H 7257

2026 -- H 7257
========
LC003657
========
  STATE  OF        RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  JOINT RESOLUTION
  TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
  AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- ESTABLISHING A STATE SPENDING
  GROWTH LIMIT BASED ON INFLATION OR PERSONAL INCOME GROWTH
  Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, Nardone, Place, Santucci, Paplauskas, J.
  Brien, Quattrocchi, Hopkins, and Fascia
  Date Introduced: January 21, 2026
  Referred To: House Finance
1RESOLVED, That a majority of members elected to each house of the general assembly
2 voting therefor, the following amendment to the Constitution of the State be proposed to the
3 qualified electors of the state in accordance with the provisions of Article XIV of the Constitution
4 for their approval and that Article VI of the Constitution of the State of Rhode Island be hereby
5 amended by adding thereto a new section as follows:
6Section 23. State spending growth limit.
7The total appropriations authorized by the general assembly from all sources of revenue
8 in the annual state budget shall not increase in any fiscal year by an amount greater than the
9 greater of:
10(1) The percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-
11 U) for the most recent calendar year; or
12(2) The percentage increase in Rhode Island personal income for the most recent calendar
13 year.
14Exceptions to this limit shall be established by law and may include, but shall not be
15 limited to, expenditures for debt service, federal funds required to be spent by law, emergency
16 expenditures approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the general assembly, and any other
17 exceptions as prescribed by law.
18RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall cause the proposed amendment to be
19 submitted to the electors of the state for their approval or rejection at the next statewide general
1 election in the manner required by the Constitution and laws of the state. The voting places in the
2 several cities and towns shall be kept open during the hours required by law for voting therein for
3 general officers of the state; and be it further
4RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall cause the said proposition of amendment
5 to be published as a part of this resolution in the newspapers of the state prior to the date of the
6 said meetings of the said electors; and the said proposition shall be inserted in the warrants or
7 notices to be issued previous to said meetings of the electors for the purpose of warning the town,
8 ward, or district meetings, and said proposition shall be read by the town, city, ward, or district
9 meetings to be held as aforesaid; and be it further
10RESOLVED, That the town, city, ward, and district meetings to be held as aforesaid shall
11 be warned, and the list of voters shall be canvassed and made up, and the said town, ward, and
12 district meetings shall be conducted in the same manner as now provided by law or the town, city,
13 ward, and district meetings for the election of general officers of the state.
========
LC003657
========
  LC003657 - Page 2 of 3
  EXPLANATION
  BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  OF
  JOINT RESOLUTION
TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF
  AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- ESTABLISHING A STATE SPENDING
   GROWTH LIMIT BASED ON INFLATION OR PERSONAL INCOME GROWTH
  ***
1This resolution would propose a constitutional amendment to establish a state spending
2 growth limit based on inflation or personal income growth.
    ========
    LC003657
    ========
  LC003657 - Page 3 of 3