2025 -- S 0208
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LC000939
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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A N A C T
APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
AMENDMENT TO THE CON STITUTION -- OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE
Introduced By: Senators McKenney, Tikoian, Bissaillon, and Gallo
Date Introduced: February 07, 2025
Referred To: Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the general assembly 1
voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the state be proposed to the 2
qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the Constitution, 3
for their approval, and that Section 9 shall be added to Article III, which is hereby amended, 4
effective January l, 2027, to read as follows: 5
ARTICLE III 6
OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE 7
SECTION 9. Residency and registration for general officers. 8
No person shall hold office as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney 9
general, or general treasurer, unless that person has been a resident and a registered voter in the 10
State of Rhode Island for at least two (2) years, continuously, prior to taking office. 11
RESOLVED, That this amendment shall be, in the Constitution of the State, added to 12
Article III of the Constitution; 13
It is further 14
RESOLVED, That said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors for 15
their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the several 16
cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for general 17
officers of the state; and be it further 18
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RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause the said proposition of amendments to 1
be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the said 2
meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or notices to 3
be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town, ward, or 4
district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, ward, or district meetings to be 5
held as aforesaid; and be it further 6
RESOLVED, That the town, ward, and district meetings to be held aforesaid shall be 7
warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and district 8
meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town, ward, and 9
district meetings for the election of general officers of the state. 10
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LC000939
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LC000939 - Page 3 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
AMENDMENT TO THE CON STITUTION -- OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE
***
This Joint Resolution would propose to the voters of the state a constitutional amendment 1
which would provide that no person would hold office as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary 2
of state, attorney general, or general treasurer, unless that person had been a resident and a 3
registered voter in the State of Rhode Island for at least two years, continuously, prior to taking 4
office. 5
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LC000939
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