hard deadlines

Providence — The Reform Caucus, made up of conservative, moderate, and progressive Democrats, announced their push for changes in the House Rules for a more open and transparent legislative process. The Reform Caucus is committed to changing the way business is conducted and after years of careful observation and first-hand experience, we are working to make it happen.
 
“There is a groundswell of interest from constituents for reform at the State House and the public’s advocacy is what will make this happen,” says Rep. Deborah Ruggiero – Jamestown and Middletown, “people are very aware that legislators are rushed into last minute votes on the final days of session without ample time to read legislation. That’s why we are recommending bills be posted for 48 hours so the public knows what their government is doing. We are also recommending good government bills like creating the Office of the Inspector General and enacting line-item veto.”
 
“My Newport voters want government transparency, public accountability and above all, they want to be part of the Rhode Island public policy conversation, says Rep. Lauren Carson – Newport, “the current condition of the House rules does not provide enough public transparency or participation. I want a clearer process for bringing bills to the floor for a vote and I want to be sure that Newport voters can review all legislative proposals before I am asked to vote on them. I stand firmly behind these efforts to reform the Rules of the Rhode Island House of Representatives.”

“Having served on the school committees for so many years I am very aware that we were subject to the strictest rules regarding our agendas, says Rep. Terri Cortvriend – Portsmouth /Middletown, “RIGL 42-46-6  requires 48 hours of public notice to make any amendments to a school committee agenda the same should be applied to state legislation. Our constituents are entitled to know what we are voting on and a minimum amount of time should be provided to allow them to share their opinions with us.”

​​Caucus Recommendations 
 
1. Suspension of Rules for the final days of session hinders the public and legislators ability to read bills, process changes, and make thoughtful decisions.  Bills need to come to the floor earlier in the legislative session.  Recommendation: Rules may be suspended only by 2/3 majority of vote in the House.
 
2. Sub A to any bill made public for 48 hours.  Legislators need to be thoughtful and deliberative and not rushed into last minute votes to end session. The public and advocates deserve the same time to review and understand what their government is doing. As legislators, we have a duty to ensure there are no unintended consequences. Recommendation: Proposed Substitute Amendments shall be posted online, and made available to the public for 48 hours prior to any vote in committee, or on the floor.
 
 
3. Bills submitted will stay alive for the entire two year term. This would provide greater efficiency for the committee process and not force the public to return each year to testify on perennial bills. This would free up time for committees to work more in depth on legislation and have substantive hearings to debate Sub A proposals Recommendation: Every bill introduced during year one of legislative term shall remain before the body for consideration in the second and final year of term.
 
4. Discharge Petition Whenever a bill has the support of the majority of the representatives (38 or more House Members); the bill clearly has enough support to pass the House and deserves a vote Recommendation: Any prime sponsor of a bill would be allowed to circulate a separate discharge petition. If the sponsor gathered 38 or more signatures on the petition, then the bill would be brought up through the regular committee hearing process. The committee would vote to either recommend that the full house pass or send to the floor without recommendation. The committee would not be able to hold the bill for further study. Then the bill would proceed to the floor for a vote. Importantly, the sponsor of the bill could obtain signatures for the discharge petition in the normal course of business. The petition would not have to “sit on the desk” which is the current rule.   
 
The Reform Caucus also recommends passage of ‘Good Government’ bills such as creating an Office of Inspector General, and enacting a Line-Item Veto.
 
The House Rules are adopted in the initial weeks of the legislative session every two years after anelection. Currently, House Rules give broad powers to the Speaker of the House in appointing committee members, committee chairs, controlling the flow of bills and the passage of all legislation in the House Chamber.

Editorial note: written from a press release.

This morning, about 100 family members, civic leaders, veterans, and residents gathered at the Portsmouth Historical Society for the Beirut Memorial ceremony, honoring the nine Marines killed in the barracks bombing 35 years ago. A speaking program was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the stone memorial on the grounds of the Historical Society.

Sen. Jack Reed, Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. David Cicilline all spoke, and RI Office of Veterans Affairs Director Kasim Yarn read a proclamation from Gov. Gina Raimondo. State Senators Felag and Seveney, and Reps. Mendonca and Azzinaro were in attendance, as was Town Council member Linda Ujifusa and school committee members Terri Cortvriend and Andrew Kelly.

The speakers remembered the nine fallen Rhode Island Marines: Sgt. Timothy Giblin (Providence), Cpl. Rick Crudale (West Warwick), Cpl. David Mass (Warren), Cpl. Thomas Shipp (Woonsocket), Cpl. Edward Shares, Jr. (Tiverton), Cpl. James Silvia (Middletown), Cpl. Stephen Spencer (Portsmouth), and Lance Cpl. Thomas Julian (Portsmouth) and the other 232 Marines and sailors lost in the terrorist attack during the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.

