Legislation

This bill would make clear that the public can see all final reports of police misconduct investigations and reinstate public oversight of law enforcement that the AG opinion undermined.

The introduction of the Rhode Island Senate rules this session prompted our initial commentary in two specific aspects.

Two pieces of legislation sought to enshrine in law the ability for bodies to continue with virtual meetings.

This legislation will exempt from open records requests the disclosure of the municipality of residency for a public employee or police officer.

As was necessary due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Rhode Island House of Representatives introduced rules which would allow for and regulate remote participation of both the public and legislators during the 2021 session and beyond.

We opposed legislation which would exempt from open records requests the disclosure of the municipality of residency for a public employee or police officer.

Echoing a positive change made to the House Rules, the Senate Rules include the requirement for a minimum 24-hour advance posting of substitute bills up for consideration.

In a long overdue overhaul of the Open Meetings Act, this legislation would have strengthened language in the existing law and addressed technological advancements which have occurred since the OMA was last comprehensively amended two decades ago.

In a remarkably quick beginning to the legislative session, a resolution to adopt rules for the House of Representatives for the years 2019-2020 made its way out of committee and to a floor vote within the first two weeks of the session.