AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS (Requires a municipality to disclose on their official website the specific issues, details and costs of any legal action of which the town or city is a named defendant within 60 days after the close of the fiscal year.)

H8027

2026 -- H 8027
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LC005790
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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 Stewart, Cruz, Tanzi, Handy, Morales, Potter, Speakman,
and Batista

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House Municipal Government & Housing
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 45-15-5 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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45-15-5. Presentment to council of claim or demand against town.
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(a)
Every person who has any money due him or her from any town or city, or any claim
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or demand against any town or city, for any matter, cause, or thing whatsoever, shall take the
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following method to obtain what is due: The person shall present to the town council of the town,
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or to the city council of the city, a particular account of that person’s claim, debt, damages, or
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demand, and how incurred or contracted; which being done, in case just and due satisfaction is not
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made to him or her by the town or city treasurer of the town or city within forty (40) days after the
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presentment of the claim, debt, damages, or demand, the person may commence his or her action
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against the treasurer for the recovery of the complaint.
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(b) Within sixty (60) days of the close of their fiscal year, every municipality shall be
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required to disclose on their official website the following information:
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(1) A list of civil actions filed in state or federal court during the year, or which concluded
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during the year, in which the municipality, or any official or employee of the municipality, sued or
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was sued in their official capacity;
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(2) The case number for each civil action and the court in which it was filed;
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(3) A short description of the legal claims asserted in the case;
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(4) The current status of the case;

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(5) The amount of legal fees incurred and/or paid by the municipality related to the civil
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action; and
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(6) Upon conclusion of the civil action, a breakdown of all costs and expenses in the
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following categories:
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(i) Court costs;
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(ii) Legal fees;
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(iii) Expert witness fees;
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(iv) Compensatory and punitive damages; and
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(v) Any other costs, fees or expenses incurred.
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(c) Nothing contained in subsection (b) of this section shall be construed to affect the
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availability of records pursuant to chapter 2 of title 38 ("access to public records").
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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 TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS
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This act would require a municipality to disclose on their official website the specific
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issues, details and costs of any civil action in which the town or city was a plaintiff, a named
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defendant or any official or employee of the municipality sued or was sued in their official capacity
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within sixty (60) days after the close of the fiscal year.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005790
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