JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER (Proposes a state constitutional amendment that no department or other entity created by the state would have poser to incur debt in excess of $ 50,000, without express approval from the legislature and voters.)

S3021

2026 -- S 3021
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LC003457
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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
TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER

Introduced By:
Senators Raptakis, and Bell

Date Introduced:
March 05, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Finance
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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 it take the place of Article VI, Section 16 and Section
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17, which are hereby amended to read as follows:
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ARTICLE VI
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OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER
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Section 16. Borrowing power of general assembly. The general assembly shall have no
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powers, without the express consent of the people, to incur state debts to an amount exceeding
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fifty thousand dollars, except in time of war, or in case of insurrection or invasion; nor shall it in
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any case, without such consent, pledge the faith of the state for the payment of the obligations of
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others.
No department or authority created by the state, and no corporation, quasi-public
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corporation or other entity created directly by the state, shall have the power, without the express
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consent of both the general assembly and the people, to incur state debts or to incur a debt to an
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amount exceeding fifty thousand dollars, which would constitute a so-called moral obligation of
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the state.
This section shall not be construed to refer to any money that may be deposited with the
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state by the government of the United States.
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Section 17. Borrowing in anticipation of receipts.
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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 16 of this article the general assembly may

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provide by law for the state to borrow in any fiscal year, in anticipation of receipts from taxes,
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sums of money not exceeding twenty percent of the receipts from taxes during the next prior
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fiscal year, and, in anticipation of receipts from other sources, additional sums of money, not
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exceeding ten percent of the receipts from such other sources during the said next prior fiscal
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year; provided, that the aggregate of all such borrowings shall not exceed a sum equal to thirty
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percent of the actual receipts from taxes during the said next prior fiscal year. Any money so
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borrowed in anticipation of such receipts shall be repaid within the fiscal year of the state in
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which such borrowings take place. No money shall be so borrowed in anticipation of such
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receipts in any fiscal year until all money so borrowed in all previous fiscal years shall have been
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repaid.
Provided, no department or authority created by the state, and no corporation or quasi-
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public corporation or other entity created directly by the state, shall have the power, without the
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express consent of both the general assembly and the people, to incur state debts or to incur a debt
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to an amount exceeding fifty thousand dollars, which would constitute a so-called moral
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obligation of the state.
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RESOLVED, That this amendment shall take, in the Constitution of the State, the place
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of Article VI, Section 16 and Section 17 of the Constitution; and be it 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
TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER
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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 department or authority created by the state, and no corporation or
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quasi-public corporation created directly by the state, would have the power, without the express
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consent of the general assembly and the people, to incur state debts or to incur a debt to an
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amount exceeding fifty thousand dollars, which would constitute a so-called moral obligation of
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the state.
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LC003457 - Page 3 of 3