Text of RI S 2431 (2024)

2024 -- S 2431 ======== LC004218 ======== 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. 2024 ____________ J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE -- SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY DISCRIMINATION Introduced By: Senators Bell, Murray, Mack, Pearson, Kallman, Bissaillon, Valverde, Cano, Ujifusa, and Gu Date Introduced: February 12, 2024 Referred To: Senate Judiciary RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the general 1 assembly voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the State be proposed 2 to the qualified electors of the State in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the 3 Constitution for their approval and that is take the place of Article I, section 2, which is hereby 4 amended to read as follows: 5 ARTICLE I 6 DECLARATION OF CERTAIN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND 7 PRINCIPLES 8 Section 2. Laws for good of whole — Burdens to be equally distributed — Due 9 process — Equal protection — Discrimination — No right to abortion granted. 10 All free governments are instituted for the protection, safety, and happiness of the people. 11 All laws, therefore, should be made for the good of the whole; and the burdens of the state ought 12 to be fairly distributed among its citizens. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property 13 without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied equal protection of the laws. No 14 otherwise qualified person shall, solely by reason of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender 15 identity, or handicap be subject to discrimination by the state, its agents or any person or entity 16 doing business with the state. Nothing in this section shall be construed to grant or secure any 17 right relating to abortion or the funding thereof. 18 RESOLVED, That the said proposition of amendment shall be submitted to the electors 19 LC004218 - Page 2 of 3 for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general election. The voting places in the 1 several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for 2 general officers of the state; and be it further 3 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause the said proposition of amendment to 4 be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the said 5 meetings of the said electors; and said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or notices to 6 be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town, ward, or 7 district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, city, ward, or district meetings to 8 be held as aforesaid; and be it further 9 RESOLVED, That the town, city, ward, and district meetings to be held aforesaid shall 10 be warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and 11 district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law for the town, 12 city, ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state. 13 ======== LC004218 ======== LC004218 - Page 3 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE -- SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY DISCRIMINATION *** This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the State Constitution, Article I, section 1 2, that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. 2 ======== LC004218 ========