Rhode Island

SPORTS, RACING, AND ATHLETICS -- DOG RACING IN BURRILLVILLE, LINCOLN, AND WEST GREENWICH - Prevents anyone from wagering money or any other thing of value on the outcome of a greyhound race or other dog race, or accept or facilitate such wagering, regardless of the location at which the race takes place.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT - Adds a provision that allows a tenant to pay the last month's rent or any other prepaid rent. It also increases the amount that a security deposit can be requested from one to two (2) months of rent.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT - Amends the residential landlord and tenant act to prohibit the use of algorithmic renting-setting software that relies on nonpublic competitor data to determine rental prices or occupancy levels for residential dwelling units in Rhode Island.

LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- MINIMUM WAGES - Provides that commencing January 1, 2027, the minimum wage shall be twenty-four dollars ($24.00) per hour.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- LEAD HAZARD MITIGATION - Substitutes "housing resources commission" with "department of health" for lead hazard mitigation purposes. It also makes it easier for a property owner to release funds put into an escrow account, if needed to make required repairs or improvements.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT -- JUST CAUSE EVICTIONS - Prohibits a landlord from removing a tenant from any housing accommodation, or attempt such removal or exclusion from possession.

PROPERTY -- RHODE ISLAND FAIR HOUSING PRACTICE ACT - Amends the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act to clarify housing-status enforcement, ban discriminatory housing notices, aligns state law with federal standards and removes a ban on public discussion of fair housing cases.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL TENANT'S RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION ACT - Creates the division of civil representation within the department of housing and require civil representation by a Designated Legal Organization to provide legal representation to all tenants who qualify in eviction proceedings.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT - Provides that landlords would pay interest on security deposits in residential landlord-tenant matters.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT - Increases the notification time about rent increases and termination of tenancy for month-to-month tenants.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT - Requires landlords to register certain information for residential properties constructed prior to 1978 with the department of health on a statewide registry and defines which information may be viewed on a public database.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT - Removes the five (5) year waiting period for filing a motion to seal an eviction court file. It also deletes the numerical limitation on filing seal requests.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BED BUGS IN RESIDENTIAL PREMISES ACT - Spells out the responsibilities of both the landlord and tenant with respect to the inspection and treatment of bed bugs in residential premises.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT - Requires effective January 1, 2027, that upon the execution of a lease agreement for a mobile and manufactured homes in a mobile and manufactured home park, a complete copy of the lease be provided to the tenant within 10 days of execution.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- ORDINANCES - Authorizes East Providence to issue licenses to any business seeking to engage in the business of operating a hotel, motel, inn, or boardinghouse and that business first obtains approval from chief of police, building inspector and the mayor.

EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' TENURE - Requires the names of any noncredentialled school employee who is terminated for good and just cause, to be furnished to the department of education.

HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE -- DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE - Provides that the month of September in each year be designated "Rhode Island Senior Center Month" with appropriate exercises in public places.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE - Allows for building inspectors to conduct “virtual inspections” or utilize photographic evidence, at the building official’s discretion, from time to time during and upon completion of the work for which the building official has issued a permit.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW EFFICIENCY ACT - Provides property owners to hire licensed third-party to review development documents and performs building inspections.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS - Requires a municipality to disclose on their official website the specific issues, details and costs of any legal action of which the town or city is a named defendant within 60 days after the close of the fiscal year.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- HOME-FIT DWELLING UNITS - Creates the home-fit dwelling units act to apply to all new construction of covered dwelling units to incorporate design features that provide safe and convenient use of to the greatest extent feasible, regardless of age or physical ability.

EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS - Creates a prohibition on the unlawful use of seclusion rooms within any public pre-k program, elementary or secondary school in the state.

EDUCATION -- CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS - Provides that for the period up until July 1, 2027, an applicant for a teaching certificate in Rhode Island would not be required to complete a standardized teacher's examination as a prerequisite to obtaining a teaching certificate.