2020 -- S 2710

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LC004918

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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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

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sheehan, Raptakis, DiPalma, Seveney, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2020

     Referred To: Senate Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight

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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 IX, Section 14,

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which is hereby amended, effective on January 1, 2022, to read as follows:

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     Section 14. Veto power of governor — Veto overrides by general assembly — Acts

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effective without action by governor.

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     Every bill, resolution, or vote (except such as relate to adjournment, the organization or

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conduct of either or both houses of the general assembly, and resolutions proposing

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amendment to the Constitution) which shall have passed both houses of the general assembly

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shall be presented to the governor. If the governor approve it the governor shall sign it, and

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thereupon it shall become operative, but if the governor does not approve it the governor

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shall return it, accompanied by the governor’s objections in writing to the house in which it

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originated, which shall enter the governor’s objections in full upon its journal and proceed to

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reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, three-fifths of the members present and voting in that

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house shall vote to pass the measure, it shall be sent with the objections, to the other house,

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by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by three-fifths of the members present

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and voting in that house, it shall become operative in the same manner as if the governor had

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approved it, but in such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by ayes and nays

 

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and the names of the members voting for and against the measure shall be entered upon the

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journal of each house, respectively. If the measure shall not be returned by the governor within

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six days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to the governor the same shall

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become operative unless the general assembly, by adjournment, prevents its return, in which

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case it shall become operative unless transmitted by the governor to the secretary of state, with

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the governor’s disapproval in writing within ten days after such adjournment.

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     The governor may disapprove or reduce any item or items in any bill appropriating

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money. So much of such bill as the governor approves shall, upon the governor's signing the

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same, become law. As to each item disapproved or reduced, the governor shall transmit to the

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house in which the bill originated the reason for such disapproval or reduction, and the procedure

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shall then be the same as in the case of a bill disapproved as a whole.

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

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Article IX, Section 14, 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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2020. 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

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     This proposed constitution amendment, if adopted, would give the governor a line item

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veto in any bill appropriating money.

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LC004918

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