Legislation aimed to fill vacancies for attorney general, treasurer, secretary of state passes Senate

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey’s legislation that would create a procedure to fill vacancies in attorney general, treasurer, and secretary of state has passed the Senate.

This legislation would create a special election when these positions become vacant and more than one year was remining on the term.

In the event where there is less than one year on the term the replacement would be filled through a grand committee.

“As it stands now, the General Assembly picks a replacement when a vacancy occurs in the office of secretary of state, general treasurer or attorney general,” said Senator McCaffrey. “This bill takes power away from the Grand Committee, which is a relic of the past, and puts it in the hands of the voters. If there is more than a year left in the term, there is plenty of time to call a special election and let the people decide who they want in these offices.”

In order for this to become law it would have to be approved by Rhode Island voters in a special election to amend the state constitution.