AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CIVIL RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

SB 887 ensures continued protection against disability discrimination in Rhode Island state programs and federally funded activities, even if federal law changes. It requires the state to maintain all existing disability protections under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 if that federal law is repealed or invalidated by a court or federal action. The law automatically reverts to the state’s prior legal standards for disability rights as of the day before any federal change takes effect. This directly affects all state agencies, schools, and organizations receiving state funding or operating under state regulation.