AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS (Require criminal background checks for applicants for employment or volunteering for the South Kingstown fire department or fire district.)

H8030

2026 -- H 8030
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LC005747
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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 -- GENERAL POWERS

Introduced By:
Representatives McEntee, Spears, O'Brien, and Casey

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 45-2-3.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-2 entitled "General
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Powers" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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45-2-3.3. Background checks.
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(a)
Notwithstanding any provision of the general or public laws to the contrary, any person
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seeking to work or volunteer for a municipal recreation department, or any municipal recreation
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department having the written authorization of a person seeking to work or volunteer for the
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municipal recreation department, may request a Rhode Island criminal history background check
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from their local police department for that person. The Rhode Island criminal history background
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check shall be a certified true copy of the criminal record report and shall bear indicia of
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authenticity including being printed on local police department letterhead with a raised seal and
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bearing the signature of a duly appointed local police officer.
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(b)
Further, notwithstanding any provision of the general or public laws to the contrary,
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any person seeking to work or volunteer for a fire department or fire district located in the town of
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Burrillville, or any fire department or fire district having the written authorization of a person
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seeking to work or volunteer for the fire department or fire district located in the town of
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Burrillville, may request a Rhode Island criminal history background check from the Burrillville
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Police Department for that person. The Rhode Island criminal history background check shall be a
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certified true copy of the criminal record report and shall bear indicia of authenticity including
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being printed on Burrillville Police Department letterhead with a raised seal and bearing the

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signature of a duly appointed Burrillville Police Officer.
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(c) Notwithstanding any provisions of the general or public laws to the contrary, any person
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seeking to work or volunteer for a fire department or fire district located in the Town of South
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Kingstown, including but not limited to the Union Fire District and the Kingston Fire District, shall
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undergo a national and state criminal background in accordance with § 45-2-3.4. The applicant
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shall apply to the bureau of criminal identification (BCI), department of attorney general, state
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police, or the South Kingstown Police Department for a national and state criminal records check.
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Fingerprinting shall be required. The applicant shall be responsible for the cost of conducting the
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national and state criminal records check. The South Kingstown Police Department may request
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and receive the results of such background check for purpose of determining eligibility for services.
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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 -- GENERAL POWERS
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This act would require any person seeking to work or volunteer for a fire department or
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fire district in the town of South Kingstown to undergo a national and state criminal background
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check conducted by the bureau of criminal identification (BCI), department of attorney general,
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state police, or the South Kingstown police department.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005747
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LC005747 - Page 3 of 3