Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5727 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- H 5727
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7	7	LC001769
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
15	15	CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROV IDE
16	16	RECOMMENDATIONS TO S AFEGUARD RHODE ISLAN D AGAINST NUCLEAR
17	17	WEAPONS
18	18	Introduced By: Representatives Sanchez, Henries, Morales, Cruz, Alzate, Batista,
19	19	Cotter, Tanzi, Fellela, and Stewart
20	20	Date Introduced: February 17, 2023
21	21	Referred To: House State Government & Elections
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24	24	RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created 1
25	25	consisting of eleven (11) members, all of whom shall be United States citizens who are residents 2
26	26	of Rhode Island who credibly reflect the makeup of the State’s population with respect to gender, 3
27	27	and cultural or ancestry background and who shall have publicly applied for membership on the 4
28	28	Commission, and none of whom shall have been a current or former employee of a company 5
29	29	involved in the development, production, or deployment of nuclear weapons; one of whom shall 6
30	30	be appointed by the Speaker of House; one of whom shall be appointed by the President of the 7
31	31	Senate; one of whom shall be the RI Attorney General, or designee; and eight of whom shall be 8
32	32	appointed by the Governor, six of whom shall come from a pool of applicants chosen by the 9
33	33	Friends Committee on National Legislation and who have demonstrated a sincere concern for the 10
34	34	threat of nuclear war and a long-time record of activities focused on the control or abolition of 11
35	35	such weapons, as well as a range of knowledge and expertise in the subjects of weaponry and 12
36	36	international relations. 13
37	37	The application to serve on the Special Commission shall state: 14
38	38	(i) The intent of the applicant to comply with and advance the policy established by this 15
39	39	Resolution; 16
40	40	(ii) The applicant’s interest and interest in serving on the Commission; 17
41	41	(iii) The city or town in which the applicant resides; 18
42	42	(iv) The employment or retirement status of the applicant; and 19
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46	46	(v) The applicant’s view of why they would make an important contribution to the work 1
47	47	of the Commission. 2
48	48	The Governor shall post the appointment opportunity on the official website of the State 3
49	49	within thirty (30) days of the passage of this Resolution, and all applications for service on the 4
50	50	Commission shall be submitted within thirty (30) days of the posting of the appointment 5
51	51	opportunity. 6
52	52	All appointments to the Commission shall be made no sooner than ninety (90) days nor 7
53	53	later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the passage of this resolution. 8
54	54	In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a legislative study 9
55	55	commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly resolution, the appointing 10
56	56	authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu of a legislator; provided 11
57	57	that, the Majority Leader or the Minority Leader of the political party which is entitled to the 12
58	58	appointment, consents to the member of the general public. 13
59	59	The purpose of said commission shall be to investigate and report on what measures may 14
60	60	be necessary and appropriate to protect the environment, wildlife, culture, and population of 15
61	61	Rhode Island from the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons and to contribute toward the 16
62	62	total elimination of these weapons under multi-lateral negotiation per the auspices of the 17
63	63	proposed United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as specifically provided 18
64	64	for in Article 4 of said treaty. 19
65	65	The Commission shall investigate measures and make recommendations to the 20
66	66	government and people of Rhode Island that may include, but not be limited to, financial, 21
67	67	legislative, or legal measures that may assist or encourage the transition from nuclear weapons-22
68	68	related jobs and activities taking place within the State to jobs and activities that instead address 23
69	69	the climate crisis and other pressing social needs such as health care, housing, education, and 24
70	70	elimination of poverty and discrimination. 25
71	71	No later than thirty (30) days after the appointment of the final member on the 26
72	72	commission, the members shall meet and organize and shall elect co-chairpersons by a majority 27
73	73	vote. 28
74	74	The Commission shall meet on a regular basis to research and gather evidence, 29
75	75	testimony, and advice in the manner that the members of the Commission determine is most 30
76	76	suitable to achieving the purpose of said commission. 31
77	77	The Commission’s proceedings, meetings, and activities shall be subject to the open 32
78	78	meetings law of the State of Rhode Island. 33
79	79	The Commission shall hold at least five (5) public hearings in different parts of the State 34
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83	83	to solicit testimony from the public and to inform citizens and legislators about the humanitarian 1
84	84	consequences to the State resulting from the use of nuclear weapons including the targeting of 2
85	85	Quonset Point during a hypothetical nuclear war and potential diplomatic breakthroughs resulting 3
86	86	from entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The topics of 4
87	87	employment, technologies, and industries within the State devoted to both nuclear weapons and 5
88	88	climate change shall be addressed. All members of the Rhode Island public will be given a 6
89	89	reasonable opportunity to offer their views and ideas related to the subjects under examination by 7
90	90	the Commission. 8
91	91	Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment. 9
92	92	The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services. 10
93	93	All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information, 11
94	94	documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or 12
95	95	desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution. 13
96	96	The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide 14
97	97	suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further 15
98	98	RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations, if any, 16
99	99	together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect, to the 17
100	100	General Assembly, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and all members of the 18
101	101	Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, as well as to the press and the general public, no later 19
102	102	than August 6, 2024, and said commission shall expire on November 6, 2024. 20
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109	109	EXPLANATION
110	110	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
111	111	OF
112	112	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
113	113	CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE
114	114	RECOMMENDATIONS TO S AFEGUARD RHODE ISLAN D AGAINST NUCLEAR
115	115	WEAPONS
116	116	***
117	117	This resolution creates an eleven (11) member special legislative commission to study 1
118	118	and provide recommendation to safeguard Rhode Island against nuclear weapons. 2
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