6. Each house shall judge of the election and qualifications of its members; and a majority of all the members of each house, whom the towns and senatorial districts are entitled to elect, shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house may have previously prescribed.
7. Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members elected, expel a member; but not a second time for the same cause.
8. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish the same when required by one-fifth of its members. The yeas and nays of the members of either house shall, at the desire of any five members present, be entered on the journal.
9. Neither house shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than two days, nor to any other place than that at which the General Assembly is holding its session.
10. The senators and representatives shall in all cases of civil process be privileged from arrest during the session of the General Assembly, and for two days before the commencement and two days after the termination of any session thereof. For any speech in debate in either house no member shall be called in question in any other place.
11. The civil and military officers heretofore elected in grand committee shall hereafter be elected annually by the General Assembly in joint committee, composed of the two houses of the General Assembly, excepting as is otherwise provided in this constitution, and excepting the captains and subalterns of the militia who shall be elected by the ballots of the members composing their respective companies, in such manner as the General Assembly may prescribe; and such officers so elected shall be approved of and commissioned by the governor, who shall determine their rank, and if said companies shall neglect or refuse to make such elections after being duly notified, then the governor shall appoint suitable persons to fill such offices.
12. Every bill and every resolution requiring the concurrence of the two houses (votes of adjournment accepted) which shall have passed both houses of the General Assembly, shall be presented to the governor for his revision. If he approve of it he shall sign and transmit the same to the secretary of state, but if not he shall return it to the house in which it shall have originated, with his objections thereto which shall be entered at large on their journal. The house shall then proceed to reconsider the bill; and if after such reconsideration that house shall pass it by a majority of all the members elected, it shall be sent with the objections to the other house which shall also reconsider it; and if approved by that house by a majority of all the members elected it shall become a law. If the bill shall not be returned by the governor within forty-eight hours (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall become a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the General Assembly by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law.
13. There shall be two sessions of the General Assembly in every year; one session to be held at Newport, on the first Tuesday of June, for the organization of the government, the election of officers, and for other business; and one other session on the first Tuesday of January, to be held at Providence, in the first year after the adoption of this constitution and in every second year thereafter. In the intermediate years the January session shall be forever hereafter held in the counties of Washington, Kent, or Bristol, as the General Assembly may determine before their adjournment in June.
ARTICLE V.
OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
1. The house of representatives shall consist of members chosen by the electors in the several towns and cities in their respective town and ward meetings annually. 2. The towns and cities shall severally be entitled to elect members according to the apportionment which follows, viz: Newport to elect five; Warwick, four; Smithfield, five; Cumberland, North Providence and Scituate, three; Portsmouth, Westerly, New Shoreham, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, East Greenwich, Glocester, West Greenwich, Coventry, Exeter, Bristol, Tiverton, Little Compton, Warren, Richmond, Cranston, Charlestown, Hopkinton, Johnston, Foster and Burrillville to elect two; and Jamestown, Middletown and Barrington to elect one. 3. In the city of Providence there shall be six representative districts, which shall be the six wards of said city. And the electors resident in said districts for the term of three months next preceding the election at which they offer to vote, shall be entitled to elect two representatives for each district.