Legislation

This pro-civil rights legislation clarifies that plaintiffs have three years, rather than one year, to sue under the Rhode Island Civil Rights Act, a major state law prohibiting discrimination in employment and other settings.

Retailers are currently required by law to post signs where tobacco products are sold to remind minors that it’s illegal for them to purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products. Proposed legislation would require those signs to add a warning to pregnant women that smoking is bad for them.

The House removed from the Governor’s proposed budget a provision that would have allowed police to pull cars over for seat belt violations.

Though largely symbolic, the Senate passed a resolution declaring the month of May “Racial Profiling Awareness Month” to coincide with an effort by the bill’s supporters, including the Affiliate, to gather real-life stories from victims of racial profiling.

A twice vetoed bill that would eliminate the draconian mandatory minimum sentences contained in some of Rhode Island’s drug laws, which are the harshest in all of New England, appears headed back to the Governor.

Capitulating to a strong push to close a so-called “loophole” in state law that made indoor prostitution legal, a bill was passed that includes not only jail time for first-time offenders, but a forfeiture provision that will deprive offenders of money derived from income earned as a prostitute.

A human trafficking bill also passed with problematic, overly broad language. As defined, a now-unlawful “sexually-explicit performance” of a minor could have severe First Amendment implications for the art community.