H7215 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- GOVERNMENTAL TORT LIABILITY (Caps damages at $100,000 in tort actions against Rhode Island, cities, towns, or fire districts, except for willful misconduct or extreme recklessness. It also exempts them from § 9-21-10.)

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Felix, Kazarian, Place, Morales, Quattrocchi, Alzate, Tanzi, Hull, Fogarty, Kislak
Last action: 2026-01-29
Official status: Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- GOVERNMENTAL TORT LIABILITY (Caps damages at $100,000 in tort actions against Rhode Island, cities, towns, or fire districts, except for willful misconduct or extreme recklessness. It also exempts them from § 9-21-10.)

What This Bill Does

AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- GOVERNMENTAL TORT LIABILITY (Caps damages at $100,000 in tort actions against Rhode Island, cities, towns, or fire districts, except for willful misconduct or extreme recklessness.
It also exempts them from § 9-21-10.)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-01-29 Committee
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
2026-01-23 Rhode Island General Assembly
Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (01/29/2026)
2026-01-21 Rhode Island General Assembly
Introduced, referred to House Judiciary

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- GOVERNMENTAL TORT LIABILITY (Caps damages at $100,000 in tort actions against Rhode Island, cities, towns, or fire districts, except for willful misconduct or extreme recklessness. It also exempts them from § 9-21-10.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H7215

2026 -- H 7215
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LC003860
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY --
GOVERNMENTAL TORT LIABILITY

Introduced By:
Representatives Felix, Kazarian, Place, Morales, Quattrocchi, Alzate,
Tanzi, Hull, Fogarty, and Kislak

Date Introduced:
January 21, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Sections 9-31-2 and 9-31-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 9-31 entitled
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"Governmental Tort Liability" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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9-31-2. Limitations of damages — State.
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In any tort action against the state of Rhode Island or any political subdivision thereof, any
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damages recovered therein shall not exceed the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000);
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provided, however,
that in all instances in which the state was engaged in a proprietary function in
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the commission of the tort, or in any situation whereby the state has agreed to indemnify the federal
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government or any agency thereof for any tort liability, the limitation on damages set forth in this
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section shall not apply

that all claims of willful and malicious conduct, or extreme recklessness
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shall not be subject to a limitation on damages. The State of Rhode Island shall not be subject to
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the provisions of § 9-21-10
.
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9-31-3. Limitation of damages — Cities, towns, and fire districts.
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In any tort action against any city or town or any fire district, any damages recovered
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therein shall not exceed the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000); provided, however,
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that in all instances in which the city or town or fire district was engaged in a proprietary function
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in the commission of the tort, the limitation of damages set forth in this section shall not apply

that
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all claims of willful and malicious conduct, or extreme recklessness shall not be subject to a
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limitation on damages. Any city or town or any fire district shall not be subject to the provisions of

1
§ 9-21-10
.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY --
GOVERNMENTAL TORT LIABILITY
***
1
This act would cap damages at $100,000 in tort actions against Rhode Island, cities, towns,
2
or fire districts, except for willful misconduct or extreme recklessness. It also exempts them from
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§ 9-21-10.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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