Sen. Lynch Prata’s Joint Committee of the Repealer bill passes Senate

STATE HOUSE – The Rhode Island Senate has approved legislation (2016-S
2224)
sponsored by Sen. Erin Lynch Prata (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston) to establish a
new General Assembly Joint Committee of the Repealer, to be tasked with the job of
combing through Rhode Island’s laws and proposing which outdated statutes should be
repealed.
“The new Joint Committee will be a big step forward to ensuring that the state’s
laws are adapted to the 21st century, and that no statute from the 1950s, or before
or since, is hurting us economically today,” she said.
The Joint Committee of the Repealer would have the formal power to compile a list of
statutes, regulations and executive orders that it recommends for repeal, based on
suggestions received from citizens, agencies and the business community, such as
“those that are not considered ‘business-friendly,’ and those that are archaic and
out of date.”
Senator Lynch Prata hopes that with the passage of her bill in the Senate, Rhode
Island will adapt the idea to its own economic needs and ensure that businesses are
not restrained by unnecessary and out-of-date legislation.
“I think this committee is large part of what Rhode Island needs,” said Senator
Lynch Prata. “If we can clean up our outdated laws and ease the burden on our
businesses, we’re definitely on the right track.”
Cosponsors of the legislation are Sen. Frank S. Lombardi (D-Dist. 26, Cranston),
Sen. James E. Doyle II (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket), Sen. William J. Conley, Jr. (D-Dist.
18, East Providence, Pawtucket), and Sen. Stephen R. Archambault (D-Dist. 22,
Smithfield, Johnston, North Providence).
A companion bill in the House of Representatives (2016-H
7174)
was introduced by House Majority Whip John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton,
Portsmouth) and is before the House Committee on Judiciary.