Legislation

The ACLU testified before the House and Senate Judiciary committees in March in opposition to legislation which would remove the “sunset” provision on the primary seat belt law, rendering it permanent.

ACLU-drafted legislation removing the phrase “moral turpitude” from state licensing statutes was heard in March by the Senate Health and Human Services committee.

The legislature again considered bills to expand the scope of the state’s sex offender registration and notification laws.

In March, the Affiliate testified before the Senate Health and Human Services committee in opposition to legislation barring smoking in any motor vehicle carrying a child.

Until this year, an outdated and overly-broad section of Rhode Island law stated that transmitting any false information over the Internet was a misdemeanor, punishable by a $500 and up to one year in jail.

The General Assembly passed another ACLU-drafted free speech bill, this time ensuring citizens the right to criticize their elected officials in public newspapers.

The General Assembly again considered a number of bills to require the use of the E-Verify program before hiring any workers.

After years of negotiation between open government groups, law enforcement, and the Attorney General’s office, the General Assembly this year passed much-needed legislation strengthening the state’s open records law, known as APRA.

The General Assembly passed campaign finance legislation aimed at combatting so-called Super PACs, but which carried serious ramifications for small organizations, including non-profits, which engage in referenda campaigns or even publicly references legislators too close to an election.