General Assembly of Rhode Island

In January of 1973 an act was passed by the General Assembly of Rhode Island to convene a Constitutional Convention to amend the state's constitution. It was the eleventh convention to gather in the state and only the fifth to be held in a limited form. A limited convention is called to restrict the proceedings to specific prearranged constitutional questions. These included the revision of election laws, the repeal of the prohibition of lotteries, the review of legislator compensation, and the reform of Grand Jury functions in the Judicial System.

The convention opened on September 4, 1973 and the delegates began working on producing an item by item referendum to be voted upon during the Nov. 6th general election of that year. During the month the convention was in session a total of ninety-one proposals were submitted as amendments to the constitution. Of those proposals only seven were approved to be on the election ballot. On November 6, 1973 voters passed five of those seven amendments.

The most important amendments that passed dealt with the reforming of election laws, the procedures for amending the state's basic law, and the procedures for calling future open conventions at regular intervals. The two proposals that were rejected in close voter races, were reforms increasing legislative pay to $2,000 per year and giving four year terms to the state's general officers

The 1973 Rhode Island Constitutional Convention can be called one the more productive gatherings in Rhode Island's Constitutional history producing some of the greatest changes in the state's basic law.

From the guide to the Guide to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention of 1973 collection, Rhode Island Constitutional Convention of 1973, 1973, (Phillips Memorial Library, Special and Archival Collections)

Scholars interested in the process of state constitution making have a number of case studies available from the 1960's. During this era several states such as Michigan, New York, Maryland, Connecticut and Hawaii under went this process to update their states' constitution. In 1964 Rhode Island, which possessed one of the most antiquated basic laws in the nation, also attempted to rewrite its fundamental charter.

The State's Constitutional Convention lasted over four years, and its product was soundly defeated by the electorate. But the issues raised at that long-standing assembly and the political power struggles which took place there offer the student of politics a unique glimpse into the processes of our American brand of democracy.

From the guide to the Guide to the 1964-1969 Rhode Island Constitutional Convention, 1964-1969 Rhode Island Constitutional Convention, 1964-1969, (Phillips Memorial Library, Special and Archival Collections)