Sen. Elaine Morgan’s end-of-session report card

Only one real success

By Will Collette

Here is Morgan (r) administering a FAKE oath of office to CCA and
Town Council Boss Tom Gentz

Before the General Assembly wrapped up its session for this year, I reviewed the 68 pieces of legislation freshman Tea Party Senator Elaine Morgan of Hopkinton attached her name to and noted that except for a couple of notable exceptions, most of the bills had little or no hope of passage. 

Morgan lent her “me to” co-sponsorship to a total of 54 bills, mostly those sponsored by her fellow Republicans.

She was also the prime sponsor of 14 bills. Since she was the originator of those bills, it makes the most sense to see how those bills did.

Of her 14 bills, six passed.

Two were bills submitted on behalf of the Town of Richmond. One lets the town implement voter-approved Charter changes and the other allows them to shorten voting times by two hours.

None of her Charlestown bills passed. The one Charlestown really wanted was Senate Bill No. 332  which would make the state Water Resources Board open space acquisitions subject to municipal approval – that’s a carry-over from the feud between Planning Commissar Ruth Platner, her husband Cliff Vanover and the Glista family detailed here.

She introduced a Hopkinton business licensing bill, but it was too late to pass.

Two successful bills were condolence resolutions and another, Senate Bill No. 665, authorized Frank Bellestri, a non-clergy person, to perform a wedding.

Her one substantive success was Senate Bill No. 123 which boosts the potential sentence for sex trafficking from a maximum of 40 years to a maximum of fifty.

Though sex traffickers are among the lowest form of scum, how disincentive is it to raise the maximum sentence when it’s already 40 years, not to mention likely federal prosecution in the likely case that the trafficking crossed state lines?

Her sex crimes bill, Senate Bill No. 342, would have expanded who can be charged in trafficking and prostitution cases to include the people who own or control the places where this takes place. The catch, though, is that the prosecutors will have to prove the landlord “knowingly” allowed the trafficking or prostitution to take place on his or her property. Intent is very hard to prove.

The bill passed the Senate but died in the House as the session ended.

The rest of Morgan’s freshman legislative agenda died as well, including Senate Resolution No. 341 and 436, calling for Constitutional amendments, both a variation on the theme that all candidates for all state offices must be elected by absolute majorities of all votes cast.

So did Senate Bill No. 438 to require drug tests on welfare recipients. To repeat my earlier comment, I am waiting for the day when one of these right-wing legislators introduces a bill requiring members of the General Assembly to take a drug test every day of the session.

Morgan is a member of the triumvirate of local Tea Party-crazy freshmen General Assembly members who unseated three of the best members of the General Assembly. Morgan, a Hopkinton dry-cleaner and Tea Partier, upset intelligent and hard-working Sen. Cathie Cool Rumsey on the campaign motto, “warm, not cool,” in the race to represent Hopkinton, Richmond, the northern half of Charlestown and Exeter.

Morgan’s prior political experience was as Hopkinton’s elected Town Sergeant where she was accused in citizen complaints of abusing her office by using her uniform to impersonate a police officer. The town of Hopkinton refused to release the documents underlying those complaints and my complaint against the town under the Access to Public Records Act is still pending.

So until 2016, we’re stuck Morgan and instead of seeing a list of bills that help make Rhode Island a better place for all, we have to settle for what Morgan was able to deliver. Which was not much.

Here is the complete list of all bills sponsored by Morgan directly from the General Assembly legislation tracker database.

Legislative Status Report

Condition: {Session Year: 2015} {Prime Sponsor: Morgan, Elaine}

Senate Bill No. 98

Chapter 17

BY  Morgan

ENTITLED, AN ACT VALIDATING AND RATIFYING AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CHARTER OF THE TOWN OF RICHMOND (Ratifies the amendments to the Richmond town charter passed on November 4, 2014, to the extent such ratification is needed.)

{LC636/1}

01/22/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Housing and Municipal Government

02/09/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/11/2015)

02/11/2015 Committee recommends passage

02/12/2015 Placed on Senate Calendar (02/25/2015)

02/25/2015 Senate read and passed

02/26/2015 Referred to House Municipal Government

02/27/2015 Scheduled for consideration (03/05/2015)

03/05/2015 Committee recommends passage in concurrence

03/26/2015 Placed on House Calendar (04/01/2015)

04/01/2015 House passed in concurrence

04/01/2015 Transmitted to Governor

04/09/2015 Effective without Governor's signature

Senate Bill No. 123

Chapter 42

BY  Morgan, Goodwin, Ottiano, Raptakis, Archambault

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS AND INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE (Increases the penalties for criminal offenses involving the sex trafficking of a minor.)

{LC568/1}

01/22/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

03/27/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/31/2015)

03/31/2015 Committee recommends passage

04/09/2015 Placed on Senate Calendar (04/15/2015)

04/15/2015 Senate read and passed

04/16/2015 Referred to House Judiciary

04/24/2015 Scheduled for consideration (04/29/2015)

04/29/2015 Committee recommends passage in concurrence

05/01/2015 Placed on House Calendar (05/05/2015)

05/05/2015 House passed in concurrence

05/13/2015 Transmitted to Governor

05/21/2015 Signed by Governor

Senate Bill No. 332

(by request)

BY  Morgan, Algiere

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES (Requires consent by a municipality of any land acquisition therein by the water resources board.)

