AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- GENERAL PROVISIONS (Further delineate the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor.)

H7198

2026 -- H 7198
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LC003856
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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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:
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SECTION 1. Section 11-1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-1 entitled "General
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Provisions" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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11-1-2. Felony, misdemeanor — Petty misdemeanor, and violation distinguished.
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(a)
Unless otherwise provided, any criminal offense which at any given time may be
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punished by imprisonment for a term of more than one year
, or by a fine of more than one thousand
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dollars ($1,000),
is declared to be a felony; any criminal offense which may be punishable by
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imprisonment for a term
of more than six (6) months and
not exceeding
one year, or by a fine of
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not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, is declared to be

three hundred sixty-four
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(364) days, or solely by a fine of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, is declared to
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be
a misdemeanor; any criminal offense which may be punishable by imprisonment for a term not
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exceeding six (6) months or
solely
by a fine of
not
more than five hundred dollars ($500),
or both,

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and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000)
is declared to be a petty misdemeanor; and any
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offense which may be punished by only a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) is
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declared to be a violation.
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(b) Whenever the phrase "one year" appears in any provision of the general or public laws
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in reference to the maximum sentence of imprisonment that may be imposed, such phrase shall
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mean, be interpreted as, and be applied as three hundred sixty-four (364) days.

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC003856
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- GENERAL PROVISIONS
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This act would further delineate the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty
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misdemeanor.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003856
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LC003856 - Page 3 of 3