CAMPAIGN: 2022 RI Primary Candidate Surveys

1. Do you support passage of the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act, which would provide Medicaid funding and state employee health insurance coverage for abortion?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

2. Do you support a state constitutional amendment that would establish a legal right to an adequate, equitable and meaningful public education?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

3. Do you support repeal of the state’s photo “Voter ID” law?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

4. Do you support requiring a fiscal impact statement for any legislation that establishes new criminal offenses or increases prison sentences for existing criminal offenses?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

5. Do you support passage of legislation eliminating the sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): No
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

6. Do you support reinstatement of a law mandating that police collect data on traffic stops and searches and having an independent analysis of that data to examine racial disparities?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

7. Do you support the reduction of state funding for school resource officers and a focus instead on increased counseling and mental health support services in schools?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

8. Do you support the passage of legislation that would ban, except in very limited circumstances, the use of out-of-school suspensions on elementary school students?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

9. Do you support the passage of legislation that would set limits on the use of “automated license plate reader” surveillance technology by law enforcement?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): Yes
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

10. Do you support the passage of legislation that would generally bar school administrators from accessing the camera and microphone of school-loaned computers when students are outside of school?

Matt Brown (D): Yes
Helena Foulkes (D): Yes
Nellie Gorbea (D): No
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): Yes
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

11. Do you believe businesses should have the right to refuse goods or services to the public on religious grounds if it conflicts with state anti-discrimination laws?

Matt Brown (D): No
Helena Foulkes (D): No
Nellie Gorbea (D): No
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): "Not if goods and services are essential to the health and survival of people (Food, Medicine, Safety). I also do not think that any businesses receiving public dollars (federal or local) are entirely 'private businesses.'"
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

12. Please note any police reform legislation you would actively support.

Matt Brown (D): "I am an active supporter of repealing the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill Of Rights. We already have a Bill of Rights that applies to everyone, but LEOBOR provides special protections to police officers, allowing them to avoid accountability when they break the law. I also support removing SROs from schools completely."
Helena Foulkes (D): "I fully support reforming LEOBOR."
Nellie Gorbea (D): "This will depend on the legislation proposed. I do support efforts to modernize the professional development and accountability of our police officers. Issues of racial disparity still plague our judicial system and need to be addressed from the police to the courts and beyond. I also believe that new models for public safety that take greater inclusion by the community are necessary to help address racial and economic disparities in the implementation of laws."
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): "Unlike the ACLU, I believe that LEOBOR should be repealed, not reformed."
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

13. Please indicate any ways you would use your role as Governor to promote civil rights and civil liberties.

Matt Brown (D): "As Governor I will fight to repeal LEOBOR, free all nonviolent drug offenders and immediately expunge their records, end cash bail, end solitary confinement, ban private prisons, end the state’s cooperation with ICE, invest in mental health services and drug overdose prevention, pass the EACA, repeal the voter ID law, and protect the right to protest. But no Governor can do these things alone. That’s why I’m running alongside Senator Cynthia Mendes, who is running for Lt. Governor, and dozens of progressive candidates for the state legislature. When we win, we will finally be able to pass legislation protecting the civil liberties of all Rhode Islanders."
Helena Foulkes (D): No comments
Nellie Gorbea (D): "One of my biggest roles as Governor is to assure the accountability and efficiency of government. I’m running for Governor so that our economy can grow by making government work for people. Protecting civil rights and liberties is a key action for the Governor. I welcome the opportunity to discuss ways in which you at ACLURI see ways for me as governor to protect civil liberties and civil rights."
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): "I’m actively fighting for equity and inclusion, and facing exclusionary policies that perpetuate systemic racism. My policy positions and plans are detailed at www.Governor2022.com …"
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 

Matt Brown (D): No additional comments
Helena Foulkes (D): No additional comments
Nellie Gorbea (D): "For nearly 30 years in my community advocacy and leadership in Rhode Island I have worked with the ACLU of RI to promote civil rights and liberties. My first work in this area was serving alongside the ACLU-RI in the Motor Voter Task Force at the RI Board of Elections in 1996. As a leader in the Latinx community, I frequently also worked with the ACLU-RI. Now as Secretary of State, I have been able to work from the government side on promoting civil rights and liberties - ensuring transparency and accountability in government, protecting voting rights and expanding access to voting – even during a pandemic. Given my past track record, you have a high degree of certainty that I would do this work again from the position of Governor. It is on the basis of that experience and my work that I seek the ACLU – RI’s endorsement."*
Ashley Kalus (R): No response
Daniel McKee (D): No response
Luis Muñoz (D): No additional comments
Jonathan Riccitelli (R): No response

*Affiliate note: The ACLU of Rhode Island is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization which does not provide candidate endorsements.

