By Katherine Gregg

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Sen. Frank Ciccone, D-Providence, has served notice he intends to revive his campaign to give voters the opportunity to turn Rhode Island's part-time General Assembly into a full-time legislature where lawmakers are paid $85,000 a year, and their top leaders, $145,000 a year with a new twist. He also wants to cut the size of it by a third.

His argument: a full-time legislature will "attract individuals who are truly passionate about public service,'' reduce the end-of-session "rush to pass bills in the final days of a session,'' and cut operating expenses.

"The cost of providing health care to 113 members of the General Assembly, along with paying the salaries of over 300 employees to support this over-sized legislature is exorbitant,'' he said in a press release last week. Going full-time would also eliminate potential conflicts of interest because full-time legislators would "only work for one employer -- the state,'' said Ciccone, a field representative for an arm of the Laborers International Union.