The Rhode Island Civil Rights Enforcement Act (H 5223, S 538)

The R.I. Supreme Court has held that, without legislative authorization, the state Constitution’s Declaration of Rights is not enforceable. We therefore strongly supported this bill which would provide long-overdue mechanisms to enforce that document, which “guarantees” the State’s residents critically important civil liberties, like the federal Bill of Rights, including freedom of speech, due process, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and equal protection of the laws. This legislation died in committee.