1. Do you support passage of the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act, which would provide Medicaid funding and state employee health insurance coverage for abortion?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

2. Do you support a state constitutional amendment that would establish a legal right to an adequate, equitable and meaningful public education?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

3. Do you support repeal of the state’s photo “Voter ID” law?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

4. Do you support requiring a fiscal impact statement for any legislation that establishes new criminal offenses or increases prison sentences for existing criminal offenses?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

5. Do you support passage of legislation eliminating the sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

6. Do you support reinstatement of a law mandating that police collect data on traffic stops and searches and having an independent analysis of that data to examine racial disparities?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

7. Do you support the reduction of state funding for school resource officers and a focus instead on increased counseling and mental health support services in schools?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): No
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

8. Do you support the passage of legislation that would ban, except in very limited circumstances, the use of out-of-school suspensions on elementary school students?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

9. Do you support the passage of legislation that would set limits on the use of “automated license plate reader” surveillance technology by law enforcement?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

10. Do you support the passage of legislation that would generally bar school administrators from accessing the camera and microphone of school-loaned computers when students are outside of school?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): Yes
Cynthia Mendes (D): Yes
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): Yes

11. Do you believe businesses should have the right to refuse goods or services to the public on religious grounds if it conflicts with state anti-discrimination laws?

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): No
Cynthia Mendes (D): No
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): No

12. Please note any police reform legislation you would actively support.

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): "I support reforms to the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights consistent with the recommendations of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association."
Cynthia Mendes (D): "I am an active supporter of repealing the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill Of Rights. We already have a Bill of Rights that applies to everyone, but LEOBOR provides special protections to police officers, allowing them to avoid accountability when they break the law. I also support removing SROs from schools completely."
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): "The state needs to reform LEOBOR. I agree with civilians being on the panel -- RI Human Rights Commission and Dean of RWU Law School. Police should be treated like other municipal employees who ask for a hearing and after the decision/punishment request an appeal."

13. Please indicate any ways you would use your role as Governor to promote civil rights and civil liberties.

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): "I have spent my entire career fighting for the rights of those who have not historically had representation or an equal voice in the decisions that impact their lives. I came to this country as a young woman without knowing English. I put myself through school while also working full time. I spent years navigating the systems where most people do not look like me or know the challenges faced in my community. I know that it’s those whose circumstances do not fit the mold, whose challenges are not well understood, whose needs are not always part of the discussion, who are the most vulnerable and in need of the protection that organizations like the ACLU work to protect. As Lieutenant Governor, I have brought a fresh perspective to the office and given a voice to those who have not previously had a seat at the table. As LG, I lead the state’s Equity Council, where we work to address racism and injustice throughout the state."
Cynthia Mendes (D): "As Lieutenant Governor, I will fight, push, pressure, and use all the power I have to repeal LEOBOR, pass the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act, free all nonviolent drug offenders and immediately expunge their records, end cash bail, end solitary confinement, ban for-profit prisons, invest in mental health services and drug overdose prevention through harm reduction policies, protect the right to protest, end predatory lending, and defend our civil liberties."
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): "The office plays an important leadership role in ensuring that ALL citizens are heard and protected under our laws on human rights, gay rights, and civil rights. I’ve been a champion for women’s reproductive choice for decades. As co-sponsor of the Reproductive Privacy Act, which we passed into law in 2019, it is a back stop so women will have access to safe and affordable abortion despite our worst fear with the U.S. Supreme Court repealing a 50 year constitutional right for women’s reproductive health. As Lt. Governor, I will ensure that the EACA is in the Governor’s budget next year when it’s introduced in January 2023."

