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March 21, 2007

Concept of full-time legislature introduced again

PROVIDENCE -- A North Providence senator has introduced a resolution that would ask Rhode Island voters to change the state Constitution to institute a full-time legislature.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Frank A. Ciccone, D-North Providence, would establish an $85,000 annual salary for the average senator and representative and a $145,000 salary for the Senate president and speaker of the House.

“I know what the arguments are going to be against this, because we have all heard them – many of them are sarcastic and unfair and pretty much without any kind of reasoned debate on the subject,” Ciccone said in a statement released today. “For what it’s worth, opponents are going to raise the question of legislator pay, and whether certain powerful people will become more powerful.”

Ciccone said the constitutional change, which has yet to be debated at the committee level, would reduce conflicts of interest and allow elected officials more time to conduct the state's business.

“By the very nature of our part-time legislature, lots of things need to get done in little time," he said. "There is always criticism about the General Assembly passing hundreds of bills in the last days of the session. With a full-time body, there would be less need to rush, more time for thoughtful study on important issues."

Currently, the General Assembly convenes on the first Tuesday of January each year and generally recesses in June. Legislators currently make around $14,000 each year and receive health benefits. They do not receive state pensions.

A proposal to end the part-time nature of the legislature is not new. This one has been referred to the Senate Committee on Constitutional and Regulatory Issues.

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 6:59 PM | Permalink

Comments

Paul | March 21, 2007 7:45 PM link

David CAMPBELL | March 22, 2007 4:59 AM link

Greg | March 22, 2007 9:34 AM link

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