AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL

SB 956 establishes a "bureau of public protection" within Rhode Island's Attorney General's office, creating four dedicated units focused on consumer protection, health care regulation, environmental protection, and civil rights. The bureau will consolidate existing advocacy roles (like health care and insurance advocates) and empower the Attorney General to investigate and seek court orders against businesses or entities engaging in "persistent illegality" (repeated or ongoing illegal acts affecting multiple people). It authorizes the Attorney General to pursue injunctions, restitution, and penalties in court, and requires annual reports to the legislature detailing enforcement actions and outcomes. The bill directly affects businesses, service providers, and government entities operating in Rhode Island subject to these enforcement powers.