2015 -- H 5869

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LC001983

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- ELECTION OFFENSES

     

     Introduced By: Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi

     Date Introduced: March 12, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Board of Elections)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 17-23-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-23 entitled "Election

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Offenses" is hereby repealed.

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     17-23-2. Signature of posters, fliers, and circulars. -- No person shall intentionally

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write, print, post, or distribute, or cause to be written, printed, posted, or distributed, a circular,

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flier, or poster designed or tending to injure or defeat any candidate for nomination or election to

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any public office, by criticizing the candidate's personal character or political action, or designed

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or tending to aid, injure, or defeat any question submitted to the voters, unless there appears upon

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the circular, flier, or poster in a conspicuous place the name of the author and either the names of

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the chairperson and secretary, or of two (2) officers, of the political or other organization issuing

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the poster, flier, or circular, or of some voter who is responsible for it, with the voter's name and

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residence, and the street and numbers, if any.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC001983

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- ELECTION OFFENSES

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     This act would repeal the requirement that all posters, fliers and circulars used in political

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campaigns contain the name(s) and address(es) of the person or organization responsible for it.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC001983

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