AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT (Requires the corrections director to adopt body camera policies by January 1, 2027, after stakeholder consultation, setting standards for activation, recording, access, retention, notice, and training,)

H8115

2026 -- H 8115
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LC005683
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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 STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT

Introduced By:
Representatives Morales, Sanchez, Giraldo, Cruz, Stewart, Potter, and
Cotter

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 42-56-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 entitled "Corrections
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Department" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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42-56-10. Powers of the director.
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In addition to exercising the powers and performing the duties, which are otherwise given
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to the director by law, the director of the department of corrections shall:
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(1) Designate, establish, maintain, and administer those state correctional facilities that the
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director deems necessary, and may discontinue the use of those state correctional facilities that the
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director deems appropriate for that action;
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(2) Maintain security, safety, and order at all state correctional facilities, utilize the
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resources of the department to prevent escapes from any state correctional facility, take all
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necessary precautions to prevent the occurrence or spread of any disorder, riot, or insurrection of
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any state correctional facility, including, but not limited to, the development, planning, and
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coordination of emergency riot procedures, and take suitable measures for the restoration of order;
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(3) Establish and enforce standards for all state correctional facilities;
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(4) Supervise and/or approve the administration by the assistant directors of the
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department;
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(5) Manage, direct, and supervise the operations of the department;
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(6) Direct employees in the performance of their official duties;
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(7) Hire, promote, transfer, assign, and retain employees and suspend, demote, discharge,

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or take other necessary disciplinary action;
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(8) Maintain the efficiency of the operations of the department;
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(9) Determine the methods, means, and personnel by which those operations of the
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department are to be conducted;
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(10) Relieve employees from duties because of lack of work or for other legitimate reasons;
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(11) Establish, maintain, and administer programs, including, but not limited to, education,
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training, and employment, of persons committed to the custody of the department, designed as far
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as practicable to prepare and assist each person to assume the responsibilities and exercise the rights
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of a citizen of this state;
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(12) Establish a system of classification of persons committed to the custody of the
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department for the purpose of developing programs for each person. In order to effectively develop
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an individualized program for each sentenced inmate that will address each offender’s individual
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treatment and rehabilitative needs, the department of corrections is authorized to receive, with the
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express consent of the inmate, and upon request to the department of children, youth and families,
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the offender’s juvenile arrest and/or adjudication records. Information related to the juvenile’s
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family members and other third parties, excluding law enforcement personnel, shall be redacted
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from the records provided prior to their release to the department. The records will be disclosed to
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only those department personnel directly responsible for, and only for the purpose of, developing
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the individualized program for the offender;
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(13) Determine at the time of commitment, and from time to time thereafter, the custody
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requirements and program needs of each person committed to the custody of the department and
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assign or transfer those persons to appropriate facilities and programs;
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(14) Establish training programs for employees of the department, including the use of an
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application system for the department’s correctional officer training academy that leverages other
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law enforcement entity recruiting and the establishment of any fee associated with such system,
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provided that a state application process compliant with § 28-6.3-1 also be provided;
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(15) Investigate grievances and inquire into alleged misconduct within the department;
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(16) Maintain adequate records of persons committed to the custody of the department;
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(17) Establish and maintain programs of research, statistics, and planning, and conduct
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studies relating to correctional programs and responsibilities of the department;
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(18) Utilize, as far as practicable, the services and resources of specialized community
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agencies and other local community groups in the development of programs, recruitment of
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volunteers, and dissemination of information regarding the work and needs of the department;
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(19) Make and enter into any contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the

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performance of the duties and execution of the powers of the department, including, but not limited
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to, contracts to render services to committed offenders, and to provide for training or education for
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correctional officers and staff;
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(20) Seek to develop civic interest in the work of the department and educate the public to
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the needs and goals of the corrections process;
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(21) Expend annually in the exercise of the director’s powers, performance of the director’s
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duties, and for the necessary operations of the department those sums that may be appropriated by
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the general assembly;
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(22) Make and promulgate necessary rules and regulations incident to the exercise of the
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director’s powers and the performance of the director’s duties, including, but not limited to, rules
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and regulations regarding nutrition, sanitation, safety, discipline, recreation, religious services,
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communication, and visiting privileges, classification, education, training, employment, care, and
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custody for all persons committed to correctional facilities;
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(23) Make and promulgate regulations to provide:
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(i) Written notice to licensed nursing facilities, licensed assisted-living residences, and
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housing for the elderly whenever a person seeking to reside in one of these facilities or residences
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is being released on parole for any of the following offenses: murder, voluntary manslaughter,
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involuntary manslaughter, first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, third-degree
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sexual assault, assault on persons sixty (60) years of age or older, assault with intent to commit
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specified felonies (murder, robbery, rape, or burglary), felony assault, patient abuse, neglect or
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mistreatment of patients, burglary, first degree arson, felony larceny, or robbery;
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(ii) A risk assessment process to identify and recommend safety or security measures
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necessary for the protection of other residents or clients, including whether the parolee should be
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prohibited from residing in any such facility or residence or segregated from other residents or
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clients to protect the security and safety of other residents;
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(iii) The written notice to licensed nursing facilities, assisted living residences, or housing
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for the elderly shall include charge information and disposition about the offense for which the
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resident or client has been paroled, contact information for the resident’s or client’s parole
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supervisor, a copy of the risk assessment and recommendations, if any, regarding safety and
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security measures. A copy of the written notice shall be provided to the parolee; and
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(iv) A process for notifying the appropriate state regulatory agency and the state long-term
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care ombudsman whenever notice as required in subsection (23)(i) of this section has been given;
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(24)
Notwithstanding the enumeration of the powers of the director as set forth in this
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section, and notwithstanding any other provision of the general laws, the validity and enforceability

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of the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement shall not be contested, affected, or
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diminished, nor shall any arbitration award be vacated, remanded or set aside on the basis of an
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alleged conflict with this section or with any other provision of the general laws.
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No later than January 1, 2027, the director shall develop written policies and procedures
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for the use of body cameras by correctional officers. The purpose of said policies and procedures
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shall be the creation of a complete record of critical incidents deemed worthy of recording and the
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enhancement of safety of correctional officers, staff, and inmates. In creating said policies and
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procedures, the director shall consult with community members and groups representing the
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incarcerated population; the attorney general; the Rhode Island police chiefs association; the public
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defender for the Rhode Island office of the public defender; the brotherhood of correctional
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officers; the American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) of Rhode Island; and experts in the
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development of correctional policy. At a minimum, the policies and procedures shall contain the
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following:
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(i) Definitions and examples of "critical instances" when body cameras should be activated
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by the correctional officer;
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(ii) The creation of a complete and accurate record of the critical incident being recorded;
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(iii) Storage of recordings and access to them by courts or in internal disciplinary
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proceedings;
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(iv) Recognizing that Rhode Island is a "One Party Consent" state, whether or not notice
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should be given to those subject to being recorded;
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(v) Retention and destruction of recordings; and
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(vi) Training for correctional officers and staff in the use of body cameras; and
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(25) Notwithstanding the enumeration of the powers of the director as set forth in this
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section, and notwithstanding any other provision of the general laws, the validity and enforceability
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of the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement shall not be contested, affected, or
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diminished, nor shall any arbitration award be vacated, remanded or set aside on the basis of an
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alleged conflict with this section or with any other provision of the general laws.
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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 STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT
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This act would require the corrections director to adopt body camera policies by January
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1, 2027, after stakeholder consultation, setting standards for activation, recording, access, retention,
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notice, and training,
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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