Legislation

Under state law, municipalities can charge no more than $500 for violations of municipal ordinances that do not rise to the level of criminal offenses. Under legislation passed by the Senate in June that number could have quadrupled.

While an increasing amount of business is conducted online, becoming a registered voter or changing your registration in Rhode Island still has to be done in person or through the mail. Legislation sought to change that by allowing for electronic voter registration.

In May, the Senate approved legislation prohibiting police from searching juveniles and pedestrians without probable cause or reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.

The ACLU testified in support of legislation permitting the issuance of driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.

Individuals seeking housing should be concerned with paying the rent and being good neighbors; they should not have to be concerned about intrusive and unnecessary questions regarding their immigration or citizenship status.

The ACLU testified in May in opposition to legislation overhauling the state’s sex offender registration and community notification laws. The proposed legislation would replace the existing law with federal standards so costly that few other states have chosen to implement them.

The ACLU testified before the House Finance and Senate Education Committees in May, in opposition to legislation sending state money to parochial schools through a “school choice” program.

When Rhode Island decriminalized marijuana just two years ago, it did so in part to keep youth out of jail for minor marijuana use. Yet, legislation under consideration this year sought to undo that progress and put juveniles found with under an ounce of marijuana back in front of a judge.

Legislation sought to make Rhode Island the fifth state to adopt “death with dignity” legislation, allowing terminal patients to seek medication to end their lives.