State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
JOURNAL
-OF THE-
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY SESSION of the General Assembly begun and held at the State House in the City of Providence on Tuesday, the fifth day of January in the year of Our Lord one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine.
Volume 126, No. 4
Tuesday, January 12, 1999
Fourth Day
The House of Representatives meets at the State House in Providence, Tuesday, January 12, 1999, and is called to order at 5:17 o'clock P.M., by the Honorable John 8. Harwood, Speaker.
The roll is called and a quorum is declared present with 97 members present and 3 members absent as follows:
The Honorable Speaker presents Representative Russo, who delivers the Invocation and leads the membership in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
(For Invocation, see Appendix, this Journal.)
APPROVAL OF RECORD
By unanimous consent, the House Journal of Thursday, January 7, 1999, is approved as printed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Representative Farrell will be unable to attend session today, January 12, 1999, due to illness.
Also:
Representative Ginaitt will be unable to attend session today, January 12, 1999.
Also:
Representative Williams will be unable to attend session on January 12, 13 and 14 due to illness.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints the following Deputy Majority Leaders:
Representative Paul Moura as Senior Deputy Majority Leader, Representative Melvoid Benson, Representative Eugene Garvey, Representative Peter Kilmartin, Representative Roger Picard, Representative Thomas Winfield, Representative Thomas Palangio, Representative John McCauley, Representative Elaine Coderre, Representative Denise Aiken, Representative Donald Lally, Jr., Representative Peter Palumbo, and Representative James Kelso.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints Representative Paul Sherlock Vice Chair of the House Finance Committee and also Representative Paul Crowley is appointed Vice Chair of the House Finance Committee. Representative Kenneth Carter is hereby appointed Secretary of the House Finance Committee.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints the following Representatives to the House Finance Committee:
Antonio Pires, Paul Sherlock, Paul Crowley, Kenneth Carter, Lawrence Ferguson, Gordon Fox, Robert Jacquard, Paul Moura, Eileen Naughton, Myrna George, William San Bento, Steven Costantino, Joanne Giannini, Jan Malik, Richard Fleury, Carol Mumford and Christine Callahan.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints Representative Timothy Williamson Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Representative William Murphy is also appointed Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and Representative Donald Lally, Jr. is hereby appointed Secretary of the House Judiciary Committee.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints the following Representatives to the House Judiciary Committee:
Robert Flaherty, Timothy Williamson, William Murphy, Donald Lally, Jr., Marsha Carpenter, Eugene Garvey, Robert Sullivan, Mark Heffner, Joseph McNamara, Denise Aiken, David Cicilline, Mabel Anderson, Peter Palumbo, Alfred Russo, Jr., Scott Rabideau, Leona Kelley, H. Norman Knickle, Maxine Shavers and John Simonian.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints Representative Thomas Palangio Vice Chair of the House Corporations Committee. Representative Elaine Coderre is hereby appointed Secretary to the House Corporations Committee.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints the following Representatives to the House Corporations Committee:
John Barr, Elaine Coderre, Raymond Coelho, Brian Kennedy, Thomas Palangio, Gregory Schadone, Peter Lewiss, Thomas Slater, Robert Lowe, John McCauley, Peter Kilmartin, Roger Picard, Henry Rose, Joseph Voccola, James Kelso, Joan Quick and Nicholas Gorham.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints Representative Donald Reilly, Jr., Vice Chair of the House Labor Committee and Representative Ronald Munschy is hereby appointed Secretary of the House Labor Committee.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints the following Representatives to the House Labor Committee:
Joseph Faria, Donald Reilly, Jr., Ronald Munschy, Melvoid Benson, John Maher, Barbara Burlingame, Joseph Almeida, Beatrice Lanzi, Steven Smith, Rene Menard, Stephen Anderson, John Thompson, Michael Farrell, Bruce Long, Charles Millard and Peter Wasylyk.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints Representative Bambilyn Cambio Vice Chair of the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee and Representative Peter Ginaitt is hereby appointed Secretary of the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints the following Representatives to the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee:
Edith Ajello, Nancy Benoit, Bambilyn Cambio, Arthur Corvese, Aram Garabedian, Peter Ginaitt, Suzanne Henseler, Nancy Hetherington, Edward Inman, III, 'Aisha Abdullah-Odiase, Gerard Martineau, William Vieira, Sr., Robert Watson, Rose Larisa, Frank Montanaro and Elizabeth Dennigan.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints Representative Thomas Winfield Vice Chair of the House Special Legislation Committee and Representative David Iwuc is hereby appointed Secretary of the House Special Legislation Committee.
Also:
The Honorable Speaker hereby appoints the following Representatives to the House Special Legislation Committee:
Maria Lopes, Thomas Winfield, David Iwuc, Russell Bramley, Charles Levesque, Anastasia Williams, Mary Ann Carroll, John DeSimone, Gary Hogan, Charlene Lima, Michael Pisaturo, Joseph Amaral, Joseph Scott and George Levesque.
NEW BUSINESS
Representatives Wasylyk, McNamara, San Bento and Corvese introduce (99-H 5038) House Resolution respectfully requesting the Department of Health to carefully monitor the quality of health care at Women and Infants Hospital and report findings to the General Assembly.
Representative Wasylyk requests unanimous consent for immediate consideration.
There is objection.
Read and referred to the Committee on Health, Education and Welfare.
Representative Barr introduces (99-H 5039) An Act relating to state affairs and government.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representatives Maher, Garvey, G. Levesque and C. Levesque introduce (99-H 5040) An Act relating to causes of action.
