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| 9 | 9 | | S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- NOMINATION OF PARTY AND INDEPENDEN T |
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| 16 | 16 | | CANDIDATES |
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| 17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Representatives McGaw, Messier, Kazarian, Corvese, Kennedy, |
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| 18 | 18 | | Azzinaro, Vella-Wilkinson, Craven, Speakman, and Tanzi |
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| 19 | 19 | | Date Introduced: March 01, 2023 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Referred To: House State Government & Elections |
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| 21 | 21 | | (Board of Elections) |
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| 22 | 22 | | |
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| 23 | 23 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 1. Section 17-14-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-14 entitled "Nomination 1 |
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| 25 | 25 | | of Party and Independent Candidates" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2 |
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| 26 | 26 | | 17-14-14. Hearings on objections — Witnesses — Notice. 3 |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) All objections to nomination papers which are required to be filed with the secretary of 4 |
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| 28 | 28 | | state shall be considered by the state board. The secretary of state shall, when requested by the state 5 |
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| 29 | 29 | | board, immediately deliver to the board the nomination papers to which objection has been filed. 6 |
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| 30 | 30 | | The state board may, at the hearing on the objections, summon witnesses, administer oaths, and 7 |
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| 31 | 31 | | require the production of books, papers, and documents. The witnesses shall be summoned in the 8 |
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| 32 | 32 | | same manner, be paid the same fees, and be subject to the same penalties for default as witnesses 9 |
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| 33 | 33 | | before the superior court. A summons may be sworn to and an oath may be administered by the 10 |
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| 34 | 34 | | board. In the event that a local board rejects an endorser submitted on nomination papers, the local 11 |
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| 35 | 35 | | board shall state in writing the basis for the rejection of each endorser. Any objection to the local 12 |
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| 36 | 36 | | board's determination regarding an endorser on nomination papers must be supported by a written 13 |
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| 37 | 37 | | basis for the objection to each such determination. The state board shall not consider any challenge 14 |
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| 38 | 38 | | in the absence of a written basis to the local board's rejection of an endorser. When an objection 15 |
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| 39 | 39 | | has been filed, notice of the objection shall be immediately given by registered or certified mail or 16 |
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| 40 | 40 | | by personal service by the state board to the candidates, addressed to the residence of the candidate 17 |
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| 41 | 41 | | as given in the nomination papers, and to any party committee interested in the nomination to which 18 |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 47 | | - | of the board shall be rendered within two (2) three (3) days for nomination papers for candidates 3 |
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| 48 | | - | participating in a primary election, and seven (7) days for nomination papers for candidates not 4 |
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| 49 | | - | participating in a primary election, exclusive of Sundays and holidays, after filing of objections and 5 |
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| 50 | | - | shall immediately be certified by the state board to the secretary of state. 6 |
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| 51 | | - | (c) All objections to nomination papers for other than state officers shall be considered by 7 |
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| 52 | | - | the local board in the same manner and with the same effect as provided in subsection (a) of this 8 |
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| 53 | | - | section for hearing of objections to nomination papers for state officers by the state board. 9 |
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| 54 | | - | (d) The board of elections may promulgate regulations for objections to nomination papers. 10 |
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| 55 | | - | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 11 |
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| 47 | + | of the board shall be rendered within two (2) seven (7) days, exclusive of Sundays and holidays, 3 |
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| 48 | + | after filing of objections and shall immediately be certified by the state board to the secretary of 4 |
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| 49 | + | state. 5 |
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| 50 | + | (c) All objections to nomination papers for other than state officers shall be considered by 6 |
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| 51 | + | the local board in the same manner and with the same effect as provided in subsection (a) of this 7 |
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| 52 | + | section for hearing of objections to nomination papers for state officers by the state board. 8 |
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| 53 | + | (d) The board of elections may promulgate regulations for objections to nomination papers. 9 |
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| 54 | + | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 10 |
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