Legislation

One court has called “civil death” laws “an outdated and inscrutable common law precept” and “a medieval fiction in a modern world,” but Rhode Island is one of only four states to still have such a law.

Despite broad support for the legislation from the General Assembly, the governor also vetoed a bill that would have eliminated the mandatory minimum sentences in place for certain drug offenses.

As has happened in previous years, the House took no action on a Senate bill that would have allowed for the forced administration of blood tests on persons in vehicular accidents involving death or serious injury.