CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- COMMISSION ON PARDONS, the official text

H8074 2026 -- H 8074 ======== LC005682 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- COMMISSION ON PARDONS Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Kislak, Sanchez, Giraldo, Cruz, Stewart, Potter, Tanzi, and Cotter Date Introduced: February 27, 2026 Referred To: House Judiciary It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Title 13 of the General Laws entitled CRIMINALS — CORRECTIONAL 2 INSTITUTIONS is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 3 CHAPTER 10.1 4 COMMISSION ON PARDONS 5 13-10.1-1. Commission on pardons established – Duties. 6 (a) There is hereby established a commission on pardons to administer the application 7 process, consider applicants, and ultimately make recommendations to the governor regarding 8 applicants seeking an executive pardon pursuant to Article IX, Section 13 of the Constitution of 9 Rhode Island. 10 (b) A person shall only be considered for a pardon if: 11 (1) A person has completed their sentence and is ineligible for an expungement pursuant 12 to the provisions of chapter 1.3 of title 12 ( expungement of criminal records ); 13 (2) A person is eligible for expungement, has applied for expungement, and has been 14 denied; or 15 (3) A person is on probation and is eligible for early termination of probation pursuant to 16 Rule 35(c) of the Rhode Island superior court rules of criminal procedure. 17 (c) The commission shall be responsible for promulgating rules and regulations necessary 18 for developing an application process for applicants seeking to request a pardon including, but not 1 limited to: 2 (1) Establishing what documents and forms need to be submitted with an application in 3 order to be considered for a pardon; 4 (2) Establishing a timeline for an applicant to receive a response; and 5 (3) Establishing criteria for determining a person’s eligibility for recommendation of a 6 pardon by the commission. 7 (d) The commission shall submit to the governor the names of those individuals whom the 8 commission determines should be considered for a pardon, and the governor shall have the 9 authority to submit any of those recommended names, or any others, to the state senate for advice 10 and consent. 11 13-10.1-2. Composition of commission. 12 (a) The commission on pardons shall consist of nine (9) members that shall be appointed 13 for a two (2) year term. Members of the commission shall be as follows: 14 (1) An appointee from the judicial branch who shall be appointed the by chief justice of 15 the Rhode Island supreme court; 16 (2) An appointee from the department of the attorney general who shall be appointed by 17 the attorney general; 18 (3) An appointee from the office of the public defender who shall be appointed by the chief 19 public defender; 20 (4) An appointee from the Rhode Island office of parole/probation who shall be appointed 21 by the governor; 22 (5) An appointee from the nonviolence institute who shall be appointed by the director of 23 the institute. The appointee shall be an active member of the institute; 24 (6) An appointee from the Economic Progress Institute who shall be appointed by the 25 director of the institute. The appointee shall be an active member of the institute; 26 (7) An appointee from the reentry campus program who shall be appointed by the director 27 of the program. The appointee shall be an active member of the program; 28 (8) An appointee from OpenDoors who shall be appointed by the director of the program. 29 The appointee shall be an active member of the program; 30 (9) An appointee from the center for indigenous people’s rights who shall be appointed by 31 the director of the center. The appointee shall be an active member of the center. 32 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC005682 ======== LC005682 - Page 2 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO CRIMINALS -- CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS -- COMMISSION ON PARDONS *** 1 This act would establish a commission to promulgate rules, regulations and make 2 recommendations to the governor as to petitions for pardons under Article IX, Section 13 of the 3 Constitution of Rhode Island. 4 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC005682 ======== LC005682 - Page 3 of 3