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 

Aaron Guckian (R): No response
Sabina Matos (D): "Since I was sworn in as Lt. Governor a year and a half ago, I have revitalized the office of the Lt. Governor. I played a key role to secure $250 million in housing and worked closely with the Governor to eliminate the car tax and strengthen Rhode Island’s gun law. And while my opponents have mixed records on reproductive rights, I used the full force of my office and my decades of work fighting for women’s healthcare to get Governor McKee to support an expansion of abortion rights after the disastrous Supreme Court ruling. Serving as your Lt. Governor is a true honor and a huge responsibility."
Cynthia Mendes (D): "In my time in the Senate, I leaned heavily on the testimony and reports I received from the ACLU. From redistricting to predatory lending I would rely on the information the ACLU provided and the critiques of a bill they had. I would bring questions to committee meetings as well as to the floor inspired by the communication the ACLU sent to my office. I would also use this in my constituent communication; sometimes referencing the ACLU in my emails, posts, and newsletters. I was a better legislator because of the ACLU's consistent and thorough analysis of legislation. I want to highlight this because as a working-class person who does not have a legal background and yet was deeply committed to voting my values, I can not explain how helpful this was to me."
Paul Pence (R): No response
Deborah Ruggiero (D): No additional comments

1. Do you support requiring a fiscal impact statement for any legislation that establishes new criminal offenses or increases prison sentences for existing criminal offenses?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

2. Do you support passage of legislation eliminating the sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

3. Do you support legislation reducing the use of money bail as a condition of pre-trial release to ensure that individuals are not incarcerated solely on the basis of their inability to pay?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

4. Do you support reinstatement of a law mandating police collection of traffic stop and search data and an independent analysis of that data to examine racial disparities?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

5. Do you support the reduction of state funding for school resource officers and a focus instead on increased counseling and mental health support services in schools?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

6.  Do you support mandatory minimum sentences?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

7. Do you support the passage of legislation that would set limits on the use of “automated license plate reader” surveillance technology by law enforcement?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

8. Do you support revising the definition of a “misdemeanor” from one year to 364 days in order to avert the deportation of immigrants under federal law based solely on misdemeanor convictions?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

9. Do you support limits on police inquiries about the immigration status of crime victims or witnesses unless necessary to investigate criminal activity that is unrelated to enforcing immigration law?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

10. Do you support laws imposing residency restrictions for sex offenders?

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

11. Please note any police reform legislation you would actively support.

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

12. Please note any criminal justice reform legislation you would actively support.

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 

Charles Calenda (R): No response
Peter Neronha (D): No response

1. Do you support a constitutional amendment allowing for same day voter registration?

Gregg Amore (D): Yes
Stephanie Beaute (D): Yes
Pat Cortellessa (R): No

2. “Prison gerrymandering” is a term given to the practice of counting inmates, for purposes of drawing voting districts, as residents of their place of incarceration, rather than their home address from which they otherwise must vote. Do you support legislation that would eliminate prison gerrymandering in Rhode Island?

Gregg Amore (D): Yes
Stephanie Beaute (D): Yes
Pat Cortellessa (R): No

3. Any voter who goes to the wrong polling place on election day is given a provisional ballot, but only their votes for federal office are counted. Do you support legislation that would provide for counting votes cast on provisional ballots for all offices for which the voter is legally eligible to vote?

Gregg Amore (D): Yes
Stephanie Beaute (D): Yes
Pat Cortellessa (R): Yes

4. Do you support the repeal of the state's photo “Voter ID” statute?

Gregg Amore (D): "While I have supported the repeal of this law in the past – it now has support from leaders in the voter access space like Stacy Abrams and is widely accepted by the public which is evidenced by polling. Rhode Island has one of the most expansive and inclusive Voter ID laws in the nation. I am committed to making sure every Rhode Islander has access to the tools they need to be able to exercise their most fundamental right – the right to vote – by making the process open, transparent, and accessible, and getting folks the ID they need to vote."
Stephanie Beaute (D): Yes
Pat Cortellessa (R): No

5. Do you support requiring major public bodies in holding in-person meetings to allow for public attendance and participation remotely as well?

