AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS -- RHODE ISLAND ANTI-BID-RIGGING ACT

HB 6173 establishes the Rhode Island Anti-Bid-Rigging Act to prohibit coordinated schemes that manipulate competitive bidding for government contracts. The law defines "bid rigging" as activities like price fixing, identical bids, or rotating bids among contractors or officials, making it a felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison and fines up to $1 million or three times the contract value. It directly affects contractors, subcontractors, and government officials involved in public procurement, prohibiting them from conspiring to influence bids or improperly sharing sensitive bid information. Violators face debarment from state contracts for up to five years, with government entities required to maintain exclusion lists. The law applies to all state and local government procurement processes under Titles 37 and 45.