H 8546

2026 -- H 8546 AS AMENDED
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LC006458
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  STATE  OF        RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  AN ACT
  REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN
  MEETING
  Introduced By: Representative Robert J. Quattrocchi
  Date Introduced: May 13, 2026
  Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1WHEREAS, The Town Council of the Town of Scituate on April 9, 2026 adopted a
2 resolution requesting that the general assembly enact the following provision relating to the annual
3 financial town meeting:
4Provided that the appropriations recommended by the Town Council have been
5made no later than the fourth Thursday in April immediately preceding the town meeting
6to be held on the first Tuesday in June, no motion which increases or reduces an
7appropriation recommended by the town council by $10,000.00 or more, shall be in order
8at such meeting unless notice of intention to make such motion has been presented to the
9town treasurer with the signatures of not less than ten (10) qualified electors of the town
10no later than the May 15 immediately preceding said such meeting. Notice of such motion
11shall be included in the publication required under § 44-35-6. Provided notice of such
12motion has been made, then amendments made at such town meeting to such motion for
13any lesser amount may be considered at the town meeting.
14SECTION 1. Section 4 of Chapter 1321 of the Public Laws Of, 1915, entitled “An Act
15 Fixing The Time For The Election Of Officers In The Town Of Scituate” as previously amended
16 by Chapter 3777 of the Public Laws of 1956, and by Chapters 225 and 312 of the Public Laws of
17 2022, is hereby amended to read as follows:
18“Sec. 4.     The town meeting for the ordering and disposing of taxes and
1 consideration of all matters relating to the finances of said town, shall be held in the
2 calendar year 2023 on the first Tuesday next after the first Monday in April at 7:00 P.M.,
3 and in the calendar year 2024 and thereafter on the first Tuesday in the month of June at
4 7:00 P.M., at which meeting the town moderator shall preside. The meeting shall be held
5 in the town of Scituate at such location as the town council shall determine by resolution
6 from time to time, unless the alternative provisions of § 45-3-4, are invoked by the town
7 council. Provided that the budget recommended by the town council has been made no later
8 than the fourth Thursday in April immediately preceding the town meeting to be held on
9 the first Tuesday in June, and such budget recommendation has been posted on the town's website
10 within seven (7) calendar days thereafter, no motion which increases or reduces an
11 appropriation recommended by the town council by $10,000 or more, shall be in order at
12 such meeting unless notice of intention to make such motion has been presented to the
13 town treasurer with the signatures of not less than ten (10) qualified electors of the town
14 no later than the May 15 immediately preceding said such meeting. Notice of any such
15 motion shall be included in the warrant required under § 45-3-8 or posted on the town's website
16 at least seven (7) days prior to such town meeting. Provided notice of such motion has been
17 made, then amendments made at such town meeting to such motion for any lesser amount
18 may be considered at the town meeting.”
19SECTION 2. The question of the acceptance or rejection of this act shall be submitted to
20 the electors of the town at the general election to be held on November 3, 2026. The question shall
21 be submitted in substantially the following form: “Shall an act, passed at the 2026 session of the
22 General Assembly, entitled ‘AN ACT REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE
23 ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING’ be approved?" and the warning for the election shall
24 contain the question to be submitted. The Town Board of Canvassers may combine any two or
25 more voting districts for the election and when so combined shall be treated as a voting district. If
26 so combined, the Town Board of Canvassers shall advertise the combination of districts in a
27 newspaper of general circulation in the Town. From the time the election is warned and until it is
28 held, it shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to keep a copy of the act available at his or her office
29 for public inspection, but the validity of the election shall not be affected by this requirement.
30The town clerk of the town of Scituate shall forthwith after said town meeting certify to
31 the secretary of state the result of this vote upon the question submitted.
32SECTION 3. This section and section 2 of this act shall take effect upon passage, and the
33 remainder of this act shall take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on
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1 the question at the election prescribed by section 2.
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  EXPLANATION
  BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
  OF
  AN ACT
 REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN
  MEETING
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1This act would amend a public law regarding the fixing of time for the election of officers
2 in the town of Scituate by requiring prior notice and posting of motions to be made from the floor
3 at the annual financial town meeting of the town of Scituate now held on the first Tuesday in the
4 month of June. This requirement would not apply to special meetings held under §§ 45-3-6 or 45-
5 3-7.
6Sections 2 and 3 of this act would take effect upon passage. The remainder of this act would
7 take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on the question at the election
8 prescribed by section 2, by the electors of the town of Scituate at the November 3, 2026, general
9 election.
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