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

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Nathan Biah and 9 co-sponsors

Rhode Island would formally revoke its 1861 ratification of the Corwin Amendment, updating the official record without changing current laws.

06/23/2026 Signed by Governor

Summary of HR 7579 (Rhode Island, 2026)

Purpose and intent

The bill is a Joint Resolution aimed at repealing Rhode Island’s prior ratification of the Corwin Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The Corwin Amendment would have prohibited any future constitutional amendment from authorizing Congress to interfere with a state’s domestic institutions, including slavery. Rhode Island originally ratified it in May 1861.

Key provisions and changes

Repeal of ratification: The resolution expressly rescinds Rhode Island’s ratification of the Corwin Amendment (the proposed Article XIII).

Formal notice: The resolution directs that a certified copy of the repeal be sent to senior U.S. government officials, including the Archivist of the United States, the President, the President and Secretary of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the U.S. House, and each member of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation.

Congressional record: It requests that the repeal be printed verbatim in the Congressional Record.

Affected entities and scope

State government and public record: Rhode Island’s General Assembly changes its official stance by rescinding prior ratification.

U.S. federal-recorder context: The action is largely symbolic and ceremonial, intended to formally align Rhode Island’s state records with the current constitutional and historical understanding that the Corwin Amendment did not become part of the U.S. Constitution.

General public: No direct changes to laws, rights, or state programs; the impact is primarily interpretive and symbolic regarding constitutional history.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced: February 6, 2026.

Status and actions:

February 23, 2026: Meeting postponed.
February 27, 2026: Scheduled for hearing/consideration.
March 3, 2026: Committee recommended the measure be held for further study.
May 22, 2026: Scheduled for consideration (as listed in action history).

Legislative route: The bill is before the House State Government & Elections Committee; passage would move to the full General Assembly for final approval.

Context and significance

Historical note: The Corwin Amendment was proposed in 1861 and ratified by Rhode Island in May 1861 but never achieved ratification by three-fourths of the states, so it never became part of the Constitution.

Rationale for repeal: With the 13th Amendment (abolishing slavery) and subsequent constitutional developments, proponents argue the Corwin Amendment’s purposes are moot; the repeal removes any formal, lingering record of Rhode Island’s ratification.

Bottom-line impact

If enacted, Rhode Island would formally revoke its 1861 ratification of the Corwin Amendment and update federal communications accordingly. The measure does not alter current law or policy beyond the official historical record.