadcast or distributed to the public during the

one hundred and twenty (120) days preceding any primary or general election in which he or she

is a candidate.

     (b) This section shall not be construed to prohibit an official from appearing on regular

capitol television programming operated by the general assembly or on television stations

operated by the Rhode Island PBS Foundation during the period of time or programming of

regular or special meetings of city or town councils or any local governmental board, agency or

other entity.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC002512

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - POLITICAL ADVERTISING

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     This act would remove the exemption that allows elected officials to appear on a Rhode

Island PBS Foundation television station program one hundred and twenty (120) days before any

election in which they are a candidate.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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