Read and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Representatives Garabedian, Benoit, DeSimone, Smith, Lanzi and several other members of the House introduce (99-H 5041) House Resolution respectfully requesting the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee to hold a hearing with the Health Department regarding Women and Infants Hospital.
Read and referred to the Committee on Health, Education and Welfare.
Representatives Sullivan, Almeida, Lopes, Coelho, Rose and several other members of the House introduce (99-H 5042) An Act relating to criminal offenses - weapons.
Read and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Representatives Flaherty, Lally, Knickle and DeSimone introduce (99-H 5043) An Act relating to causes of action.
Read and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Representatives Knickle, Flaherty, McNamara, Aiken and Bramley introduce (99-H 5044) House Resolution respectfully requesting the State Traffic Commission to install a traffic light in the city of Warwick.
Read and referred to the Joint Committee on Highway Safety.
Representatives Knickle, Sherlock, McNamara, Flaherty, Aiken and several other members of the House introduce (99-H 5045) An Act relating to the maintenance of town highways.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representatives Fleury, Kelley and Williamson introduce (99-H 5046) An Act relating to state aid for local roads.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representatives Barr, Menard and Reilly introduce (99-H 5047) Joint Resolution to approve and publish, and submit to the electors a proposition of amendment to the Constitution of the State (General Assembly).
Read and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Representative Barr introduces (99-H 5048) An Act relating to motor vehicles - operators' and chauffeurs' licenses.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representatives Barr and Reilly introduce (99-H 5049) An Act relating to construction and maintenance of state roads.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representative Barr introduces (99-H 5050) An Act relating to alcoholic beverages - regulation of sales.
Read and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Representative Barr introduces (99-H 5051) An Act relating to state aid.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representatives Barr and Reilly introduce (99-H 5052) An Act relating to cities and towns -franchises.
Read and referred to the Committee on Corporations.
Representatives Amaral, Long, Kelley, Lopes and Larisa introduce (99-H 5053) An Act relating to sales and use taxes - liability and computation.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representatives Barr and Reilly introduce (99-H 5054) An Act relating to health and safety -public restrooms.
Read and referred to the Committee on Health, Education and Welfare.
Representative Barr introduces (99-H 5055) Joint Resolution to approve and publish, and submit to the electors a proposition of amendment to the State Constitution regarding imposition of punishment by death.
Read and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Representative Barr introduces (99-H 5056) An Act relating to state affairs and government -Rhode Island Film Commission.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representative Barr introduces (99-H 5057) An Act relating to taxation.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Representatives Moura, San Bento, Faria, Lanzi, Montanaro and several other members of the House introduce (99-H 5058) House Resolution respectfully requesting Women and Infants Hospital to protect the public health by allowing health care workers to return to their jobs at the hospital.
Representative Moura requests unanimous consent for immediate consideration, seconded by Representatives C. Levesque and Palumbo.
There is objection.
Representative Moura discusses the resolution.
Read and referred to the Committee on Corporations.
Representatives Williamson and Murphy introduce (99-H 5059) An Act relating to cities and towns.
Read and referred to the Committee on Corporations.
Representatives Abdullah-Odiase, Shavers, G. Levesque, Iwuc, Watson and several other members of the House introduce (99-H 5060) House Resolution extending condolences on the passing of Reverend Verna Lee Finney.
Representative Abdullah-Odiase requests unanimous consent for immediate consideration.
There is no objection.
Read and passed, on motion of Representative Abdullah-Odiase, seconded by Representatives Martineau and Watson, and by unanimous consent, on a rising vote.
Representatives Cicilline, Fox, Benoit, Montanaro, Dennigan and Slater introduce (99-H 5061) An Act relating to businesses and professions.
Read and referred to the Committee on Corporations.
Representatives Watson, Quick, Rabideau and Gorham introduce (99-H 5062) An Act making revised appropriations for the support of the state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1999.
Read and referred to the Committee on Finance.
DESK HELD OPEN
Representative Watson requests the desk to be held open.
There is no objection.
TRANSMITTAL
By unanimous consent, all matters on the Clerk's desk are ordered to be transmitted to His Excellency, the Governor, and to the Honorable Senate forthwith.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Majority Leader Martineau requests all Committees to meet tomorrow for the purpose of electing a Chairman of their Committees for the next two years. The Judiciary Committee will meet today at the rise of the House for the same purpose.
Also:
Majority Leader Martineau announces on Thursday there will be a celebration for the Speaker's Birthday and for his youngest daughter Olivia's Birthday.
ADJOURNMENT
At 5:37 o'clock P.M. on motion of the Honorable Speaker Harwood and Representative Kilmartin, and as a further mark of respect to the memories of former Pawtucket Councilman Philip J. Moran and Roland A. Terrien; on motion of Representative Menard, and as a further mark of respect to the memory of Ann Mae Callahan, mother of Pat Callahan; on motion of Representative Gorham, and as a further mark of respect to the memory of Dr. Robert F. Spencer; on motion of Representative Kelley, and as a further mark of respect to the memories of Dr. Fran Horn and Edward Watson, Esq.; on motion of Representative Carter, and as a further mark of respect to the memory of Myron McIntyre, seconded by Representatives Martineau and Watson, the House adjourns, on a unanimous rising vote.
LINDA McELROY
Recording Clerk
Appendix
INVOCATION
REPRESENTATIVE ALFRED RUSSO, JR.
Thank you God for Your presence here with us and Your blessings on this Assembly today and every day.Amen.
As always, your comments concerning this page are welcomed and appreciated.
