Criminal Justice

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 2, 2026

SB 2056: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

Disqualifies individuals with prior felony convictions or nolo contendere pleas from purchasing or possessing a firearm. It also prevents the sentencing judge from suspending the first two (2) years of any sentence under limited circumstances.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts firearm access for felons and mandates stricter sentencing by preventing suspension of initial two years, increasing mandatory incarceration.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Judges Sentencing

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signed · Rhode Island · House Jun 22, 2026

HB 7079: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS

Permits those individuals convicted of multiple felonies and misdemeanors to have their records expunged and provides criteria for the court to consider in determining whether the person is of good character.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables expungement of records for multiple offenses, aligning with reform goals to reduce recidivism and improve rehabilitation opportunities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 30, 2026

SB 2157: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- LAW ENFORCEMENT SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

Makes sexual contact or penetration between any law enforcement officer that is on duty and a person that is a detainee, arrestee, in custody or a suspect a felony.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMakes law enforcement sexual misconduct with detainees a felony, enhancing police accountability in criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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died · Rhode Island · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 2308: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- PAROLE

Provides that prisoners who committed offenses prior to age 18 and were sentenced as adults be eligible for parole after completing 15 yrs of their sentence. Would not lengthen parole eligibility should prisoner be eligible for parole earlier than 15 yrs.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllows juvenile offenders sentenced as adults parole eligibility after 15 years, aligning with rehabilitation-focused criminal justice reform by reducing excessive sentencing for youth.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Probation & Parole

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died · Rhode Island · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 2316: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- ASSAULTS

SB 2316 makes assaulting a sports official (like a referee, umpire, or coach) during their duties a felony, affecting all levels of organized sports including youth leagues, schools, and professional events. The bill imposes penalties of up to three years in prison or a $3,000 fine for basic assault, and 3-20 years in prison or a $10,000 fine if serious bodily injury occurs. Convicted individuals must also pay restitution to victims, complete up to 500 hours of community service, or attend counseling, in addition to any prison time or fines. This law applies to assaults before, during, or after any sporting event where officials are enforcing rules.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by elevating assaults on sports officials to felony status with harsher penalties, increasing mandatory sentencing90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Victims' Rights Violent Crime

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died · Rhode Island · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 7134: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- THE RHODE ISLAND FIRST STEP ACT

Establishes Rhode Island First Step program requiring DOC to assist offenders with reintegration into society, counseling, medical care, education, early sentence termination or pre-release confinement for elderly and terminally ill offenders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes reintegration programs including counseling, education, and early release for vulnerable offenders, directly promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.95% confidence

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died · Rhode Island · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 7280: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- BAIL AND RECOGNIZANCE

Creates a 10 member bail task force to study the need of monetary conditions of bail and to consider other methods for ensuring an accused’s appearance in court, enhance public safety and honor the presumption of innocence and to file report by 1/1/2028.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates bail task force to study alternatives to monetary bail, aiming to honor presumption of innocence and enhance public safety, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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died · Rhode Island · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 7433: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- SEARCH WARRANTS

HB 7433 requires law enforcement to obtain a person's consent or a valid search warrant before placing audio or video recording devices on their private property. This bill directly affects property owners, tenants, and guests by protecting their privacy from unauthorized surveillance on their premises. The key provision makes any audio or video evidence collected in violation of this rule inadmissible in criminal or civil court proceedings. The bill, currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee, would take effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects privacy rights by requiring warrants for surveillance, making violations inadmissible - enhances police accountability and civil rights in criminal procedure.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyProtects data privacy by requiring warrants for surveillance devices, making unauthorized recordings inadmissible in court, aligning with privacy protection indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement

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died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 30, 2026

SB 2399: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- COMMERCIAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY

Decriminalizes certain commercial sexual activity. It would also include human trafficking as a racketeering activity and would allow expungements of certain convictions in § 11-34.1 after one year.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDecriminalizes specific offenses, enables expungements, and classifies trafficking as racketeering - reduces unnecessary convictions and aligns with reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

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died · Rhode Island · Senate May 12, 2026

SB 2303: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY-- POLICE RELATIONSHIP ACT OF 2015

SB 2303 amends Rhode Island's 2015 Comprehensive Community-Police Relationship Act to require all state and municipal police departments to collect detailed data on every routine traffic stop and vehicle search, including the officer's perception of the driver's race/ethnicity, reason for the stop, and outcome (e.g., citation, arrest, or search). This data must be submitted monthly to the Department of Transportation's Office of Highway Safety for a 48-month period starting in 2027. An independent outside agency chosen by the Department will then conduct an annual statistical study analyzing the data for racial disparities in policing, with findings and quarterly summary reports made public. The bill also mandates police agencies to review data monthly for compliance and annually to address any identified disparities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates data collection on traffic stops including race/ethnicity to monitor police accountability, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators like enhanced oversight and bias reduction.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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