Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0072 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5	2023 -- S 0072
6	6	========
7	7	LC000911
8	8	========
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	TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
16	16	AMENDMENT TO THE CON STITUTION -- RIGHT TO AN ADEQUATE EDUCATION
17	17	Introduced By: Senators Picard, Quezada, Zurier, Gallo, and Lawson
18	18	Date Introduced: February 01, 2023
19	19	Referred To: Senate Education
20	20
21	21
22	22	RESOLVED, That a majority of members elected to each house of the general assembly 1
23	23	voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the State be proposed to the 2
24	24	qualified electors of the State in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the 3
25	25	Constitution for their approval and that it take the place of Article XII, Sections 1 and 2, which 4
26	26	are hereby amended, effective January 1, 2024, to read as follows: 5
27	27	ARTICLE XII 6
28	28	OF EDUCATION 7
29	29	Section 1. Duty of general assembly to promote schools and libraries Fundamental right 8
30	30	to a public education and the duty to promote public libraries. -- The diffusion of knowledge, as 9
31	31	well as of virtue among the people, being essential to the preservation of their rights and liberties, 10
32	32	it shall be the duty of the general assembly to promote public schools and public libraries, and to 11
33	33	adopt all means which it may deem necessary and proper to secure to the people the advantages 12
34	34	and opportunities of education and public library services. In furtherance of the duty to establish 13
35	35	and maintain a system of free public schools, it shall be the additional duty of the general 14
36	36	assembly and the state to guarantee an equitable, adequate and meaningful education to each 15
37	37	child. 16
38	38	Section 2. Perpetual school fund. -- The money which now is or which may hereafter be 17
39	39	appropriated by law for the establishment of a permanent fund for the support of public schools, 18
40	40	shall be securely invested and remain a perpetual fund for that purpose. Judicial enforcement. – 19
41	41
42	42
43	43	LC000911 - Page 2 of 3
44	44	This article shall be judicially enforceable. Any person or entity injured or threatened with any 1
45	45	injury because of any noncompliance with its provisions shall be entitled to bring an action in 2
46	46	Superior Court to enforce these provisions and to obtain declaratory and injunctive relief for any 3
47	47	violation thereof. 4
48	48	RESOLVED, That this amendment shall take the place of 5
49	49	Section 1 and Section 2, Article XII, of the Constitution, effective January 1, 2025; and 6
50	50	be it further 7
51	51	RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors 8
52	52	for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the 9
53	53	several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for 10
54	54	general officers of the state; and be it further 11
55	55	RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall cause the said proposition of amendment 12
56	56	to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the 13
57	57	said meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or 14
58	58	notices to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town, 15
59	59	ward, or district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, city, ward, or district 16
60	60	meetings to be held as aforesaid; and be it further 17
61	61	RESOLVED, That the town, city, ward, and district meetings to be held as aforesaid shall 18
62	62	be warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and 19
63	63	district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town, 20
64	64	city, ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state. 21
65	65	========
66	66	LC000911
67	67	========
68	68
69	69
70	70	LC000911 - Page 3 of 3
71	71	EXPLANATION
72	72	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
73	73	OF
74	74	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
75	75	TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
76	76	AMENDMENT TO THE CON STITUTION -- RIGHT TO AN ADEQUATE EDUCATION
77	77	***
78	78	This amendment to the Constitution of the State, if approved, would provide that it would 1
79	79	be the paramount duty of the general assembly, the department of education, and other 2
80	80	government agencies to provide Rhode Island residents with equal opportunities to receive an 3
81	81	education that is adequate, equitable and meaningful effective January 1, 2025. 4
82	82	========
83	83	LC000911
84	84	========
85	85