Sen. Judiciary to Vote on Elections, Heat Waste Bills

STATE HOUSE – The Senate Judiciary Committee meets virtually Thursday on bills including filling general office vacancies and banning new high-heat waste processing facilities.

The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, May 6, at 5 p.m. via WebEx. The meeting will be streamed live by Capitol Television at http://www.rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx.

Among the bills scheduled for votes are:

• 2021-S 0015 — This joint resolution sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Michael J. McCaffrey (D-Dist. 29, Warwick) would present to voters a constitutional amendment that would create a procedure to fill vacancies in the offices of secretary of state, attorney general or general treasurer.
• 2021-S 0057 — Also sponsored by Majority Leader McCaffrey, this bill would require a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of secretary of state, attorney general or general treasurer if more than one year is left in the term of office.
• 2021-S 0059 — Sponsored by Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence), this bill establishes a statewide public safety computer-aided dispatch records management system.

Among the numerous bills scheduled for hearings are the bill concerning high-heat waste processing facilities, several bills concerning redistricting and several concerning animals, including:

• 2021-S 0527 — Sponsored by Sen. Bridget Valverde (D-Dist. 35, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, East Greenwich, Narragansett), this bill would prohibit new high-heat waste processing facilities.
• 2021-S 0852 — Sponsored by Senate President Ruggerio, this bill creates a special commission on reapportionment whose purpose is to draft and to report to the General Assembly an act to reapportion the districts of the General Assembly and congressional districts.
• 2021-S 0806 — Sponsored by Sen. Stephen R. Archambault (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Providence, Johnston), this bill would prohibit the sale, offer of sale, trade or distribution of fur products.

The State House remains closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Written testimony for the bills scheduled for hearings is encouraged and can be submitted by email to [email protected]. Written testimony must be submitted by 2 p.m. Thursday for it to be provided to the committee and be included in the meeting records. Requests to provide verbal testimony must be submitted at this link by 4 p.m. Wednesday.