H8264 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES (Requires that retailers retain money received for gift certificates in a separate account, until the gift certificate is used or redeemed.)

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Phillips, Batista, Brien, Casey, Corvese, Noret, Read
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES (Requires that retailers retain money received for gift certificates in a separate account, until the gift certificate is used or redeemed.)

What This Bill Does

AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES (Requires that retailers retain money received for gift certificates in a separate account, until the gift certificate is used or redeemed.)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-04-02 Committee
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
2026-03-27 Rhode Island General Assembly
Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/02/2026)
2026-03-11 Rhode Island General Assembly
Introduced, referred to House Corporations

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES (Requires that retailers retain money received for gift certificates in a separate account, until the gift certificate is used or redeemed.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H8264

2026 -- H 8264
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LC005990
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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 COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --
UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES

Introduced By:
Representatives Phillips, Batista, J. Brien, Casey, Corvese, Noret, and
Read

Date Introduced:
March 11, 2026

Referred To:
House Corporations
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 6-13 of the General Laws entitled "Unfair Sales Practices" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following section:
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6-13-12.2. Money received for gift certificates.

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(a) Any money, payment, or other monetary consideration received by any person, firm or
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corporation who or that sells any gift certificate for any product or merchandise sold by the person,
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firm or corporation, hereinafter referred to as a “retailer,” shall place the funds or consideration
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received for the gift certificate in a separate account. Funds shall be held in this separate account
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until the gift certificate is used or redeemed. Upon redemption of the gift certificate, in whole or in
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part, the funds in the separate account may be transferred to the retailer’s business account or such
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other account as where the retailer keeps funds collected in the usual course of the retailer’s
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business, in an amount equal to the amount of the gift certificate which has been redeemed.
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Provided, a gift certificate that is distributed to a consumer pursuant to a rewards, loyalty, or
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promotional program without any money or other thing of value being given in exchange for the
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gift certificate by the consumer, shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
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(b) As used herein, the term “retailer” shall have the same meaning as defined in § 6-13-
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12.

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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 COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --
UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES
***
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This act would require that retailers retain money received for gift certificates in a separate
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account, until the gift certificate is used or redeemed.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005990
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LC005990 - Page 3 of 3