Rhode Island Legislative Events

Primary Election Date Adjustment for Labor Day

Rhode Island enacted S2147 requiring that primary elections, normally held on the eighth Tuesday before biennial state elections, shall be held on the following Wednesday when Labor Day falls the day before that Tuesday. Filing deadlines remain unchanged.

S2149 Expands Warwick Municipal Court Jurisdiction

Rhode Island Senate Bill S2149 passed the Senate 36-0 on March 31, 2026. The bill expands the jurisdiction of the City of Warwick municipal court. The legislation moved to the House Committee on Municipal Government and Housing for further consideration.

Authorizes Cranston to Establish Housing Division in Municipal Court

The Rhode Island Senate passed S2401, authorizing the city of Cranston to establish a housing division within its municipal court system. The bill cleared the Senate 35-0 on March 31, 2026, and received a House committee recommendation for passage on April 7. The legislation grants Cranston specific powers to create a dedicated housing court division to handle local housing matters.

Electronic Domestic Violence Reporting Forms - H7653

Rhode Island House Bill H7653 passed the House on April 7, 2026 by a 72-1 vote. The bill requires law enforcement agencies to submit domestic violence and sexual assault reporting forms electronically on a monthly basis, while expanding the information required on those forms.

Senate Resolution Commending Judge and Security Chief Protecting Court Intern from ICE

The Rhode Island Senate passed Resolution S3205 commending Superior Court Judge Joseph J. McBurney and Head of Security Dana Smith for intervening when ICE agents attempted to detain a court intern who was wrongfully identified and targeted. The resolution recognizes their actions in protecting the intern within the courthouse setting. This is a non-binding commendatory resolution with no regulatory effect.