Bi-Partisan Preparatory Commission

The Bi-partisan Preparatory Commission to Assemble Information on Constitutional Convention Questions in Preparation for a Vote by the Qualified Electors on the Holding of a Constitutional Convention in Accordance with Article XIV, Section 2 of the Rhode Island Constitution

Report

Final Report (released September 3, 2014)

Draft Report (provided to commissioners on August 25, 2014 and released on September 3, 2014)

Members

Co-Chair Representative Keable Appointed by Speaker Mattiello
Co-Chair Senator McCaffrey Appointed by President Paiva-Weed
Representative Lally Appointed by Speaker Mattiello
Senator Goodwin Appointed by President Paiva-Weed
Representative Ruggiero Appointed by Speaker Mattiello
Senator Picard Appointed by President Paiva-Weed
Representative Giarrusso Appointed by Minority Leader Newberry
Senator Hodgson Appointed by Minority Leader Algiere
Mr. Tom Kane Appointed by Speaker Mattiello
Ms. Judy Jones Appointed by President Paiva-Weed
Mr. Steven Frias Appointed by Minority Leader Newberry
Mr. John Deal Jr. Appointed by Minority Leader Algiere
Source: http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/commissions/constcon/pages/members.aspx

Meetings

August 26, 2014
Fifth and last meeting
State House, Room 101
Providence, RI
3:30 to 4:30 pm
Meeting Video (only the last 17 minutes were recorded and made publicly available)

August 21, 2014
Fourth meeting
State House, Room 101
Providence, RI
3:30 to 4:30 pm
Meeting Video

August 19, 2014
Third meeting
State House, Room 101
Providence, RI
3:30 to 4:30 pm
Meeting Video

August 7, 2014
Second meeting
State House, Room 101
Providence, RI
3:30 to 4:30 pm
Meeting Video

July 31, 2014
First meeting
State House, Room 101
Providence, RI
3:30 to 4:30 pm
Meeting Video

Meeting Minutes (not made publicly available until September 3, 2014)

1) July 31, 2014
2) August 7, 2014
3) August 19, 2014
4) August 21, 2014
5) August 26, 2014

Testimony

First Public Hearing

  • Beverly Clay, individual,  testimony*
  • Tim Murphy, individual,  testimony*
  • Phil West, individual, testimony*
  • Sam Zurier, individual,  testimony
  • Mike Stenhouse, Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity, (he provided no written testimony but summarized his organization’s report on a constitutional convention)
  • Allan Fung, individual,  (he provided no written testimony but elsewhere has described his good government reform agenda)

Speakers without written testimony

  • Steve Brown, ACLU of Rhode Island
  • Randall Rose, individual
  • Providence City Councilor, individual

Second Public Hearing

  • Pablo Rodriguez, Individual  (he provided no written testimony but read from his Providence Journal op-ed)
  • Steve Ahlquist, Humanists of Rhode Island, testimony
  • Steve Brown, ACLU of Rhode Island, testimony

Speakers without written testimony

  • Barry Schiller, individual, testimony

Third Public Hearing

Speakers without written testimony

  • Jim Parisi, Rhode Island FTHP
  • Aram Garabedian, individual
  • Tim Duffy, Rhode Island Association of School Committees
  • Randall Rose, Individual
  • Grant Dulgarian, Individual
  • Laurie Archambault, Move to Amend RI
  • Thomas Dickinson, individual
  • Jamie Roads, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England

*member of RhodeIslandConCon.info’s Advisory Committee.

Submitted Comments Not Presented at Hearing

Richard Harris, National Association of Social Workers, letter

Robert Flanders, former justice, Rhode Island Supreme Court, RenewRI information and copy of email to Secretary of State’s Office

Op-ed

Snider, J.H., and Beverly Clay,  R.I.’s poor preparation for conventionProvidence Journal, August 2, 2014.

News Coverage

Morse, Carroll Andrew, Interview with Steve Frias, on the Work of the Constitutional Convention Preparatory CommissionAnchor Rising & The Ocean State Current, September 3, 2014.

Edgar, Randall, Committee issues report on possible topics, cost for RI Constitutional ConventionProvidence Journal, August 25, 2014.

Edgar, Randall, Those who support, oppose Rhode Island Constitutional Convention air viewsProvidence Journal, August 22, 2014.

Edgar, Randall, R.I. Constitutional Convention has few fans at hearingProvidence Journal, August 19, 2014.

Bogdan, Jennifer, Agenda for possible Constitutional Convention starts to take shapeProvidence Journal, August 8, 2014.

Bogdan, Jennifer, Constitutional Convention Commission To Host Public Meetings Throughout Rhode IslandProvidence Journal, August 1, 2014.

RhodeIslandConCon.info’s Blogs About

The Bi-Partisan Preparatory Commission’s Fifth and Final Meeting

Bi-Partisan Preparatory Commission’s Third & Fourth Meetings

Bi-Partisan Preparatory Commission’s Second Meeting

The Bi-Partisan Preparatory Commission’s First Meeting