2026 -- S 3316 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN

MEETING

     Introduced By: Senators Rogers, and de la Cruz

     Date Introduced: May 22, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     WHEREAS, The Town Council of the Town of Scituate on April 9, 2026 adopted a

resolution requesting that the general assembly enact the following provision relating to the annual

financial town meeting:

Provided that the appropriations recommended by the Town Council have been

     made no later than the fourth Thursday in April immediately preceding the town meeting

     to be held on the first Tuesday in June, no motion which increases or reduces an

     appropriation recommended by the town council by $10,000.00 or more, shall be in order

     at such meeting unless notice of intention to make such motion has been presented to the

     town treasurer with the signatures of not less than ten (10) qualified electors of the town

     no later than the May 15 immediately preceding said such meeting. Notice of such motion

     shall be included in the publication required under § 44-35-6. Provided notice of such

     motion has been made, then amendments made at such town meeting to such motion for

     any lesser amount may be considered at the town meeting.

     SECTION 1. Section 4 of Chapter 1321 of the Public Laws Of, 1915, entitled “An Act

Fixing The Time For The Election Of Officers In The Town Of Scituate” as previously amended

by Chapter 3777 of the Public Laws of 1956, and by Chapters 225 and 312 of the Public Laws of

2022, is hereby amended to read as follows:

     “Sec. 4. The town meeting for the ordering and disposing of taxes and consideration

of all matters relating to the finances of said town, shall be held in the calendar year 2023

on the first Tuesday next after the first Monday in April at 7:00 P.M., and in the calendar

year 2024 and thereafter on the first Tuesday in the month of June at 7:00 P.M., at which

meeting the town moderator shall preside. The meeting shall be held in the town of Scituate

at such location as the town council shall determine by resolution from time to time, unless

the alternative provisions of § 45-3-4, are invoked by the town council. Provided that the

budget recommended by the town council has been made no later than the fourth Thursday

in April immediately preceding the town meeting to be held on the first Tuesday in June,

and such budget recommendation has been posted on the town's website within seven (7)

calendar days thereafter, no motion which increases or reduces an appropriation

recommended by the town council by $10,000 or more, shall be in order at such meeting

unless notice of intention to make such motion has been presented to the town treasurer

with the signatures of not less than ten (10) qualified electors of the town no later than the

May 15 immediately preceding said such meeting. Notice of any such motion shall be

included in the warrant required under § 45-3-8 or posted on the town's website at seven

(7) days prior to such town meeting. Provided notice of such motion has been made, then

amendments made at such town meeting to such motion for any lesser amount may be

considered at the town meeting.”

     SECTION 2. The question of the acceptance or rejection of this act shall be submitted to

the electors of the town at the general election to be held on November 3, 2026. The question shall

be submitted in substantially the following form: “Shall an act, passed at the 2026 session of the

General Assembly, entitled ‘AN ACT REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE

ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING’ be approved?" and the warning for the election shall

contain the question to be submitted. The Town Board of Canvassers may combine any two or

more voting districts for the election and when so combined shall be treated as a voting district. If

so combined, the Town Board of Canvassers shall advertise the combination of districts in a

newspaper of general circulation in the Town. From the time the election is warned and until it is

held, it shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to keep a copy of the act available at his or her office

for public inspection, but the validity of the election shall not be affected by this requirement.

     The town clerk of the town of Scituate shall forthwith after said town meeting certify to

the secretary of state the result of this vote upon the question submitted.

      SECTION 3. This section and section 2 of this act shall take effect upon passage, and the

remainder of this act shall take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on

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the question at the election prescribed by section 2.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN

MEETING

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     This act would amend a public law regarding the fixing of time for the election of officers

in the town of Scituate by requiring prior notice and posting of motions to be made from the floor

at the annual financial town meeting of the town of Scituate now held on the first Tuesday in the

month of June. This requirement would not apply to special meetings held under §§ 45-3-6 or 45-

3-7.

     Sections 2 and 3 of this act would take effect upon passage. The remainder of this act would

take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on the question at the election

prescribed by section 2, by the electors of the town of Scituate at the November 3, 2026, general

election.

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