PROVIDENCE - House Speaker William Murphy said today he will no longer
fight what many argue is the constitutionally-mandated removal of
lawmakers from the state Lottery Commission, Coastal Resources
Management Council and other boards.
Voters approved constitutional changes - known as separation of powers -
last year. They require the removal of lawmakers and their designees
from a host of boards and commissions, but Murphy, D-West Warwick, had
argued some - including the powerful state Lottery Commission - were
exempt.
Murphy had said he would seek an advisory opinion from the state Supreme
Court, but said today that he has changed his mind.
"While I still believe there are merits to the legal questions involved
in this issue, I have reached this decision to expedite the
implementation of separation of powers and to honor the will of the
people," he said.
Sen. Michael Lenihan, who plans to introduce legislation implementing
the changes involved in separation of powers, said Murphy's decision was
a surprise, but should help move the process along.
Lenihan, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Oversight,
said there has been no progress on bringing the two chambers together on
legislation implementing separation of powers. He said he has been
trying to meet with Rep. Elaine Coderre, chairwoman of a House panel on
separation of powers.
A message left at Coderre's home was not immediately returned.
ARTICLE TOOLS: 
