JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE -- COMBINING THE OFFICES OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND SECRETARY OF STATE (Proposes an amendment to the State Constitution, Article IV, Section 1, that would combine the offices of lieutenant governor and secretary of state, commencing with the 2028 election.)

Combining the Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Offices

This bill proposes a change to Rhode Island's state constitution that would merge two separate elected positions — the Lieutenant Governor and the Secretary of State — into a single combined office. Because this would alter the state constitution, the change cannot simply be passed by the legislature alone. Instead, if approved by the General Assembly, it would be placed on the ballot for Rhode Island voters to decide. The earliest this new combined office would take effect is the 2028 election.

Currently, Rhode Island voters elect a Lieutenant Governor and a Secretary of State as two distinct positions, each with their own responsibilities. The Lieutenant Governor primarily serves as a backup to the Governor and holds some administrative duties, while the Secretary of State manages elections, business registrations, and official state records. Under this proposal, one person would hold both sets of responsibilities simultaneously.

This change would directly affect Rhode Island voters, who would lose the ability to cast separate votes for these two offices. It could also impact state government operations, since one official would be responsible for a broader range of duties. Supporters of such mergers typically argue they save money and streamline government, while critics often raise concerns about consolidating too much responsibility in one position — though this summary takes no position on those arguments.

It is worth noting that as of the most recent update, the bill's sponsor requested that consideration be postponed, meaning it is not currently moving forward in the legislative process. Rhode Island voters would have the final say if the measure ever makes it onto a future ballot.