AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS (Requires that all campus police officers be equipped with ballistic body armor.)

H7556

2026 -- H 7556
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LC003872
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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 EDUCATION -- MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS

Introduced By:
Representatives O'Brien, Dawson, Noret, Hull, Read, Solomon, Casey,
and Phillips

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 16-52-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-52 entitled "Maintenance
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of Order on Campus [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is
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hereby amended to read as follows:
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16-52-2. Appointment of campus police.
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(a) The board of governors for higher education may appoint one or more persons who may
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act as police officers upon the property and highways of state colleges and universities subject to
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the control of the board. The campus police officers shall protect the property of each college or
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university, suppress nuisances and disturbances and breaches of the peace, and enforce laws and
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regulations for the preservation of good order. They shall have the same powers and authority as
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that conferred upon municipal police officers, including the power to arrest persons for violations
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of state criminal statutes or for violations of city or town ordinances of the city or town in which
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the institution is located. They shall not carry firearms unless expressly authorized by the board of
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governors.
They shall be equipped with ballistic body armor of the same or similar standard worn
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by the state police.
Additionally, any campus police officer observing the violation of any rule or
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regulation of the board adopted pursuant to this chapter, including but not limited to parking and
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traffic regulations, may issue a summons in the manner and form set forth in § 31-27-12 or § 31-
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41.1-1 returnable to the district court, the police court of the city or town where the violation occurs,
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or the traffic tribunal as provided by law.
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(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all fines and penalties recovered for

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violation of rules and regulations made under authority of this section shall be accounted for by the
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appropriate authority, which shall forward all fines or penalties for nonmoving traffic violations to
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the general treasurer for use by the college or university on whose campus the citation or violation
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was issued in accordance with § 16-32-27.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC003872
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS
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This act would require that all campus police officers be equipped with ballistic body
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armor.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003872
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LC003872 - Page 3 of 3