Legislation

In supporting a bill which sought to address the barriers that justice-involved individuals often face in finding housing, we urged amendments to better ensure that the goal of the legislation is met.

This important legislation would have provided individuals protection from prosecution for certain drug crimes if they had contacted police to address any medical emergency, not just a drug overdose.

We strongly supported legislation which would have required fiscal impact analyses for any bills which increase or put in place criminal sentences.

We supported legislation which would have barred private prisons from operating in the state of Rhode Island entirely and limited the ability for carceral facilities in Rhode Island to cooperate with ICE.

We joined a number of organizations in supporting legislation which would have limited the ability for carceral facilities in Rhode Island to utilize solitary confinement.

We strongly supported legislation which would have bolstered the right to vote at the ACI by requiring the posting of voting rights information in its facilities and the appointment of a “jail voting coordinator” to assist incarcerated voters.

We initially opposed legislation which sought to implement a strict background check procedure for any individual who teaches or instructs children under the age of eighteen, but it was amended to address our concerns.

We opposed legislation criminalizes parental actions if they created a “substantial and unjustifiable risk” of serious bodily injury to a child.

Following the 2021 implementation of a statewide infrastructure for a body-worn camera (BWC) program, we supported legislation which would have put in place statutory policies regarding BWCs.