| R 315 |
| 2018 -- S 2967 Enacted 06/19/2018 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| AMENDING THE RULES OF THE SENATE |
| Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, Algiere, McCaffrey, Goodwin, and Lombardi |
| Date Introduced: June 07, 2018 |
| RESOLVED, That the Rules of the Senate as adopted on March 30th, 2017 as Senate |
| Resolution 531 Substitute A, as amended, Resolution 161, be and they are hereby amended as |
| follows, to wit: |
| (1) By amending Rule 5.1-1 to read as follows: |
| 5.1-1 Committee on Judiciary. |
| It shall be the duty of the committee on judiciary to consider the appointments of the |
| governor referred to it by the senate which require the advice and consent of the senate and all |
| legislation and matters which affect the penal code, judicial system, ethics, open meetings, access |
| to public records and election laws of the state, to maintain oversight over the application, |
| execution and operation of the laws within its jurisdiction, expulsion of a member, and to |
| consider such other matters as may be referred to it by the senate. In the matters of judicial |
| appointments, expulsion of a member, and those public hearings designated by the committee |
| chair, all testimony shall be under oath and preserved by stenographic record which shall be |
| transcribed upon the order of the chair. |
| (2) By amending Section 10 by adding thereto the following rules, to wit: |
| 10.20 Continuing Education and Training. |
| All state senators and senate employees, shall annually participate in a continuing |
| education program presented by the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights. |
| 10.21 Discipline of a Member. |
| The extraordinary power of expulsion generally should be reserved for very serious |
| breaches of legal or ethical responsibilities of members. A complaint to expel a member shall |
| commence with a resolution sponsored by the senate president; provided however, if the president |
| is the subject of the resolution to expel, the resolution shall be sponsored by the president pro |
| tempore. The secretary of the senate shall refer the resolution to the committee on judiciary. The |
| committee shall investigate the matter and shall have the right to compel witnesses and produce |
| documents by subpoena and other customary means. The committee shall afford the member due |
| process. Due process shall be defined as customary legislative process for hearings, to include: |
| properly served notice of all hearings, the right to testify and refute the allegations and the right to |
| present evidence. In addition, individual notice shall be served upon the member and the member |
| shall have the right to cross examine any witness. The vote of a majority of the committee shall |
| be sent to the floor for the next legislative day available for consideration. All testimony shall be |
| under oath and preserved by stenographic record which shall be transcribed upon the order of the |
| chair. Expulsion shall require by two-thirds of the members elected voting for approval of the |
| resolution to expel. |
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| LC005904 |
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