Gregg Amore (D): Yes
Stephanie Beaute (D): Yes
Pat Cortellessa (R): Yes

6. The Attorney General’s office is currently charged with the duty of interpreting and enforcing the Open Meetings Act and the Access to Public Records Act. In light of the Secretary of State’s involvement with public records maintenance and its responsibility for maintaining a web site of all open meetings, do you support moving enforcement of these laws to the office of the Secretary of State?

Gregg Amore (D): "As a matter of due process, I do not believe that a singular agency should have the responsibility of being judge, jury and executioner. While I believe that the issue is analogous to the interaction of the Board of Elections and the office of Attorney General with regards to campaign finance violations and that the office of the Secretary of State should have a larger role in the enforcement of our open meetings and public records laws, the office of Secretary of State as it is presently constituted does not have the staffing or the resources necessary to take on the added responsibility of enforcing the Open Meetings Act and the Access to Public Records Act.

Bifurcating the responsibilities of the office of Secretary of State and the office of Attorney General may address the due process concerns of the agencies impacted by the laws, however having an agency attempt to enforce the laws without having the adequate resources to address the complaints brought to its attention would not serve the public’s interest in ensuring an open and transparent government.

As Secretary of State one of the first steps I plan on taking is working with my fellow general officers and other branches of government to eliminate duplicative services and streamline the responsibilities and policies of the office.

A practical and efficient way to improve the open meetings law would be to improve the SOS web page infrastructure to create a universal portal where city and town postings and all supporting documentation and information could be accessible in a one stop, consistent and user-friendly platform."

Stephanie Beaute (D): Yes
Pat Cortellessa (R): No

7. What changes to improve the Access to Public Records Act and the Open Meetings Act would you actively support in order to promote government accountability and transparency?

Gregg Amore (D): "I believe that we should consider exempting those materials that are made available on an agency’s website from having to be produced by the agency as part of any request. This would encourage agencies to make information more readily available much in the way that Covid caused the House to provide all the written testimony submitted to the committees available on the general assembly’s website.

While APRA makes clear that an agency is not responsible for researching and analyzing APRA requests to provide the answers to questions the requester may be looking for in the documents, as a practical matter I have been told of situations where agencies are expanding an hour of free search time to produce records that are already available to the public online. Ideally agencies would recognize that it is more cost effective for them to make more of their information available online and thus provide more open and transparent government.

The exemption would be limited only to those documents that the requester can be directed to and would not limit the ability of the requester to appeal the decision or forward a complaint to the office of the Attorney General."

Stephanie Beaute (D):

"ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS ACT

• Passed and signed into law in 2013.
• Not much to the law itself, it is straightforward with its definition.
  • Would look to update it with a post COVID-19 perspective.
  • Include discussions surrounding DHS (Department of Human Services) on how to update and modernize the legislation.
  • Lack of inclusivity in its wording.
  • Resource should be readily available and accessible online access should also encompass disabilities and inclusive of that once uploaded, as some people might find its current state difficult to interpret.
    • An observation the page is not user friendly, too many clicks to access the material in question.
  • A concern is the bureaucracy around paying .15 for a copy and to learn that you can be denied the requested records that are in fact public.
  • al for copies of requested

OPEN MEETINGS ACT

• RI Gen. Laws 42-46-3
• Include in legislation the maintenance of a hybrid option for all.
  • • This means that meetings cannot commence until it is live and active (include audio and visual)
    • Online presence should not be an afterthought and be engaged and encourage active constituent participation; this will help have an inclusive approach to drafting any future legislation.
• Modernized like the suggestions outlined above which include but not limited inclusive language.
• Allow for the “minutes” and recordings easy to locate for members of the general public.
• Accessibility and availability example:
  • • QR codes to be placed on the municipality calendars that allows direct access to constituents."