{LC888/1}

02/12/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Housing and Municipal Government

Senate Bill No. 340

BY  Morgan, Kettle, Algiere, Ottiano

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OPEN MEETINGS (Amends the statute relating to compliance with the open meetings law by referring to electronic filing rather than newspaper publication.)

{LC567/1}

02/12/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

04/28/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/30/2015)

04/30/2015 Committee heard

Senate Resolution No. 341

BY  Morgan, Kettle, Gee, Raptakis

ENTITLED, JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS--A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (MAJORITY VOTE REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL OFFICERS' ELECTION) (This proposed amendment to the state constitution, if approved, would require that all winning candidates for election to general office and to the general assembly, receive a majority of the votes cast.)

{LC760/1}

02/12/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

Senate Bill No. 342

BY  Morgan, Goodwin, Kettle, Nesselbush, Ottiano

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- COMMERCIAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY -- PANDERING (Would expand the definition of pandering to include the person in control of the premises where prostitution occurs.)

{LC566/1}

02/12/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

02/24/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/26/2015)

02/26/2015 Committee recommends passage

04/09/2015 Placed on Senate Calendar (04/14/2015)

04/14/2015 Senate read and passed

04/15/2015 Referred to House Judiciary

Senate Resolution No. 360

Resolution 75

BY  Morgan

ENTITLED, SENATE RESOLUTION EXPRESSING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE KENNEY FAMILY ON THE PASSING OF FREDERICK S. KENNEY

{LC1130/1}

02/12/2015 Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar (02/24/2015)

02/24/2015 Senate read and passed

Senate Bill No. 388

Chapter 25

BY  Morgan, Kettle

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- POLL OPENING TIMES (Removes the exemption that the town of Richmond had received, which allowed its polls to open at 9 a.m., rather than 7 a.m., for special and primary elections.)

{LC1551/1}

02/25/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

03/17/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/19/2015)

03/19/2015 Committee recommends passage

03/25/2015 Placed on Senate Calendar (03/31/2015)

03/31/2015 Senate read and passed

04/01/2015 Referred to House Judiciary

04/10/2015 Scheduled for consideration (04/14/2015)

04/14/2015 Committee recommends passage in concurrence

04/28/2015 Placed on House Calendar (04/30/2015)

04/30/2015 House passed in concurrence

04/30/2015 Transmitted to Governor

05/07/2015 Signed by Governor

Senate Resolution No. 436

BY  Morgan, Kettle, Gee, Lombardi, O`Neill

ENTITLED, JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE, PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS--A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (MAJORITY VOTE REQUIREMENT THROUGH INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING FOR GENERAL OFFICERS' ELECTION) (Proposed constitutional amendment that would require all winning candidates for general office and general assembly elections receive a majority of the votes, with an instant runoff voting system if no initial majority of votes is received.)

{LC1620/1}

02/25/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

04/10/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/14/2015)

04/14/2015 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Senate Bill No. 438

BY  Morgan, Kettle, Gee, Lombardi, Raptakis

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ACT -- DRUG TESTING (This act would authorize random drug screening as a condition for continued public assistance, and would provide a mechanism for re-testing those who fail the test.)

{LC1685/1}

02/25/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

Senate Bill No. 439

BY  Morgan, Kettle, Algiere, Raptakis, Nesselbush

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE - DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION ACT (Increases the assessment collected from persons convicted of or placed on probation for domestic violence from one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) to two hundred twenty-five ($225) dollars.)

{LC1460/1}

02/25/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

03/13/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/17/2015)

03/17/2015 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Senate Bill No. 665

Act 64

BY  Morgan

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES (Allows Frank Bellistri to join Ashley Lynn Choquette and Kevin James Wright in marriage on or about June 20, 2015, within the Town of Richmond, Rhode Island.)

{LC2051/1}

03/11/2015 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

03/27/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/31/2015)

03/31/2015 Committee recommends passage

04/09/2015 Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar (04/14/2015)

04/14/2015 Senate read and passed

04/15/2015 Referred to House Judiciary

04/24/2015 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/29/2015)

04/29/2015 Committee recommends passage in concurrence

05/01/2015 Placed on the House Consent Calendar (05/05/2015)

05/05/2015 House passed in concurrence

05/05/2015 Transmitted to Governor

05/13/2015 Effective without Governor's signature

Senate Resolution No. 873

Resolution 243

BY  Morgan, Kettle, Paiva Weed, Lombardi, Sosnowski

ENTITLED, SENATE RESOLUTION EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF WILLIAM J.G. LAWTON, JR.

{LC2589/1}

04/30/2015 Recommended for Immediate Consideration

04/30/2015 Senate read and passed

Senate Bill No. 1025

BY  Morgan

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS (Requires the owner and operator of any business situated in the town of Hopkinton to register that business with the Hopkinton tax assessor, and would impose a twenty-five dollar ($25.00) fee for said registration.)

{LC2979/1}

06/25/2015 Placed on Senate Calendar (06/25/2015)

06/25/2015 Senate read and passed

06/25/2015 Placed on House Calendar (06/25/2015)