Opinion ID: 2183254
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the power of the general assembly

Text: This court has long recognized that after the adoption of the State Constitution, the powers of the crown and parliament resided in the Legislature, less the power taken therefrom for the federal government and also minus whatever powers were taken from it by the constitution of the State[.] Payne & Butler v. Providence Gas Co., 31 R.I. 295, 315, 77 A. 145, 153 (1910). Unlike the Federal Constitution, which contains grants of enumerated powers, the constitution of this state sets forth limitations upon what is otherwise plenary power in the state Legislature. In re Advisory Opinion to the House of Representatives, 485 A.2d 550, 553 (R.I. 1984). More specifically, this court has consistently adhered to the view that the General Assembly possesses all of the powers inhering in sovereignty other than those which the constitution textually commits to other branches of our state government and that those that are not so committed    are powers reserved to the general assembly. Nugent v. City of East Providence, 103 R.I. 518, 525-26, 238 A.2d 758, 762 (1968); see Kass v. Retirement Board of the Employees' Retirement System of the State of Rhode Island, 567 A.2d 358, 360 (R.I. 1989). Hence, the General Assembly may exercise any of such powers, subject only to those limitations expressly or implicitly found in the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State of Rhode Island. Kass, 567 A.2d at 360; In re Advisory Opinion to the House of Representatives, 485 A.2d at 553. Consequently, in our evaluation of legislative enactments, including those in which judges may hold views inconsistent with the propriety of the legislation in question [we are] afford[ed] no ground for judicial interference unless the legislation at issue can be characterized unmistakably and palpably [as an] excess of legislative power. In re Advisory Opinion to the House of Representatives, 485 A.2d at 552 (quoting Gorham v. Robinson, 57 R.I. 1, 8, 186 A. 832, 837 (1936)). In respect to the authorizing act in question, the plaintiffs have asserted that the enactment represents a valid exercise of legislative authority pursuant to the Governmental Tort Liability Act, chapter 31 of title 9 of the General Laws. General Laws 1956 (1969 Reenactment) § 9-31-5, as amended by P.L. 1973, ch. 255, § 1, provides that: CLAIM APPROPRIATIONS.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter the general assembly may make such appropriations as it shall deem proper in payment of or settlement of claims against the state, provided, however, there is hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated a sum sufficient to pay claims against the state settled pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw his orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sum. Thus, notwithstanding the limitations on damages set forth in § 9-31-2, see supra, the Legislature has reserved to itself the authority to appropriate funds for claims against the state. Absent a finding that the power to appropriate funds has been commit[ted] to other branches of our state government by the constitutional text, such power is reserved to the general assembly as one of the powers inhering in sovereignty. Nugent, 103 R.I. at 525, 238 A.2d at 762. Not only does the State Constitution fail to display such a commitment, but in fact article 6, section 11, explicitly delineates the minimum [v]ote required to pass local or private appropriations. That section stipulates that [t]he assent of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the general assembly shall be required to every bill appropriating the public money or property for local or private purposes.  (Emphasis added.) Therefore it is our conclusion that in the exercise of its plenary power the General Assembly may appropriate public funds for private purposes provided that the minimum vote requirements set forth in article 6, section 11, of the Rhode Island Constitution are met.