Pat Cortellessa (R): "no fees to obtain documentation"

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Gregg Amore (D): No additional comments
Stephanie Beaute (D): No additional comments
Pat Cortellessa (R): No additional comments

1. Do you support passage of a federal law to guarantee nationwide access to safe and legal abortion care?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

2. Do you support passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

3. Do you support the passage of federal legislation that would provide a private cause of action for individuals whose constitutional rights are violated by federal law enforcement officials?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

4. Do you support the passage of legislation to provide LGBTQ+ people with explicit protection against discrimination under federal civil rights laws?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

5. Do you support the passage of legislation to create a pathway to citizenship and legal residency for some undocumented immigrants?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

6. Do you support granting statehood to Washington D.C.?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

7. Do you support legislation that would end the long-standing criminal sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

8. Do you support efforts to reinstate Title 42, the policy that authorizes the expulsion of people seeking asylum at the border without an opportunity for them to first seek protection under U.S. laws?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

9. Do you support the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would require employers to make reasonable accommodations for qualified employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

10. Do you support legislation which would abolish the federal death penalty?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

11. Do you support legislation to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level?

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

David Cicilline (D): No response
Allen Waters (R): No response


 

1. Do you support passage of a federal law to guarantee nationwide access to safe and legal abortion care?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

2. Do you support passage of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

3. Do you support the passage of federal legislation that would provide a private cause of action for individuals whose constitutional rights are violated by federal law enforcement officials?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

4. Do you support the passage of legislation to provide LGBTQ+ people with explicit protection against discrimination under federal civil rights laws?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

5. Do you support the passage of legislation to create a pathway to citizenship and legal residency for some undocumented immigrants?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

6. Do you support granting statehood to Washington D.C.?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

7. Do you support legislation that would end the long-standing criminal sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

8. Do you support efforts to reinstate Title 42, the policy that authorizes the expulsion of people seeking asylum at the border without an opportunity for them to first seek protection under U.S. laws?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): No
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): "I support comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border and strengthens the systems in place to lawfully and humanely manage asylum seekers who present themselves at the US border."
Sarah Morgenthau (D): No
David Segal (D): "NO — I support the repeal of Title 42"

9. Do you support the passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which would require employers to make reasonable accommodations for qualified employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

10. Do you support legislation which would abolish the federal death penalty?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

11. Do you support legislation to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level?

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): Yes
Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): Yes
Sarah Morgenthau (D): Yes
David Segal (D): Yes

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Omar Bah (D): No response
Spencer Dickinson (D): Due to disagreeing with surveys as a platform, declined to respond
Joy Fox (D): "Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the ACLU candidate survey process. I entered this race because I bring a unique set of qualifications and a different perspective. I have covered municipal government as a reporter in Cranston and Warwick; worked in our state’s correctional system working to create a balance between criminal justice and social justice; served at a federal level with Congressman Jim Langevin, most notably during the passage of the Affordable Care Act; and worked for former Governor Gina Raimondo on various issues from education, workforce development and much more. I understand the work that must happen to move meaningful, structural, and sustainable change forward.

I believe it is important now more than ever to protect voting rights and reproductive rights, and give those who are seeking a better life in America that opportunity by opposing policies like Title 42.

Thank you for the work you do to protect the rights and freedom of Rhode Islanders, and I look forward to working with you on these important issues."

Allan Fung (R): No response
Seth Magaziner (D): No additional comments
Sarah Morgenthau (D): "I served as a Regional Board Member at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) between 2018 and 2021. ADL is a Member of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR), and fights to ensure access to voting, counters discrimination and hate crimes, and advance racial justice. I also served at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during a critical time for oversight of DHS's work, particularly in regards to the Muslim Community. As the lead for partnerships, I helped bridge divides between the civil rights community, communities of color, and law enforcement.

I also feel a deep personal connection to the ACLU due to my family’s history of public service. My Great Grandfather, Henry Morgenthau Sr., served as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and during his service called international attention to the Armenian genocide. My Grandfather Henry Morgenthau Jr. served as Treasury Secretary for FDR, and fought against an openly antisemetic State Department.

In Congress, I wish to continue that legacy. I recently spoke out against an incident of antisemitism in Rhode Island in an Op-Ed I penned for The Forward, which you can find at: forward.com/opinion/512019.

I am grateful for the ACLU of Rhode Island’s consideration, and hope to work together to protect and advance Rhode Islanders’ civil liberties."

