It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 42-9 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Attorney General" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

42-9-6.1. Annual report of defense of challenged legislation. - - The attorney general shall annually on or before the thirty-first day of January of each year submit a report to the general assembly showing the transactions of his or her office and that of any special counsel appointed by or through his or her office during the previous calendar year in relation to the defense of legislation passed by the general assembly which has been challenged on the grounds that it violates a provision of either the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the state of Rhode Island. The report shall include (1) the name of each case, (2) the bill number of the challenged legislation, (3) the court in which the case was filed, (4) whether the case is being handled directly by the attorney general's office and/or the name of additional special counsel that have been appointed, (5) a summary of the proceedings including any final disposition of the case, and (6) the cost to the state, as near as may be ascertained, for defending each case. This report shall be a public document.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.