2025 -- S 0208

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LC000939

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE

     Introduced By: Senators McKenney, Tikoian, Bissaillon, and Gallo

     Date Introduced: February 07, 2025

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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

qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the Constitution,

for their approval, and that Section 9 shall be added to Article III, which is hereby amended,

effective January l, 2027, to read as follows:

ARTICLE III

OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE

     SECTION 9. Residency and registration for general officers.

     No person shall hold office as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney

general, or general treasurer, unless that person has been a resident and a registered voter in the

State of Rhode Island for at least two (2) years, continuously, prior to taking office.

     RESOLVED, That this amendment shall be, in the Constitution of the State, added to

Article III of the Constitution;

     It is further

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

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

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

officers of the state; and be it further

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

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

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

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

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

held as aforesaid; and be it further

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

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

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

district meetings for the election of general officers of the state.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE

***

     This Joint Resolution would propose to the voters of the state a constitutional amendment

which would provide that no person would hold office as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary

of state, attorney general, or general treasurer, unless that person had been a resident and a

registered voter in the State of Rhode Island for at least two years, continuously, prior to taking

office.

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LC000939

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