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Rhode Island Bills

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

State Legislature US Congress

All 25,118 Active 5 In committee 20,549 Passed 5,917 Signed 4,510 Failed 6,972

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 7414: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE PAUL W. CROWLEY RHODE ISLAND STUDENT INVESTMENT INITIATIVE

HB 7414 terminates the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's extension of the Providence Public Schools (PPS) turnaround plan, which had been set to continue until October 15, 2027. The bill directly affects PPS by ending the state's extended oversight of the district's improvement efforts. It nullifies the department's recommendation to continue the plan, effectively ending the mandated turnaround status as of July 1, 2026. This is a procedural change that removes a specific administrative extension, not a new policy.

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SR 3009: SENATE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY SHARED SERVICES AND THE POTENTIAL FOR REGIONALIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Creates a 9 member commission to study shared services and the potential for regionalization of school districts, and who would report back to the Senate by April 15, 2027, and whose life would expire once its report is issued.

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 3010: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS

This bill requires schools to report the names and reasons for termination of non-teacher employees who are fired for misconduct to the state Department of Education. The department would maintain a confidential list accessible only to hiring authorities for other schools, helping them avoid hiring individuals with documented termination records. The law excludes contract nonrenewals and terminations due to budget cuts or reorganization from this reporting requirement.

Topics ✓ Education

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 2786: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- STUDENT COMPUTER DEVICE PRIVACY

Prohibits an educational institution or school district from accessing or using location data for tracking a student's institutional device or personal device, except in limited circumstances.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 2928: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- HEALTHY AND SAFE FAMILIES AND WORKPLACES ACT

Requires employers to provide full-time employees four (4) hours of paid leave once a year to donate blood through and any approved blood donation program.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 3003: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OPEN MEETINGS

This bill allows members of the public to submit testimony remotely during meetings of the General Assembly committees through electronic means such as telephone or video conferencing. The legislation requires that remote participants be clearly audible and visible to those present in person, maintains a quorum requirement, and mandates public notice when videoconferencing is used to include instructions for accessing virtual meetings. Additionally, the bill updates existing open meeting laws to clarify rules for electronic communication use by public body members, including provisions for military personnel and individuals with disabilities. The changes apply specifically to legislative committees and do not alter other aspects of Rhode Island's open meetings law.

Topics ✓ Technology

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 3121: AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

This bill amends the composition of the Joint Committee on Legislative Services by adding the Senate majority leader to the existing group of committee members. The committee currently includes the Senate president, Senate majority and minority leaders, House majority and minority leaders, and the House speaker. By including the Senate majority leader, the legislation ensures broader representation of Senate leadership within this permanent oversight body. The changes take effect immediately upon the bill's passage.

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 2803: AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLY

This bill amends state regulations to change the frequency of backflow prevention device inspections from yearly to once every ten years for public water systems. It directly affects community and non-transient non-community public water systems by allowing the state director to set standards for cross-connection control plans and device testing. The legislation maintains requirements for installing specific valves at new and commercial connections while permitting water utilities to cut off service to customers who fail to install required devices. The bill also authorizes the state to establish fees for certifying professionals who perform backflow prevention testing and maintenance.

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 7502: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- SIDEWALKS

HB 7502 would require the state, not local towns or cities, to handle all maintenance of sidewalks alongside state highways - such as repairs, cleaning, and replacement - except for snow and ice removal. This directly affects municipalities that previously managed sidewalk upkeep along state roads, shifting that responsibility to the state transportation department. The bill amends existing laws to clarify the state’s authority for sidewalk construction and maintenance, while explicitly excluding snow and ice removal from the state’s duties. It does not create new sidewalks but changes who maintains existing ones along state highways. The bill is currently pending in the House Finance Committee after introduction on February 4, 2026.

Topics ✓ Transportation

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 7505: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- RHODE ISLAND NEW QUALIFIED JOBS INCENTIVE ACT 2015

HB 7505 ends Rhode Island's Jobs Development Act tax incentive program by July 1, 2026. It stops all new rate reductions for companies after June 30, 2026, and requires existing beneficiaries who qualified before July 1, 2015, to maintain their current tax rate until the program's end date. The bill does not affect companies that already secured benefits before the 2015 cutoff date, but no new companies can qualify for the tax rate reductions after 2026. This is a straightforward sunset provision for the state's job creation tax incentive program.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 7557: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY --THE RHODE ISLAND FIREARM INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2026

HB 7557, the Rhode Island Firearm Industry Accountability Act of 2026, requires firearm manufacturers, distributors, and retailers ("firearm industry members") to implement safety measures preventing sales to prohibited buyers, straw purchasers, or firearm traffickers. It mandates "reasonable controls" to ensure compliance with existing firearm laws, prohibits advertising that promotes illegal use, and bans sales to entities violating these rules. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $10,000 per offense, injunctions, or loss of business permits. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies to civil cases filed after that date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 7543: AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- INTERNET ACCESS AND ADVERTISING BY FACSIMILE

Requires that video or photography generated by artificial intelligence or “AI” that is posted on a public platform contain a marking disclosing that it has been generated by AI.

Topics ✓ Technology