AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES (Expands meaning of bomb threats and false reports to include any warning or threat of the existence of an explosive device and allows judge to impose conditions of bail to include extreme risk protection orders, no trespass orders and counseling.)

H7554

2026 -- H 7554
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LC004404
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES

Introduced By:
Representatives Fogarty, Kazarian, Handy, Ajello, J. Lombardi, Carson,
Shallcross Smith, Spears, and Alzate

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 11-35-18 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-35 entitled "Public
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Utilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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11-35-18. Bomb threats and similar false reports.
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(a)
Whoever, knowing the report to be false, transmits or causes to be transmitted to any
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person by telephone or other means a communication falsely reporting
, warning, or threatening
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either
the
location

existence
of any explosive or other dangerous substance or contrivance
, or a
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shooting or other dangerous event or happening, at a location
, causing
terror,
anxiety, unrest, fear,
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or personal discomfort by that false report
, warning, or threat
to any person or group of persons
, or
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prompting an evacuation or lockdown of a location or other law enforcement response
, shall be
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guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment at the adult correctional institutions for
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not more than ten (10) years, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by
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both fine and imprisonment.
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(b) For any person charged under subsection (a) of this section, the court may consider any
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factors, including whether the person poses a danger to any individual, the community, or the
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defendant, when making bail determinations, and may impose any reasonable conditions or court
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order, including, but not limited to:
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(1) An extreme risk protection order pursuant to the provisions of chapter 8.3 of title 8;
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(2) A no trespass order for any educational, religious, or public institution or building;
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(3) A mental health assessment and/or a referral for mental health treatment; and/or

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(4) Substance abuse counseling.
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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 CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES
***
1
This act would expand the meaning of bomb threats and false reports to include any
2
warning or threat of the existence of an explosive device and/or which that prompts a law
3
enforcement response and allows a judge to impose conditions of bail to include extreme risk
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protection orders, no trespass orders and counseling.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC004404
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