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H8502
2026 -- H 8502
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LC006391
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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 OFFENSES -- VICTIM PROXIMITY PROTECTION ACT
Introduced By:
Representatives Cotter, J. Brien, Corvese, McGaw, Speakman, and
Santucci
Date Introduced:
May 01, 2026
Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Title 11 of the General Laws entitled "CRIMINAL OFFENSES" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 37.4
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VICTIM PROXIMITY PROTECTION ACT
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11-37.4-1. Short title.
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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Victim Proximity Protection Act.”
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11-37.4-2. Purpose.
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The purpose of this chapter is to enhance the safety and security of victims of sexual
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offenses, prevent unwanted contact and establish enforceable geographic restrictions on offenders
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relative to specific victims.
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11-37.4-3. Definitions.
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As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
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(1) “Exclusion zone” means a geographic area in which the offender is prohibited from
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residing during any period of parole, probation or other form of supervised release as ordered by
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the sentencing court, and may include in the discretion of the court an order prohibiting the offender
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from entering a designated geographic area.
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(2) “Offender” means any person convicted of a sexual offense under the laws of the State
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of Rhode Island or any other state and who is required, by virtue of that conviction, to register as a
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sex offender.
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(3) “Residence” means any place where an offender lives for more than three (3)
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consecutive days or ten (10) cumulative days in any year.
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(4) “Victim” means the individual against whom the offense was committed.
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11-37.4-4. Victim proximity restrictions.
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(a) In addition to the requirements and restrictions contained in chapter 37.1 of title 11, the
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sentencing court shall provide notice to the offender and impose an exclusion zone order to protect
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the victim(s) of the offense. Specifically, the court shall inform and order any offender, except a
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level three (3) sex offender, that the offender is prohibited from residing within one thousand feet
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(1,000’) of the victim's residence, workplace or school, which distance shall be measured from the
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nearest boundary line of the real property supporting the residence of the offender to the nearest
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boundary line of the real property that supports or upon which there exists the victim's residence,
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workplace or school.
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(b) Any level three (3) sex offender shall be prohibited from residing within one mile of
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the victim's residence, workplace or school, which distance shall be measured from the nearest
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boundary line of the real property supporting the residence of the offender to the nearest boundary
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line of the real property that supports or upon which there exists the victim's residence, workplace
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or school.
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(c) The court may expand the exclusion zone to a distance of up to three (3) miles after
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considering the offense severity, risk level, victim vulnerability and victim impact statements. Any
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justification or reasoning for such an expansion shall be made in writing and shall not be imposed
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for the purpose of excluding the offender from entire communities.
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(d) The offender’s right to challenge the imposition of, or any expansion of the exclusion
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zone shall be governed by the appellate procedures outlined in chapter 37.1 of title 11.
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(e) The restrictions on the offender shall be enforced during any period of post-conviction
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during which time the offender is on parole, probation or any form of supervised release as ordered
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by the sentencing court.
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(f) In addition to the exclusion zone, the court shall automatically issue a no contact order
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with the victim(s) prohibiting the offender from having any direct or indirect contact with the
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victim. Direct contact shall include, but not be limited to, in-person contact, phone contact, text or
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email contact or any other contact in which the offender attempts to communicate with the victim,
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regardless of purpose. Indirect contact shall include, but not be limited to, electronic contact, digital
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contact, contact through a third party or any other contact in which the offender attempts to
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communicate with the victim, albeit not directly, regardless of the purpose.
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11-37.4-5. GPS monitoring and enforcement.
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Level two (2) and level three (3) sex offenders shall be subject to GPS monitoring for the
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period of their parole, probation or supervised release and any willful violation of the exclusion
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zone or no contact orders shall be punishable by up to five (5) years imprisonment.
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11-37.4-6. Housing approval.
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Offenders shall, prior to seeking housing after being convicted of any offense under this
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chapter, seek and acquire approval from the offender's parole officer, probation officer or any
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person charged with supervising the offender's release. Any denial of approval for housing by any
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parole, probation or supervision officer shall automatically preclude the offender from moving into
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or residing at the subject address.
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11-37.4-7. Victim notification.
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Any victim of the offender shall be notified of the offender’s release from incarceration
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within forty-eight (48) hours of said release and shall be notified of the location of the offender’s
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approved address.
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11-37.4-8. Severability.
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If any provision of this chapter or any amendment thereto is held to be unconstitutional,
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the remainder of this chapter and its amendments shall not be affected thereby.
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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 OFFENSES -- VICTIM PROXIMITY PROTECTION ACT
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This act would prohibit those people convicted of sex offenses from living within proximity
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to their victim's residences, workplaces or schools and automatically be prohibited from having any
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direct or indirect contact with the victim(s). Violation of an imposed exclusion zone by an offender
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would be punishable by up to five (5) years imprisonment.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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