Legislative and Legal Rights Committee

Catherine Graziano, Chair

Purpose/Description
The Legislative and Legal Rights Committee is established for the purpose of advising and assisting the RICW on matters relating to the legal rights of women, to monitor and review existing and proposed legislation pertaining to women and to make recommendations to the Executive Committee/Full Commission on these issues.

FY 2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In FY 2007 the Legislative and Legal Rights Committee reviewed twenty-four State and seven Federal bills. The Rhode Island Commission on Women voted to take action on ten State Bills, as follows:

RI Bills:

S. 0692/H. 5423/H. 5126/Relating to Criminal Offenses – Trafficking in Persons H. 5355/Relating to Criminal Offenses – Prostitution and Lewdness The Rhode Island Commission on Women supported these bills on principal. S. 0692 Sub B passed in concurrence and was signed into law on June 27, 2007.

S. 0360/Amending the Joint Resolution Creating a Permanent legislative Commission on Child Care - The Rhode Island Commission on Women supported this resolution. The resolution passed in concurrence on June 19, 2007.

S. 0024/Relating to Criminal Offenses- Failure to Pay Child Support - The Rhode Island Commission on Women supported this bill. The bill died in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

H. 5077/Relating to Renaming the new Sakonnet Bridge The Rhode Island Commission on Women supported this bill. The bill died in the House Municipal Government Committee.

H. 5294/Relating to Labor and Labor Relations – Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action - The Rhode Island Commission on Women supported this bill. The bill passed the House but died in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

S. 0205/Relating to Criminal Offenses – Sexual Assault - The Rhode Island Commission on Women supported this bill. The bill died in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

H. 5290/Relating to Courts and Civil Procedure – General Government Tort Liability - The RIC supported this bill. The bill died in the House Judiciary Committee.

Federal Bills:

H.R. 20/Melanie Blocker Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act and H.R. 88/Eating Disorders Awareness, Prevention and Education Act of 2007 The Rhode Island Commission on Women supported both of these acts by urging Congressman Kennedy to include them in his Mental Health Bill. Congressman Kennedy has signed on as a co-sponsor on H.R. 20.

H.R. 406/S. 826/Alice Paul Congressional Gold Medal Act The Rhode Island Commission on Women supported this act by urging Rhode Island’s United States Senators and Congressman to sign on as co-sponsors of this bill. Congressman Kennedy did so.