| 1/17/2013 |
Fogarty bill asks voters to consider constitutional convention
STATE HOUSE – Sen. Paul W. Fogarty is sponsoring legislation to give voters the opportunity to update the Rhode Island Constitution.
The legislation would put in place the constitutionally required 14-member preparatory commission to hold public hearings to discuss issues that could be addressed by the convention, and then put a question on the 2014 statewide ballot that would ask voters whether they want to the state to have a constitutional convention. If voters approve the question, the convention would study the constitution and come back with recommended changes. Any changes would have to be approved by voters on another statewide ballot before they would become part of the constitution.
“The constitution, whether we’re talking about the one that governs our country or the one that governs our state, is supposed to be a living document that reflects the will of the people who live under it. We have an excellent system in place in Rhode Island to ensure the consent of the governed, and that’s our periodic constitutional convention. At least once every decade, Rhode Islanders get to decide whether we should perform an in-depth study of the state constitution and suggest changes to ensure it’s still relevant today,” said Senator Fogarty, a Democrat who represents District 23 in Glocester, Burrillville and North Smithfield.
A constitutional convention entails the election of delegates from across the state who come together to examine the constitution and recommend changes to the voters. Under the state constitution, voters are a required to be asked every 10 years whether they’d like to have a convention. Rhode Islanders were asked the question on the 2004 ballot, but rejected it, 48 percent to 52 percent. The question was also rejected in 1994, although little preparatory work was done that time. Rhode Island’s last constitutional convention met in 1986.
“It has been more than a generation since the last constitutional convention, and a number of issues that may best be addressed in the context of a broader look at the full constitution have arisen during that time, such as term limits, linking the governor and lieutenant governor on one ticket, and the health benefits provided to legislators,” noted Senator Fogarty. “A constitutional convention provides an opportunity to address constitutional issues such as these in a single forum rather than independent of each other, and for a new generation of Rhode Islanders to weigh in on the state’s guiding framework.”
If the General Assembly approves Senator Fogarty’s bill, a bipartisan 14-member preparatory commission would be created to conduct public hearings before voters are asked the question. The commission, made up of four representatives, four senators and six members of the public, would then be required to issue a public report by Sept. 1, 2014, about the issues that were raised during the hearings. That report would be included in the voter handbook that is mailed to all registered voters before the election.
“The preparatory commission would raise public awareness about what a constitutional convention is and what possible issues it could address if it were called, so when voters are asked whether they want a convention, they will be informed about what this opportunity means,” said Senator Fogarty. “In the end, it’s up to voters to decide whether a constitutional convention is necessary right now, and the public hearings would be an opportunity for citizens to air their views on the constitution whether we ultimately have a convention or not.”
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-2457 |
LEGISLATIVE INFO