"They gave their last full measure of devotion in defense of others, in defense of our nation," said Sen. Reed. "Let us rededicate ourselves to their mission of selfless service and being part of something greater than ourselves."

"We come together every year," said Sen. Whitehouse, "To commemorate these lives and the tradition of service that these nine Rhode Islanders and the United States Marine Corps represent."

Said Rep. Cicilline, "As a nation we must pledge to support the families of those who lost that day as well as the veterans of all of our country's wars. Those who risk everything for our country deserve the thanks and support of a grateful nation."

The morning's main speaker, USMC Lt. Col. Jonathan Kenney, delivered an impassioned remembrance that drew on poetry, his time serving in the same battalion, and the memorial to the fallen at Camp Lejeune. "When I was stationed in Camp Lejeune North Carolina," said Kenney, "Every day I drove along Highway 24 to and from work. And I would pass the Bradford Pear trees that line the median of the Freedom Highway. And each of those trees were planted to represent every life that was taken on the 23rd of October. As I pass each one of those trees, it's hard, not to see in every one of those, the extent of loss that was suffered on that fateful day. Every tree represented a Marine with a family. With a mother. With a father. With a girlfriend, with a fiancee, with a wife, brothers sisters. They each had different ambitions. Each of those Marines. But they served with a common purpose and tragically, we lost them in the blink of an eye."

A full transcript of his remarks is here, but this was his powerful summation.

"If you've ever heard the Marines Hymn," said Kenney, "You'll know that the last line says,"When the Army and the Navy look on Heaven's scenes/They will find the streets are guarded/ By United States Marines." I would submit and we know, we're confident here in this room, that while Marines may be guarding those heavenly streets, it's the Rhode Island Nine who are standing in front of those heavenly formations looking out for us. And so it's important again that we respect the sacrifices they made and be grateful. May God bless each one of those fallen heroes. May God bless the families, each one of you still suffering with their loss. We offer you our support as you continue to struggle. And may God bless the United States of America."

At its regular monthly meeting on Saturday, September 15th, the Prudence Island Water District Board adopted a budget for fiscal year '19 which begins on October 1st, according to a news release.

The Board approved operating budget is $256,232. The Board also approved a capital improvements budget of $555,738.

The Board also set a tax rate as well as a water rate to fund the budget for the coming year. The tax rate was set at $0.69 per $1,000 of assesed value of property within the district with a total tax levy of $51,712. The annual water rate was set at $550.00 per connection.

Editorial note: Written from a news release.

In response to last week’s call to action from the Boston Globe over 350 news outlets around the country have run opinion pieces over the last 24 hours on the importance of a free press. That could not be more timely, nor more critical.

We have a president who routinely attacks journalism as “fake news,” and told an audience at one of his rallies, “Just remember, what you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.”

Here in Rhode Island, we have the Newport Daily News attacked by former White House spox Sean Spicer, essentially for covering his book tour. We have one of our television stations being forced to run content by its corporate parent Sinclair. We have the state-wide newspaper of record with little coverage outside Providence, having closed all its bureaus ten years ago. We lost our alt weekly, the late, lamented Providence Phoenix, and with it a vital voice and training ground for people often unheard in mass media.

So what can we do?

First, we can fight for the notion of a free press in the marketplace of ideas. We can speak up for the value of journalism and respond to those who question it without reason. Journalism is a mechanism for getting to “what happened,” and that’s necessarily fraught. Reporters do make mistakes, that’s part of the process: we fix them. But the criticism from the highest levels of the current administration is generalized and absolute. Shouting “fake news” at any story with which one disagrees is not rational criticism, but rather the refuge of the authoritarian who wishes to discredit an entire profession.

Second, we can support local, independent news. Here in Rhode Island, we are fortunate to have two robust online news sites, UpriseRI.com and RIFuture.org. (Full disclosure: I write for RI Future.) Here in Portsmouth, we have PortsmouthPress.com. We also have a strong weekly in the Portsmouth Times providing focused local coverage. All of these news organizations could use your clicks, your shares, and, yes, your dollars.

Finally, we can and must use our political power to protect our rights. Ask your state reps if they supported Net Neutrality, something which is critical to keep the voices of small news organizations flowing. Look at the records of all your elected officials and judge for yourself whether they support freedom of the press, and when it comes to Election Day, use your power in the voting booth.