Home › Rhode Island › Bills

Bills

Rhode Island Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 25,118 Active 7,678 In committee 7,673 Passed 5,630 Signed 4,797 Failed 6,972

died · Rhode Island · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SB 546: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CHILD ADVOCATE OFFICE

Requires DCYF to implement recommendations made by the child advocate and child fatality review panel within 6 months and provide a report of the measures taken to address the recommendations.

died · Rhode Island · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SB 564: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DCYF FAMILY FIRST PREVENTION SERVICES ACT COMPLIANCE AND IMPACT REPORT

Requires DCYF to submit a one-time, detailed report on the effectiveness of EBPs in keeping children out of foster care, providing valuable data on the programs' impact on high-risk families, reunification outcomes, and program availability.

died · Rhode Island · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SB 577: AN ACT RELATING TO DELINQUENT AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN -- PROCEEDINGS IN FAMILY COURT

Prohibits family court from detaining or committing any youth, 12 years or younger, to training school, for any offense other than murder, first degree sexual assault, or an attempt to commit such offenses there is no other reasonable placement.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Rhode Island · Senate Mar 11, 2025

SB 470: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- CONTRACT WITH HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS

Amends the current law in order that a health insurer would not require a physician, to participate in "capitation," or any other "alternative payment model" that creates a financial incentive for a physician to limit medically necessary care.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 5908: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- CAUSES OF ACTION

HB 5908 allows plaintiffs in civil lawsuits to seek punitive damages when defendants acted with "willful or wanton conduct" or showed "reckless disregard" for others' health, safety, or welfare. It directly affects individuals bringing civil cases against entities or people who caused harm through knowingly dangerous or heedless actions. The bill defines "willful or wanton conduct" as behavior the defendant knew or should have known was dangerous, done without regard for consequences or others' safety. This change would apply to civil cases, including those under specific statutes, and takes effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 5913: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- PRESERVING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE DRUGS

Provides that an agreement resolving a patent infringement claim, in connection with the sale of a pharmaceutical product, is to be presumed to have anticompetitive effects if a nonreference drug filer receives anything of value.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 5914: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS

Limits the recovery for personal injuries actions against any town to $3,000 retroactive to all causes of action arising after January 1, 2025, and prohibits the use of subsequent remedial measures in roadway/highway defect cases.

Topics ✗ Transportation

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 5910: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DECISIONS, SPECIAL FINDINGS AND ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGES

HB 5910 adds the "assumption of risk" doctrine to Rhode Island's comparative negligence law. It affects people involved in personal injury or property damage lawsuits by allowing courts to reduce compensation if the injured party knowingly accepted a risk. The bill specifies that damages must be reduced proportionally if the court finds the injured person assumed the risk, or if the danger was open and obvious. This change modifies how negligence cases are evaluated but does not prevent claims from being filed. The law would take effect immediately upon passage.

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 5897: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES--VIOLATIONS

Amends the section of law relative to violations for driving after denial, revocation or suspension of a license and expands the list of offenses for which an unlicensed motorist would be in violation.

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 5903: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- EVIDENCE

HB 5903 repeals a rule in medical malpractice cases that allowed defendants to reduce a plaintiff's damages award by the amount of insurance benefits the plaintiff received (like workers' compensation or health insurance). This change means defendants can no longer introduce evidence of such benefits to lower the damages they must pay. The bill directly affects plaintiffs and defendants in medical malpractice lawsuits involving licensed healthcare providers like doctors, hospitals, or clinics. It removes a specific legal mechanism that previously let courts deduct insurance payments from final damage awards.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 5931: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES -- VIOLATIONS

HB 5931 repeals a law that allowed motor vehicle license suspension for failure to pay traffic fines. This bill directly affects drivers who cannot pay court-imposed fines for traffic violations. The key provision removes the requirement that license suspensions remain in effect until all fines are paid or payment arrangements are made with the court. The repeal eliminates this enforcement mechanism for unpaid traffic fines.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 5915: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS

Exempts recovery claims for damages due to a town's neglect in maintaining highways or bridges from the provisions of chapter 31 of title 9 on governmental tort liability.

Topics ✗ Transportation