David Segal (D): "I’ve worked to protect civil liberties and civil rights at the local, state and federal levels for 20 years — ranging from pushing for policing reforms while a member of the City Council in Providence; to working to protect immigrants, reform criminal justice, push for protection of abortion rights, and enshrine rights for the LGBTQ community while serving in the State House; to opposing mass surveillance and censorship as a federal advocate. To take just one recent example, my work was dispositive of the sunset of key provisions of the Patriot Act in 2020 (such as Section 215, under which most Americans’ telephone metadata was once collected).

I’ll continue to prioritize the protection of civil liberties and civil rights should I be elected to Congress. As a longstanding community and political organizer, I particularly cherish these rights and understand the constant work that is necessary to safeguard them."

1. Do you support restricting the City’s participation in efforts by states that criminalize abortion to obtain information about individuals who travel to Providence seeking abortion care?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): Yes

2. Do you support legislative passage of a state constitutional amendment that would establish a legal right to an adequate, equitable and meaningful public education?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): Yes

3. Do you support reinstatement of a law mandating police collection of traffic stop and search data and an independent analysis of that data to examine racial disparities?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): Yes

4. Do you support repeal of the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): No

5. Do you support the reduction of state and city funding for school resource officers and a focus instead on increased counseling and mental health support services in schools?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes, "I support removing SROs from our schools."
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): No

6. Do you support the passage of legislation or school district policy that would ban, except in very limited circumstances, the use of out-of-school suspensions on elementary school students?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): Yes

7. Do you support the passage of legislation or school district policy that would generally bar school administrators from accessing the camera and microphone of school-loaned computers when students are outside of school?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes, "With the exception of when students are actively engaged in distance learning with a teacher and their peers. In this case only the teacher would have access, not admin"
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): Yes

8. Do you support the passage of an ordinance that would set limits on the use of “automated license plate readers” by the police department? 

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes, "Position stated in WPRI story by Steph Machado."
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): Yes

9. Do you believe businesses should have the right to refuse goods or services to the public on religious grounds if it conflicts with state or municipal laws banning discrimination in public accommodations?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): No, "No business should have the right to discriminate against anyone. EVER."
Nirva LaFortune (D): No
Brett Smiley (D): No

10. Do you support restricting police access to harm reduction centers as an integral part of the public health service of these centers?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): Yes

11. Do you support the creation of mental health or crisis hotlines that would bypass police involvement in relevant circumstances?

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): Yes
Nirva LaFortune (D): Yes
Brett Smiley (D): Yes

12. Please note any police reform at the municipal level that you would actively support.

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): " -Invest in youth + communities to address root causes.
-Train all public safety personnel in nonviolence + equity.
-Support repeal of LEOBOR.
-Expand crisis intervention model to move away from uniformed default response.
-Reform City policy around charging + prosecuting misdemeanors.
-Create 'Post Overdose Incident Placement Teams'"

Nirva LaFortune (D): "I will begin working with Healthy Communities and the Department of Public Safety to begin drafting a comprehensive, citywide public safety plan that will begin to be executed on day one and that incorporates and supports the expansion of the crisis response initiative. I led the effort to lead the first behavioral health crisis program in Providence, and as Mayor, I will work towards the expansion of that program so that 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, when you call  9-1-1, people are connected to the type of response that they need. Oftentimes, people need help and not handcuffs. I have also advocated for the removal of school resource officers from our schools, working alongside youth advocates in our community, and as Mayor, I will continue to push for more social-emotional supports in our schools."

Brett Smiley (D): "Every 9-1-1 call does not require a response from an officer with a gun and we know that by providing evidence-based and immediate crisis response, we can improve outcomes while allowing officers to focus on violent crimes. Just last year, the city established a Behavioral Health Crisis Response Program which I will work to expand as Mayor. I believe that by better investing in mental health and substance use supports, we can better serve residents and reduce the burden on our first responders. The City has already established strong partnerships with organizations like Family Service of Rhode Island, the Nonviolence Institute, Tides Family Services and other community-based organizations. By increasing and expanding partnerships like these with a prevention-first policy and health-based approach, we can reduce violence in our community and better support our youth and families."

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Gonzalo Cuervo (D): No additional comments
Nirva LaFortune (D): No additional comments
Brett Smiley (D): No additional comments