Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5459 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	2025 -- H 5459
6	6	========
7	7	LC000791
8	8	========
9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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 EDUCAT ION
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Messier, Kislak, Edwards, Handy, Kazarian, Potter,
18	18	Shallcross Smith, Serpa, Cortvriend, and Fellela
19	19	Date Introduced: February 12, 2025
20	20	Referred To: House State Government & Elections
21	21
22	22
23	23	RESOLVED, That a majority of members elected to each house of the general assembly 1
24	24	voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the State be proposed to the 2
25	25	qualified electors of the State in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the 3
26	26	Constitution for their approval and that it take the place of Article XII, Sections 1 and 2, which 4
27	27	are hereby amended, effective January 1, 2027, to read as follows: 5
28	28	ARTICLE XII 6
29	29	OF EDUCATION 7
30	30	Section 1. Duty of general assembly to promote schools and libraries Fundamental right 8
31	31	to a public education and the duty to promote public libraries. -- The diffusion of knowledge, as 9
32	32	well as of virtue among the people, being essential to the preservation of their rights and liberties, 10
33	33	it shall be the duty of the general assembly to promote public schools and public libraries, and to 11
34	34	adopt all means which it may deem necessary and proper to secure to the people the advantages 12
35	35	and opportunities of education and public library services. In furtherance of the duty to establish 13
36	36	and maintain a system of free public schools, it shall be the additional duty of the general 14
37	37	assembly and the state to guarantee an equitable, adequate and meaningful education to each 15
38	38	child. 16
39	39	Section 2. Perpetual school fund. -- The money which now is or which may hereafter be 17
40	40	appropriated by law for the establishment of a permanent fund for the support of public schools, 18
41	41	shall be securely invested and remain a perpetual fund for that purpose. Judicial enforcement. – 19
42	42
43	43
44	44	LC000791 - Page 2 of 3
45	45	This article shall be judicially enforceable. Any person or entity injured or threatened with any 1
46	46	injury because of any noncompliance with its provisions shall be entitled to bring an action in 2
47	47	Superior Court to enforce these provisions and to obtain declaratory and injunctive relief for any 3
48	48	violation thereof. 4
49	49	RESOLVED, That this amendment shall take the place of 5
50	50	Section 1 and Section 2, Article XII, of the Constitution, effective January 1, 2027; and 6
51	51	be it further 7
52	52	RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors 8
53	53	for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the 9
54	54	several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for 10
55	55	general officers of the state; and be it further 11
56	56	RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall cause the said proposition of amendment 12
57	57	to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the 13
58	58	said meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or 14
59	59	notices to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town, 15
60	60	ward, or district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, city, ward, or district 16
61	61	meetings to be held as aforesaid; and be it further 17
62	62	RESOLVED, That the town, city, ward, and district meetings to be held as aforesaid shall 18
63	63	be warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and 19
64	64	district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town, 20
65	65	city, ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state. 21
66	66	========
67	67	LC000791
68	68	========
69	69
70	70
71	71	LC000791 - Page 3 of 3
72	72	EXPLANATION
73	73	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
74	74	OF
75	75	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
76	76	TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
77	77	AMENDMENT TO THE CON STITUTION -- RIGHT TO AN ADEQUATE EDUCAT ION
78	78	***
79	79	This amendment to the Constitution of the State, if approved, would provide that it would 1
80	80	be the paramount duty of the general assembly, the department of education, and other 2
81	81	government agencies to provide Rhode Island residents with equal opportunities to receive an 3
82	82	education that is adequate, equitable and meaningful effective January 1, 2027. 4
83	83	========
84	84	LC000791
85	85	========