2020 -- H 7683

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LC004393

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

     Introduced By: Representatives Tanzi, Fogarty, Ajello, Walsh, and Hull

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2020

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 22-11-1, 22-11-3.1 and 22-11-4 of the General Laws in Chapter

22-11 entitled "Joint Committee on Legislative Services" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     22-11-1. Permanent committee -- Composition.

     There is created a permanent joint committee on legislative services consisting of the

president and majority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the senate, the majority and

minority leaders from the house of representatives, and the speaker of the house of

representatives. The members of the committee shall serve until their successors have been duly

elected and qualified.

     22-11-3.1. Rules and regulations.

     (a) The joint committee on legislative services is authorized and empowered to adopt any

rules and regulations that are deemed necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter, a copy

of which rules and regulations shall be filed with the secretary of state and available for public

inspection; provided, that each permanent and continuing office or agency within the legislative

department, established by statute and to which funds are specifically appropriated, will maintain

and be responsible for exercising its own internal financial and personnel controls. In the

formation of these rules and regulations, the joint committee shall take into consideration and

conform to, where practicable, existing policies governing financial and personnel practices

within the executive branch of government.

     (b) The joint committee on legislative services is authorized and empowered to adopt

rules and regulations, consistent with the rules of each house of the general assembly, designed to

provide electronic services and products to its elected members and, incrementally, to make

electronic services and products regarding its proceedings available to the citizens of this state.

The joint committee on legislative services shall prioritize general assembly proceedings and

legislative information to be made incrementally accessible in a timely manner, including:

     (1) A list of all members of the general assembly with their addresses and telephone

numbers and all committees of the general assembly and their members;

     (2) The history and status of every bill introduced and amended in each current legislative

session;

     (3) The current calendars of the house and the senate and of all legislative committees;

     (4) The text of every bill introduced and to be printed in the current legislative session,

including the amended or substitute form of each bill, and the text of every bill as enacted;

     (5) The general laws;

     (6) The Rhode Island Constitution; and

     (7) The senate and house journals.

     (c) It shall be solely and exclusively within the discretion of the joint committee on

legislative services, when providing access, to include and require, in written contracts for

electronic services and products, provisions that:

     (1) Protect the security and integrity of the information system of the general assembly;

     (2) Limit any potential liability of the general assembly in providing public access to

electronic services and products;

     (3) Ensure that access of non-disclosable information is prohibited;

     (4) Provide protection against intentional or accidental disclosure, modification, or

destruction of records;

     (5) The joint committee on legislative services shall meet at least once a month while the

general assembly is in session, and at least once every three (3) months when the general

assembly is out of session.

     (6) All meetings held by the joint committee on legislative services shall be in

compliance with the provisions of chapter 46 of title 42, (the "open meetings act"), and shall be

open to the public.

     22-11-4. Employees.

     (a) To accomplish the purposes of this chapter, the joint committee is authorized to

employ a chief legislative clerk and any other legislative assistants, including clerical assistants,

that it deems necessary, and to fix the rates of compensation of these employees.

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     (b) All employees under the control of the joint committee on legislative services will be

transferred from the unclassified service to the classified service in accordance with the

provisions of § 36-4-2 consistent with the provisions of § 36-4-2(b).

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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     This act would amend the membership, classification of service of employees and

meeting regulations for the joint committee on legislative services.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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