HR 7579 Rhode Island House · 2026 Regular Session

JOINT RESOLUTION REPEALING RHODE ISLAND'S RATIFICATION OF THE CORWIN AMENDMENT

This bill (HR 7579) formally rescinds Rhode Island's 1861 ratification of the Corwin Amendment, a proposed constitutional amendment from the Civil War era. The Corwin Amendment aimed to protect slavery by prohibiting future constitutional amendments that could interfere with "domestic institutions" like slavery in states. Rhode Island's ratification is being repealed because the amendment was never adopted by enough states, became obsolete after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery, and has no current legal effect. The resolution is purely procedural, correcting a historical record without changing any existing law or constitutional provisions.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
Jun 2026
Senate Passage
Jun 2026
Signed into Law
Jun 2026
Introduced Feb 6, 2026 Signed Jun 23, 2026
Floor votes · House Jun 3, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
13
Key actions
4
Committee
2
Jun 23, 2026
Signed into law
06/23/2026 Signed by Governor
executive
Jun 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
06/09/2026 Senate passed in concurrence
upper
Jun 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
06/03/2026 House read and passed
lower
May 28, 2026
Legislature · Passed
05/28/2026 Committee recommends passage
legislature
Mar 3, 2026
Committee
03/03/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
legislature
Feb 6, 2026
Introduced
02/06/2026 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections
lower
10 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors