TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS, the official text

S3040 2026 -- S 3040 ======== LC006002 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS Introduced By: Senators Bell, and Kallman Date Introduced: March 05, 2026 Referred To: Senate Judiciary It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Section 45-15-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-15 entitled Actions by 2 and Against Towns is hereby amended to read as follows: 3 45-15-5. Presentment to council of claim or demand against town. 4 (a) Every person who has any money due him or her from any town or city, or any claim 5 or demand against any town or city, for any matter, cause, or thing whatsoever, shall take the 6 following method to obtain what is due: The person shall present to the town council of the town, 7 or to the city council of the city, a particular account of that person’s claim, debt, damages, or 8 demand, and how incurred or contracted; which being done, in case just and due satisfaction is not 9 made to him or her by the town or city treasurer of the town or city within forty (40) days after the 10 presentment of the claim, debt, damages, or demand, the person may commence his or her action 11 against the treasurer for the recovery of the complaint. 12 (b) Within sixty (60) days of the close of their fiscal year, every municipality shall be 13 required to disclose on their official website the following information: 14 (1) A list of civil actions filed in state or federal court during the year, or which concluded 15 during the year, in which the municipality, or any official or employee of the municipality, sued or 16 was sued in their official capacity; 17 (2) The case number for each civil action and the court in which it was filed; 18 (3) A short description of the legal claims asserted in the case; 19 (4) The current status of the case; 1 (5) The amount of legal fees incurred and/or paid by the municipality related to the civil 2 action; and 3 (6) Upon conclusion of the civil action, a breakdown of all costs and expenses in the 4 following categories: 5 (i) Court costs; 6 (ii) Legal fees; 7 (iii) Expert witness fees; 8 (iv) Compensatory and punitive damages; and 9 (v) Any other costs, fees or expenses incurred. 10 (c) Nothing contained in subsection (b) of this section shall be construed to affect the 11 availability of records pursuant to chapter 2 of title 38 ( access to public records ). 12 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC006002 ======== LC006002 - Page 2 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS *** 1 This act would require a municipality to disclose on their official website the specific 2 issues, details and costs of any civil action in which the town or city was a plaintiff, a named 3 defendant or any official or employee of the municipality sued or was sued in their official capacity 4 within sixty (60) days after the close of the fiscal year. 5 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC006002 ======== LC006002 - Page 3 of 3