2023 -- S 1031
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
VALIDATING AND RATIFYING AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CHARTE R OF
THE TOWN OF COVENTRY
Introduced By: Senators Raptakis, and Rogers
Date Introduced: May 19, 2023
Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. In all respects in which the amendments to the home rule charter of the town 1
of Coventry, which amendments were adopted and approved by the electors of the town of 2
Coventry on November 8, 2022, may require ratification, confirmation, validation, or enactment 3
by the general assembly, but in no other respects, the provisions of said amendments to the home 4
rule charter of the town of Coventry are hereby ratified, confirmed, validated, and enacted. It is the 5
express intention of the general assembly, by the passage of this act, to give effect to, ratify, 6
confirm, validate, and enact those provisions of the said amendments to the home rule charter of 7
the town of Coventry that require ratification, confirmation, validation, or enactment and, by the 8
passage of this act, the legislature does hereby ratify, confirm, validate, and enact said provisions. 9
Nothing in this act shall be construed to abrogate or impair the powers now or hereafter granted to 10
towns by the home rule amendment and other applicable laws of the State of Rhode Island or those 11
rights retained by said town of Coventry in its home rule charter. 12
SECTION 2. If any provision of this act, or the application thereof, to the town of Coventry 13
or to any person or circumstances, is deemed invalid for any reason, the remainder of this act, or 14
the application of such provision, to aid town or other persons or circumstances, shall not be 15
affected thereby and, to this end, the provisions of this act are declared to be severable. 16
SECTION 3. Section 16-2-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-2 entitled "School 17
Committees and Superintendents [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education 18
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Act]" is hereby amended to read as follows: 1
16-2-5. Composition of city or town school committees — Election and terms of 2
members — Vacancies. 3
The school committee of each city or town shall consist of three (3) residents of the city or 4
town, or of any number as at the present time constitute the committee. In cities or towns having 5
annual elections of city or town officers the committee shall be divided as equally as may be into 6
three (3) classes whose several terms of office shall expire at the end of three (3) years from the 7
dates of their respective elections. In cities or towns having biennial elections the committee shall 8
be divided as equally as may be into two (2) classes whose several terms of office shall expire at 9
the end of four (4) years from the dates of their respective elections. As the office of each class 10
shall become vacant, the vacancy or vacancies shall be filled by the city or town at its regular city 11
or town meeting for the election of state or city or town officers, or by the city or town council at 12
its next meeting after this. In case of a vacancy by death, resignation, or otherwise than as is 13
provided in this section, the vacancy shall be filled by the city or town council until the next regular 14
city or town meeting for the election of state or city or town officers, when it shall be filled for the 15
unexpired term as is provided in this section. This section shall not apply to the cities of Providence, 16
Central Falls, Woonsocket, or the Town towns of Coventry and North Smithfield. 17
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage. 18
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
VALIDATING AND RATIFYING AMENDMENTS TO T HE HOME RULE CHARTER OF
THE TOWN OF COVENTRY
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This act would validate and ratify amendments to the Home Rule Charter of the town of 1
Coventry, which amendments were adopted and approved by the electors of the town of Coventry 2
on November 8, 2022. 3
This act would also provide an exception that the school committee members serve four 4
(4) year terms. 5
This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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