JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE -- REFERENDUM ON LINE ITEM VETO (Proposed amendment to the Constitution provides the governor with a line item veto on the budget and other bills for the appropriation of money.)

Rhode Island Line Item Veto Constitutional Amendment

This bill proposes a change to the Rhode Island State Constitution that would give the governor a new power called a "line item veto." Right now, when the governor receives a budget or spending bill from the legislature, they must either approve the entire bill or reject it all at once. A line item veto would allow the governor to reject specific individual spending items within a larger bill, while still approving the rest of it. Because this would change the state constitution, Rhode Island voters — not just lawmakers — would have the final say on whether to adopt it.

The process works in two steps. First, the state legislature must approve the resolution, which would place the question on the ballot. Then, Rhode Island voters would cast their ballots in a referendum to decide whether to permanently add this power to the state constitution. Only if voters say "yes" would the change take effect.

This change would affect the balance of power between the governor and the General Assembly (Rhode Island's legislature). Currently, the legislature has strong control over the state budget. If passed, the governor would gain more influence over how taxpayer money is spent by being able to cut specific items without blocking an entire spending bill. This could make it easier to remove individual projects or expenses the governor opposes, while allowing the broader budget to move forward. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it will be reviewed before any further action is taken.