We, the people of this State which state shall henceforth be known as the state of Rhode Island, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution of government.
OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE
No person
shall hold any civil office unless
that person be a qualified elector
for such office.
An elector
shall be disqualified as a candidate for elective or appointive state
or local office or from holding
such office if such elector has been convicted of or plead nolo
contendere to a felony or if such elector
has been convicted or plead
nolo contendere to a misdemeanor resulting in a jail sentence of six months or more, either suspended
or to be served. Such elector
shall not, once so convicted, attain or return to any office until three years after the date of completion of such sentence
and of probation or parole.
All
general officers shall take the following engagement before they act in their respective offices, to
wit: You being by the free vote of the electors of this state of Rhode Island,
elected unto the place of do solemnly
swear (or, affirm) to be true and faithful
unto this state, and to support the Constitution of this state and of the United States; that you will
faithfully and impartially
discharge all the duties of your aforesaid office
to the best of your abilities,
according to law: So help you God. [Or: This
affirmation you make and give upon the peril of the penalty of perjury.]
The members
of the general assembly,
the judges of all the courts,
and all other officers, both civil and military,
shall be bound by oath or
affirmation to support
this Constitution, and the Constitution of the United States.
The oath
or affirmation shall be administered to the
governor, lieutenant governor, senators, and representatives by the
secretary of state, or, in the absence of the secretary of
state by the attorney- general. The secretary of state, attorney-general, and general treasurer shall be engaged by the
governor, or by a justice of the supreme court.
No person holding any office under the government of the United States, or of any other state or country, shall act as a general officer
or as a member of the general assembly,
unless at the time of taking such
engagement that person shall have resigned the office under such
government; and if any general
officer, senator, representative, or judge shall, after election and engagement, accept any appointment under any other government, the office under this shall be immediately
vacated; but this restriction shall not apply to any person appointed to take
deposition or acknowledgment of deeds, or other legal
instruments, by the authority of any other state or country.
No senator
or representative shall, during the time for which he or she was elected, be appointed to any state office, board, commission or other state or quasi-public entity
exercising executive power under the
laws of this state, and no person holding any executive office or serving as a member of any board, commission or other state or quasi-public entity exercising executive
power under the laws of this state shall be
a member of the senate or the house of representatives during his or her
continuance in such office.
The people
of the State of Rhode Island believe that public officials and employees must adhere to the highest
standards of ethical
conduct, respect the public trust and the rights of all persons, be
open, accountable and responsive,
avoid the appearance of impropriety and not use
their position for private gain or advantage. Such persons shall
hold their positions during good behavior.
The
general assembly shall establish an independent non-partisan ethics commission
which shall adopt a code of ethics including, but not limited to, provisions on
conflicts of interest, confidential information, use of position, contracts
with government agencies and financial disclosure. The assent of two-thirds
(2/3) of the members appointed shall be required for the adoption for every
rule or regulation. All elected and appointed officials and employees of state
and local government, of boards, commissions and agencies shall be subject to
the code of ethics. The ethics commission shall have the authority to
investigate alleged violations of the code of ethics, including acts otherwise
protected by Article VI, Section 5, and to impose penalties, as provided by
law. Any sanction issued against any party by the ethics commission shall be
appealable to the judicial branch as provided by law. The commission shall have
the power to remove from office officials who are not otherwise subject to
impeachment, or expulsion as provided by Article VI, Section 7.