AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- RAILROAD, STEAMBOAT, AND BRIDGE POLICE (Provides any police report involving a railroad fatality and all communications between railroad employees not be made public. Additionally, it makes a violation of this section a misdemeanor.)

H8296

2026 -- H 8296
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LC006080
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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 CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- RAILROAD, STEAMBOAT, AND BRIDGE
POLICE

Introduced By:
Representatives Read, Noret, Casey, Casimiro, Paplauskas, and Voas

Date Introduced:
March 13, 2026

Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 12-2 of the General Laws entitled "Railroad, Steamboat, and Bridge
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Police" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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12-2-9. Privacy protections for railway employees.

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(a) Any police report involving a railroad fatality and all communications between police
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officers and railroad crew members involved in such fatality, shall not be made public and shall be
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maintained by the police department that responds to such fatality, in a manner that shall ensure
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confidentiality; provided, however, that all such reports shall be accessible at all reasonable times,
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upon written request, to:
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(1) The host railroad;
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(2) The railroad of employ of any employee mentioned in such reports; and
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(3) Any other person authorized by judicial order to obtain such information, if access to
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such report is necessary in the performance of their duties; and provided, further, that all such
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reports shall be accessible at all reasonable times, upon written or electronic mail request to law
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enforcement officers, or the office of attorney general.
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(b) Communications between police officers and railroad employees concerning any
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railroad fatality incident may be shared with any person listed in subsection (a) of this section, if
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such access is necessary to the performance of their duties.
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(c) A violation of this section shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than one

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year or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
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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 CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- RAILROAD, STEAMBOAT, AND BRIDGE
POLICE
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This act would provide any police report and all communications between railroad
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employees involving a railroad fatality not be made public. Additionally, this act would make a
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violation of this section a misdemeanor.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC006080 - Page 3 of 3