Legislation

The General Assembly seemed poised to pass a number of bills aimed at improving the criminal justice system, including bills clarifying the definition of misdemeanor and felony, a bill adjusting the way probation and parole are done, and a bill establishing a Superior Court diversion program.

In June, the House and Senate approved legislation barring the state from entering into a contract with any business engaged in a boycott against various "foreign states."

The RI General Assembly approved a dangerous resolution calling for a national constitutional convention.

In March and April, the ACLU gave testimony to the Senate and House Judiciary committees in support of legislation limiting the use of solitary confinement.

The ACLU testified in support of legislation ensuring juveniles given lengthy prison sentences would have the opportunity to appear before the parole board within fifteen years after the start of their sentence.

In 2016, the General Assembly greatly expanded the entities that have access to the Health Information Exchange, including granting access to broadly defined health plans for purposes totally unrelated to direct medical care, the original goal of the Exchange.

In April, the House committee on Health, Education and Welfare approved dangerous legislation granting law enforcement access to the prescription information of thousands of Rhode Islanders without a warrant; the Senate Judiciary committee followed in May.

This year, the General Assembly approved legislation, submitted on behalf of the Attorney General, undermining a previous effort to decriminalize marijuana effort by placing juveniles caught with marijuana back in front of a Family Court judge instead of the Traffic Tribunal.