§ 22-11-3.1. Rules and regulations. (a) The joint committee on legislative services is authorized and empowered to adopt any rules and regulations that are deemed necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter, a copy of which rules and regulations shall be filed with the secretary of state and available for public inspection; provided, that each permanent and continuing office or agency within the legislative department, established by statute and to which funds are specifically appropriated, will maintain and be responsible for exercising its own internal financial and personnel controls. In the formation of these rules and regulations, the joint committee shall take into consideration and conform to, where practicable, existing policies governing financial and personnel practices within the executive branch of government.

(b) The joint committee on legislative services is authorized and empowered to adopt rules and regulations, consistent with the rules of each house of the general assembly, designed to provide electronic services and products to its elected members and, incrementally, to make electronic services and products regarding its proceedings available to the citizens of this state. The joint committee on legislative services shall prioritize general assembly proceedings and legislative information to be made incrementally accessible in a timely manner, including:

(1) A list of all members of the general assembly with their addresses and telephone numbers and all committees of the general assembly and their members;

(2) The history and status of every bill introduced and amended in each current legislative session;

(3) The current calendars of the house and the senate and of all legislative committees;

(4) The text of every bill introduced and to be printed in the current legislative session, including the amended or substitute form of each bill, and the text of every bill as enacted;

(5) The general laws;

(6) The Rhode Island Constitution; and

(7) The senate and house journals.

(c) It shall be solely and exclusively within the discretion of the joint committee on legislative services, when providing access, to include and require, in written contracts for electronic services and products, provisions that:

(1) Protect the security and integrity of the information system of the general assembly;

(2) Limit any potential liability of the general assembly in providing public access to electronic services and products;

(3) Ensure that access of non-disclosable information is prohibited;

(4) Provide protection against intentional or accidental disclosure, modification, or destruction of records.

History of Section. (P.L. 1968, ch. 99, § 8; P.L. 1988, ch. 489, § 2; P.L. 1994, ch. 377, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 292, § 72.)