HB 8094 Rhode Island House · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MISCELLANEOUS RULES

Summary
Restores law enforcement discretion, allowing officers to issue a verbal warning when appropriate or pursue misdemeanor or felony charges in more egregious cases where a child is left unattended in a motor vehicle.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Jun 2026
House Passage
Jun 2026
Senate Passage
Jun 2026
Signed into Law
Jun 2026
Introduced Feb 27, 2026 Signed Jun 23, 2026
Floor votes · House Jun 10, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
4
Committee
2
Jun 23, 2026
Signed into law
06/23/2026 Signed by Governor
executive
Jun 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
06/11/2026 Senate passed in concurrence
upper
Jun 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
06/10/2026 House read and passed
lower
Jun 8, 2026
Legislature · Passed
06/08/2026 Committee recommends passage
legislature
Apr 28, 2026
Committee
04/28/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
legislature
Feb 27, 2026
Introduced
02/27/2026 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Matthew Dawson
Matthew Dawson
DDemocratic
RI
65