The bill amends Chapter 17-14 of the General Laws, which deals with the nomination of party and independent candidates. It introduces new requirements for the preparation and handling of nomination papers, including the need for at least three sets of papers for each candidate, and mandates that these papers be color-coded to distinguish between different political parties, endorsed and unendorsed candidates, and independent candidates. Candidates are permitted to duplicate nomination papers at their own expense, as long as they are identical to the prescribed format. The bill also revises the affidavit process for collecting voter signatures, requiring additional information such as the city/town and county of the person obtaining the signatures, and the notary public's details.

Furthermore, the bill outlines procedures for checking and certifying nomination papers, including submission deadlines and the process for challenging signatures. It introduces a protocol for local canvassing clerks to report suspected forgery patterns to the state board, which in turn may review all nomination papers of the implicated candidate. The Elections Committee of the Rhode Island Town and City Clerk's Association is tasked with creating rules to review papers with suspected forgeries, and the state board must communicate the review findings to the secretary of state. The bill also details the state board's responsibilities in handling objections to nomination papers, including the authority to summon witnesses and require document production. Objections to nomination papers for non-state officers and federal candidates will be handled by the local board in a manner similar to the state board's process for state officers. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.