Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Rhode Island General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-29. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
H7198 2026 -- H 7198 ======== LC003856 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- GENERAL PROVISIONS Introduced By: Representatives Felix, McEntee, Knight, J. Lombardi, Cruz, Morales, Alzate, Potter, Furtado, and Place Date Introduced: January 21, 2026 Referred To: House Judiciary It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Section 11-1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-1 entitled General 2 Provisions is hereby amended to read as follows: 3 11-1-2. Felony, misdemeanor — Petty misdemeanor, and violation distinguished. 4 (a) Unless otherwise provided, any criminal offense which at any given time may be 5 punished by imprisonment for a term of more than one year , or by a fine of more than one thousand 6 dollars ($1,000), is declared to be a felony; any criminal offense which may be punishable by 7 imprisonment for a term of more than six (6) months and not exceeding one year, or by a fine of 8 not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, is declared to be three hundred sixty-four 9 (364) days, or solely by a fine of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, is declared to 10 be a misdemeanor; any criminal offense which may be punishable by imprisonment for a term not 11 exceeding six (6) months or solely by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both, 12 and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) is declared to be a petty misdemeanor; and any 13 offense which may be punished by only a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) is 14 declared to be a violation. 15 (b) Whenever the phrase one year appears in any provision of the general or public laws 16 in reference to the maximum sentence of imprisonment that may be imposed, such phrase shall 17 mean, be interpreted as, and be applied as three hundred sixty-four (364) days. 1 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC003856 ======== LC003856 - Page 2 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- GENERAL PROVISIONS *** 1 This act would further delineate the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty 2 misdemeanor. 3 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC003856 ======== LC003856 - Page 3 of 3
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