JOINT RESOLUTION APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE (Proposes a state constitutional amendment to provide no person could hold office as general officer unless that person was a resident and a registered voter in the State of Rhode Island for at least 2 years, continuously, prior to taking office.)

S2979

2026 -- S 2979
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE

Introduced By:
Senators McKenney, Murray, Gu, DiMario, Bissaillon, and Gallo

Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
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RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the general
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assembly voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the state be proposed to
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the qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the
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Constitution, for their approval, and that Section 9 shall be added to Article III, which is hereby
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amended, effective January l, 2027, to read as follows:
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ARTICLE III
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OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE
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SECTION 9. Residency and registration for general officers.
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No person shall hold office as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney
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general, or general treasurer, unless that person has been a resident and a registered voter in the
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State of Rhode Island for at least two (2) years, continuously, prior to taking office.

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RESOLVED, That this amendment shall be, in the Constitution of the State, added to
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Article III of the Constitution;
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It is further
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RESOLVED, That said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors for
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their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the several
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cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for general
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officers of the state; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause the said proposition of amendments

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to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the
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said meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or
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notices to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town,
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ward, or district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, ward, or district
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meetings to be held as aforesaid; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the town, ward, and district meetings to be held aforesaid shall be
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warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and
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district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town,
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ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF QUALIFICATION FOR OFFICE
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This Joint Resolution would propose to the voters of the state a constitutional amendment
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which would provide that no person would hold office as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary
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of state, attorney general, or general treasurer, unless that person had been a resident and a
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registered voter in the State of Rhode Island for at least two years, continuously, prior to taking
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office.
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