AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS (Exempts recovery claims for damages due to a town's neglect in maintaining highways or bridges from the provisions of chapter 31 of title 9 on governmental tort liability.)

H7212

2026 -- H 7212
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LC003857
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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 TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS

Introduced By:
Representatives Felix, Kazarian, Morales, Quattrocchi, Handy, Fogarty,
Noret, Corvese, Kislak, and Alzate

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 45-15-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-15 entitled "Actions by
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and Against Towns" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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45-15-8. Recovery against town for damages from neglect to maintain highway or
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bridge.
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(a)
If any person receives or suffers bodily injury or damage to that person’s property by
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reason of defect, want of repair, or insufficient railing, in or upon a public highway, causeway, or
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bridge, in any town which is by law obliged to repair and keep the same in a condition safe and
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convenient for travelers with their vehicles, which injury or damage might have been prevented by
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reasonable care and diligence on the part of the town, the person may recover, in the manner
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provided in this chapter, from the town, the amount of damages, sustained by the aggrieved person,
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if the town had reasonable notice of the defect, or might have had notice of the defect by the exercise
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of proper care and diligence on its part.
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(b) This cause of action is exempt from the provisions of chapter 31 of title 9.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC003857
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS
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This act would exempt recovery claims for damages due to a town's neglect in maintaining
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highways or bridges from the provisions of chapter 31 of title 9 on governmental tort liability.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003857
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