Text of RI S 2699 (2010)

2010 -- S 2699 ======= LC02142 ======= 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. 2010 ____________ 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 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (MARRIAGE) Introduced By: Senator Leo R. Blais Date Introduced: March 18, 2010 Referred To: Senate Constitutional & Regulatory Issues WHEREAS, The General Assembly seeks to empower the citizens of the State of Rhode 1 Island with the right to determine by a vote of the people the question whether to limit marriage 2 in the state to a lawful union between one man and one woman; and 3 WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Supreme Court in Chambers v. Ormiston, Supreme Court 4 No. 2006-340, has defined "Marriage" as stated in R.I.G.L. section 8-10-3(a) as "the state of 5 being united to a person of the opposite sex"; now, therefore be it 6 RESOLVED, That a majority of all members elected to each house of the General 7 Assembly voting therefore, an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of the state shall be 8 proposed to the qualified electors of the state for their approval in accordance with the provisions 9 of Article XIV of the Constitution, and upon such approval, new section 25, set forth below, be 10 added to and included in Article I of the Constitution; and that said proposition of amendment 11 shall be submitted to the electors for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general 12 election, and said proposition of amendment shall appear on the ballots as the first referendum 13 question posed and shall be preceded by the following explanation and space to "approve" or 14 "reject", all of which shall be in substantially the following form: 15 1. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT-MARRIAGE 16 Approval of this amendment will recognize and define marriage in the state of Rhode 17 Island as a lawful union between one man and one woman. 18 APPROVE ________ 19 2 REJECT ________ 1 A new section shall be added to and included in Article I of the Constitution to read as 2 follows: 3 Section 25. Marriage – Marriage shall be recognized and defined in Rhode Island as a 4 lawful union between one man and one woman. 5 RESOLVED, That the voting places in the several cities and towns shall be kept open 6 during the hours required by law for voting therein for general officers of the state; and be it 7 further 8 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause said proposition of amendment to be 9 published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the said 10 meetings of the said electors; and said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or notices to 11 district meetings of said electors; to district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as 12 now provided by law for the town, ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers 13 of the state. 14 ======= LC02142 =======