HB 8119 prohibits state law enforcement agencies and other entities from purchasing personal data without a warrant for any criminal, civil, or investigatory activity. It directly affects government agencies that might otherwise buy location records, browsing history, or other sensitive personal information from third-party data brokers. The bill’s key provision requires a court-issued warrant before any agency can obtain such data, aligning with Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches. This applies to all enforcement actions, including investigations into crimes or civil matters, without exception.
HB 8082 updates expungement rules for criminal records to align with a new 10-year lookback period specifically for DUI convictions. It directly affects individuals with past DUI charges who now qualify for record expungement if their offense occurred within the last decade. The bill modifies existing expungement laws to ensure they match this updated time frame for DUI cases, making the process consistent for those eligible. This change applies only to DUI-related convictions under the revised timeline.
Authorizes the automatic expungement of eligible conviction records by operation of law, initiated and completed by state agencies through electronic processes established within the judicial system.
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.
Funds the state crime victim compensation program through an additional one dollar ($1.00) fine on traffic violations, exclusive of violations related to the parking of vehicles.
HB 8083 allows individuals convicted of non-violent felonies to have their criminal records cleared (expunged) after 10 years from their conviction date. This applies to people with multiple non-violent felony convictions, not violent offenses. The key provision sets a 10-year waiting period from the date of conviction before expungement becomes possible. The bill directly affects eligible individuals seeking to remove past non-violent felony convictions from their legal records.
This bill requires background checks for all ammunition purchases and transfers, prohibiting sales or transfers without a successful check. It directly affects individuals buying or receiving ammunition in the state. The law would implement this background check as a mandatory condition for every ammunition transaction.
Prohibits the distribution, transfer, or possession of any material that depicts a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and is obscene and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
This resolution appropriates $3,000,000 from the state treasury for fiscal year 2026-2027 to Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc. (RILS), a nonprofit providing legal aid to vulnerable Rhode Islanders. The funding directly supports RILS’s work assisting low-income residents, domestic violence victims, veterans, and seniors with critical issues like housing, food security, family safety, and employment rights. The appropriation allows RILS to maintain its statewide services, which historically handle thousands of cases annually to help clients achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
HB 7820 allows individuals convicted of crimes 40 or more years ago to petition courts to clear their criminal records, provided they have no recent charges or convictions and have paid all court fees. The bill creates a new eligibility window (40 years post-conviction) for expungement, excluding violent crimes like murder, sexual assault, and certain robberies or child abuse offenses. This change directly affects older individuals with clean records for decades, removing barriers to employment and housing while requiring court approval based on rehabilitation and public safety considerations.
