| R 398 |
| 2024 -- H 8324 Enacted 06/24/2024 |
| J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROVIDING FOR A BI-PARTISAN PREPARATORY COMMISSION TO ASSEMBLE INFORMATION ON CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS IN PREPARATION FOR A VOTE BY THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS ON THE HOLDING OF A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE XIV SECTION 2 OF THE RHODE ISLAND CONSTITUTION |
Introduced By: Representatives Craven, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Edwards, Diaz, Ackerman, Hull, Kennedy, and Abney |
| Date Introduced: May 30, 2024 |
| WHEREAS, Under the terms of Section 2 of Article XIV of Amendments and Revisions |
| to the Rhode Island Constitution the question "Shall there be a convention to amend or revise the |
| constitution?" must appear on the ballot at the general election, to be held on November 5, 2024; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, Section 2 of Article XIV further provides that "Prior to a vote by the |
| qualified electors on the holding of a convention, the general assembly…shall provide for a bi- |
| partisan preparatory commission to assemble information on constitutional questions for the |
| electors…"; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That such Preparatory Commission shall consist of twelve (12) members, |
| appointed as herein provided, to serve until the submission of their final report; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint three (3) |
| members of the House of Representatives; the House Minority Leader shall appoint one member |
| of the House of Representatives; the President of the Senate shall appoint three (3) members of |
| the Senate; the Senate Minority Leader shall appoint one member of the Senate; and four (4) of |
| whom shall be members of the public, none of whom shall be a holder of any elective public |
| office and shall be appointed as follows, one by the Speaker of the House, one by the House |
| Minority Leader, one by the President of the Senate, and one by the Senate Minority Leader; and |
| be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Preparatory Commission shall report its findings to the Governor, |
| the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate, and to the public, |
| through the news media, no later than September 1, 2024. Forthwith upon the passage of this |
| resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at the call of the Speaker of the House and |
| the President of the Senate and shall organize and select from among themselves two (2) co- |
| chairpersons, one of whom shall be a member of the House of Representatives and one of whom |
| shall be a member of the Senate. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as |
| the original appointment. Members shall serve until submission of their final report. The |
| membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be |
| allowed their travel and necessary expenses. The commission may engage such clerical, technical |
| and other assistance as it may deem necessary to accomplish this purpose. The commission may |
| make use of such sources and means of gathering information pertinent to the fulfillment of its |
| charge as it may deem appropriate. All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such |
| advice and information, documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is |
| deemed necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. The |
| Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and requested to provide suitable |
| quarters for said commission. |
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| LC006182 |
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