PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD: Supporting The Rhode Island Civil Rights Enforcement Act

What It Is, A Petition To Put Pressure on the General Assembly to Pass It, And Next Steps

Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash

Steve Ahlquist phrased it best: “[w]hat if I told you that since 1998, the rights enumerated in the Rhode Island State Constitution are merely words on paper, little more than suggestions or aspirational ideals, and that you have no way of civilly enforcing those rights?”

That statement should concern all Rhode Islanders. State governments have always been “laboratories of democracy.” In a world where the Supreme Court has completely given up on its role to enforce the civil rights of our fellow Americans, our state governments—now more than ever—need to remember that “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”

They also need to remember that state government officials can and will ignore your rights unless they are given a reason not to ignore your rights. That, in a nutshell, is why I support the efforts to change the current status quo and give the rights in the Rhode Island State Constitution real teeth…

via THE RHODE ISLAND CIVIL RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT ACT, legislation that gives individuals the right to sue in court for violations of the Rhode Island State Constitution specifically.

There is much more to say, but Steve Ahlquist and Attorney Richard Sinapi have already said it. So let me cut straight to the chase: we have a little less than a week to put the pressure on the RI General Assembly, our local state legislature, to pass this Bill. Here is what you can do:

1. Sign this petition to “Make Government Pay When It Violates Your Rights.” It will be sent to both the Bill’s sponsors in the legislature and to the leadership of the General Assembly.

2. Send an email (a QUICK EMAIL) to the General Assembly leadership that says the following: “Please support the passage of H7352 and S2607 by the General Assembly to restore my right to obtain a remedy in court for any harm caused due to a violation of my state Constitutional Rights.”

   Here is who to contact:

a) Senate Judiciary Chair Matthew L. LaMountain at sen-lamountain@rilegislature.gov and (401) 206-0822

b) Senate Sponsor Jake Bissaillon at jbissailon@rilegislature.gov and (401) 276-5563

c) House Speaker Chris Blazejewski at rep-blazejewski@rilegislature.gov and (401) 222-2466

d) Senate President Val Lawson at sen-lawson@rilegislature.gov and (401) 222-4901

e) House Majority Leader Katherine Kazarian at rep-kazarian@rilegislature.gov and (401) 222-1723

f) Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone at sen-ciccone@rilegislature.gov and (401) 276-5579

g) House Sponsor and Judiciary Chair Carol H. McEntee at rep-mcentee@rilegislature.gov and (401) 222-4435

3. Spread the word about this petition via the following (QUICK) email:

PETITION BEING CIRCULATED—forward to everybody

Did you know that according to our state supreme court and federal court, there is no way to seek a remedy in court for a violation of your state constitutional rights unless the General Assembly passes a law saying that it can?

Even though these rights and protections were passed and approved by a vote of the people through various referenda dating back to 1843?

Do you want to do something about this?

THEN, sign onto this petition: https://rifreedom.org/civilrightsenforcement/.

And send a message to the General Assembly leadership:

a) Senate Judiciary Chair Matthew L. LaMountain at sen-lamountain@rilegislature.gov and (401) 206-0822

b) Senate Sponsor Jake Bissaillon at jbissailon@rilegislature.gov and (401) 276-5563

c) House Speaker Chris Blazejewski at rep-blazejewski@rilegislature.gov and (401) 222-2466

d) Senate President Val Lawson at sen-lawson@rilegislature.gov and (401) 222-4901

e) House Majority Leader Katherine Kazarian at rep-kazarian@rilegislature.gov and (401) 222-1723

f) Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone at sen-ciccone@rilegislature.gov and (401) 276-5579

g) House Sponsor and Judiciary Chair Carol H. McEntee at rep-mcentee@rilegislature.gov and (401) 222-4435

4. FINALLY, on Tuesday, Attorney Sinapi will be meeting with House Speaker Blazejewski at Blazejewski’s office in Room 323 of the Rhode Island State House. This meeting will take place on Tuesday during the “Rise of the House,” or the time when the Rhode Island House of Representatives finishes with its formal business for the day in the chamber.

   The House usually begins its formal business around 4 PM, and generally takes about 2 hours or so, so consider stopping by—if you can—after your shift to be a part of a peaceful, public demonstration outside Speaker Blazejewski’s office.

   If you are not able to make it then, consider submitting a statement about your support for the Bill to davidsalzillojr@gmail.com, and I will print it out and present it to Speaker Blazejewski and/or other General Assembly leadership.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN GIVING THE RHODE ISLAND STATE CONSTITUTION REAL POWER!!!