PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island state lawmakers are considering a proposal to give the governor power to veto parts of the state budget, but they want to study it first.
The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a Tuesday hearing on legislation to create a 7-member commission to study the line-item veto. Rhode Island is among a handful of states where governors don’t have line-item veto power.
Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo has said such authority would promote fiscal responsibility.
The commission would have to report its findings to legislators by February, leaving time to consider a constitutional amendment ballot measure in the November 2018 election. The commission also would study other constitutional changes, such as having a runoff election for governor’s races and electing the governor and lieutenant governor as a team.
