S2131 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES (This act would add early voting to the 50 feet buffer prohibitions against politicking during election day voting.)

Elections

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Zurier, Bissaillon, Burke, Quezada
Last action: 2026-04-07
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 ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES (This act would add early voting to the 50 feet buffer prohibitions against politicking during election day voting.)

What This Bill Does

AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES (This act would add early voting to the 50 feet buffer prohibitions against politicking during election day voting.)

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

2026-04-07 Committee
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
2026-04-03 Rhode Island General Assembly
Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/07/2026)
2026-01-16 Rhode Island General Assembly
Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES (This act would add early voting to the 50 feet buffer prohibitions against politicking during election day voting.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S2131

2026 -- S 2131
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LC003428
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT,
AND SUPPLIES

Introduced By:
Senators Zurier, Bissaillon, Burke, and Quezada

Date Introduced:
January 16, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Section 17-19-49 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-19 entitled "Conduct of
2
Election and Voting Equipment, and Supplies" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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17-19-49. Political literature and influence.
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No poster, paper, circular, or other document designed or tending to aid, injure, or defeat
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any candidate for public office or any political party on any question submitted to the voters shall
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be distributed or displayed within the voting place or within fifty (50) feet of the entrance or
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entrances to the building in which voting is conducted at any primary or election
, including both
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early voting and election day voting
. Neither shall any election official display on his or her person
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within the voting place any political party button, badge, or other device tending to aid, injure, or
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defeat the candidacy of any person for public office or any question submitted to the voters or to
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intimidate or influence the voters.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC003428
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT,
AND SUPPLIES
***
1
This act would add early voting to the fifty (50) feet buffer prohibitions against politicking
2
during election day voting.
3
This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003428
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