2013 -- H 5089

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LC00196

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N

TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

MEMBERS COMPENSATION

     Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, Costa, Hull, Costantino, and Morgan

     Date Introduced: January 16, 2013

     Referred To: House Finance

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     RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the general

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assembly, voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the state be proposed

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to the qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the

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Constitution for their approval and Article VI, Section 3, is hereby amended, effective on January

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1, 2015 to read as follows:

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     Section 3. Sessions of general assembly -- Compensation of general assembly members

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and officers. -- There shall be a session of the general assembly at Providence commencing on the

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first Tuesday of January in each year. Commencing in January 1995, senators and representatives

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shall be compensated at an annual rate of ten thousand dollars ($10,000). Commencing in 1996,

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the rate of compensation shall be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the cost of living, as

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determined by the United States government during a twelve (12) month period ending in the

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immediately preceding year provided, however, that under no circumstances shall they receive a

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pay increase which is greater than the cost of living increases received by full-time state

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employees for the same period. Commencing in 2003, the president of the senate and the speaker

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of the house shall be compensated at an annual rate of double that of other senators and

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representatives.

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     Senators and representatives shall receive the same health insurance benefits as full-time

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state employees.

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     Senators and representatives shall be reimbursed for traveling expenses in going to and

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from the general assembly at the same mileage paid to state workers as of the 31st day of

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December in the year preceding each session.

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     No senator or representative shall be eligible for any pension on account of service in the

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general assembly after 1994; provided, however, that those senators and representatives first

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elected before 1994 who elect to receive compensation for legislative service in 1995 and

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thereafter, at the rate of five dollars ($5.00) for every day of actual attendance and eight cents

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(.08) per mile for traveling expenses in going to and returning from the general assembly, for a

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maximum of sixty (60) days in any calendar year, shall be eligible for a pension on account of

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service in the general assembly after 1994. The amount of such pension shall be based upon the

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pension program in effect for legislators on January 1, 1994.

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     The general assembly shall regulate the compensation of the governor and of all other

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officers, subject to limitations contained in the Constitution.

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     RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendments shall be submitted to the electors

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for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the

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several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for

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general officers of the state; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause the said proposition of amendments

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to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the

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said meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or

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notices to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town,

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ward, or district meetings and said proposition shall be read by the town ward or district meetings

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to be held as aforesaid; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the town, ward, and district meetings to be held aforesaid shall be

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warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and

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district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town,

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ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state.

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LC00196

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