AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- DISORDERLY CONDUCT (Criminalizes and sets mandatory minimum sentences for the unlawful interference with traffic upon the federal and state highways of this state.)

H7550

2026 -- H 7550
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LC004504
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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 -- DISORDERLY CONDUCT

Introduced By:
Representatives Casey, Lima, Chippendale, Phillips, Read, Costantino, J.
Brien, Hopkins, Edwards, and Fascia

Date Introduced:
February 06, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 11-45-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-45 entitled "Disorderly
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Conduct" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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11-45-1. Disorderly conduct.
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(a) A person commits disorderly conduct if he or she intentionally, knowingly, or
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recklessly:
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(1) Engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior;
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(2) In a public place or near a private residence that
he or she

the person
has no right to
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occupy, disturbs another person by making loud and unreasonable noise which under the
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circumstances would disturb a person of average sensibilities;
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(3) Directs at another person in a public place offensive words which are likely to provoke
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a violent reaction on the part of the average person so addressed;
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(4) Alone or with others, obstructs a
highway,
street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, building
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entrance, elevator, aisle, stairway, or hallway to which the public or a substantial group of the public
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has access or any other place ordinarily used for the passage of persons, vehicles, or conveyances;
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(5) Engages in conduct which obstructs or interferes physically with a lawful meeting,
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procession, or gathering;
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(6) Enters upon the property of another and for a lascivious purpose looks into an occupied
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dwelling or other building on the property through a window or other opening; or
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(7) Who without the knowledge or consent of the individual, looks for a lascivious purpose

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through a window, or any other opening into an area in which another would have a reasonable
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expectation of privacy, including, but not limited to, a restroom, locker room, shower, changing
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room, dressing room, bedroom, or any other such private area, notwithstanding any property rights
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the individual may have in the location in which the private area is located.
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(8) [Deleted by P.L. 2008, ch. 183, § 1].
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(b) Any person, including a police officer, may be a complainant for the purposes of
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instituting action for any violation of this section.
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(c) Any person found guilty of the crime of disorderly conduct shall be imprisoned for a
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term of not more than six (6) months, or fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both.
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(d) In no event shall subdivisions (a)(2) — (5) of this section be construed to prevent lawful
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picketing or lawful demonstrations including, but not limited to, those relating to a labor dispute.
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SECTION 2. Chapter 11-45 of the General Laws entitled "Disorderly Conduct" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following section:
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11-45-3. Unlawful interference with traffic.

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(a) A person commits the crime of unlawful interference with traffic if the person
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intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly:
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(1) Stands, sits, kneels, or otherwise loiters on any federal or state highway under
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circumstances that said conduct could reasonably be construed as interfering with the lawful
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movement of traffic; or
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(2) Stands, sits, kneels, or otherwise loiters on any federal or state highway causing the
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interruption, obstruction, distraction, or delay of any motorist operating a motor vehicle upon said
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highway.
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(b) Any person, including a police officer, may be a complainant for the purposes of
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instituting action for any violation of this section.
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(c) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a felony and shall,
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upon conviction, be sentenced for a first violation of this section, to a term of imprisonment of not
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less than one year nor more than three (3) years at the adult correctional institution. Not less than
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the first sixty (60) days of said sentence shall be ineligible for the benefit of suspension, deferral,
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or probation.
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(d) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a felony and shall,
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upon conviction, be sentenced for a second violation, to a term of imprisonment of not less than
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three (3) years nor more than five (5) years at the adult correctional institution. Not less than the
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first one year of said sentence shall be ineligible for the benefit of suspension, deferral, or probation.
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(e) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of a felony and shall,

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upon conviction, be sentenced for a third violation, to a term of imprisonment of not less the five
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(5) years nor more than ten (10) years at the adult correctional institution. Not less than two (2)
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years of said sentence shall be ineligible for the benefit of suspension, deferral, or probation.
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(f) When the death of any person ensues as a proximate result of the interruption,
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obstruction, distraction, or delay of an emergency vehicle caused by conduct violating the
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provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the person violating this section shall be guilty of
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"unlawful interference with traffic, resulting in death" and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to
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a term of imprisonment of not less than five (5) years nor more than thirty (30) years at the adult
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correctional institution. Not less than five (5) years of said sentence shall be ineligible for the
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benefit of suspension, deferral, or probation.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- DISORDERLY CONDUCT
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This act would criminalize and set mandatory minimum sentences for the unlawful
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interference with traffic upon the federal and state highways of this state.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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