AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS--WARWICK MUNICIPAL COURT (Expands the jurisdiction of the city of Warwick municipal court.)

S2149

2026 -- S 2149
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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 TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS--WARWICK MUNICIPAL
COURT

Introduced By:
Senators McKenney, LaMountain, and Appollonio

Date Introduced:
January 16, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 45-2-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-2 entitled "General
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Powers" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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45-2-19. City of Warwick — Municipal court.
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(a) The city council of the city of Warwick may establish a municipal court and confer
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upon the court original jurisdiction, notwithstanding any other provisions of the general laws, to
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hear and determine causes involving the violation of any ordinance, including minimum housing
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ordinances, of the city and any violation of the provisions of chapter 24.3 of this title, entitled the
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Rhode Island Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code; provided, that any defendant found
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guilty of any offense, excluding violations of the minimum housing ordinances or chapter 24.3
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within the jurisdiction of the court, may, within five (5) days of the conviction, file an appeal from
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the conviction to the superior court and be entitled in the latter court to a trial de novo; and provided
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further, that any defendant found guilty of any violation of a minimum housing ordinance, or of
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chapter 24.3, may, within five (5) days of the conviction, file an appeal from the conviction to the
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third division of the district court and be entitled to a trial de novo in accordance with §§ 8-8-3(a)(4)
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and 8-8-3.2.
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(b) In addition to the jurisdiction conferred in subsection (a) of this section, the municipal
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court shall have original jurisdiction, notwithstanding any other provisions of the general laws to
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the contrary, to hear and determine causes involving the violation of the zoning ordinances of the

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city and any violation of the provisions of chapter 24 of this title ("zoning ordinances"); any
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violation of chapter 24.1 of this title ("historical area zoning"); any violation of chapter 24.2 of this
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title ("minimum housing standards"); any violation of chapter 24.3 of this title ("housing
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maintenance and occupancy code"); any violation of chapter 23 of this title ("subdivision of land"):
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any violation of any local Warwick ordinance or regulation enacted pursuant to these chapters: and
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any violation of the provisions of chapter 27.3 of title 23 ("state building code"); and any violation
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of the provisions of those regulations promulgated by the state building code commission including,
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without limitation, SBC-1 Rhode Island state building code; SBC-2 Rhode Island state one and two
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(2) family dwelling code; SBC-3 Rhode Island state plumbing code; SBC-4 Rhode Island state
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mechanical code; SBC-5 Rhode Island state electrical code; SBC-6 state property maintenance
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code; SBC-8 Rhode Island state energy conservation code; and SBC-20 Rhode Island state fuel and
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gas code; and provided, further, that any party aggrieved by a final judgment, decree, or order of
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the municipal court in any of these matters may file an appeal in the same manner and timeframe
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as set forth in subsection (a) of this section to the superior court and be entitled in the latter court
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to a trial de novo.
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(b)
(c)
With respect to violations of
either municipal ordinances dealing with minimum
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housing or chapter 24.3 of this title dealing with housing maintenance and occupancy

matters
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within the jurisdiction of the municipal court
, the city council may also confer upon the municipal
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court, in furtherance of the court’s jurisdiction, the power to proceed according to equity:
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(1) To restrain, prevent, enjoin, abate, or correct a violation;
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(2) To order the repair, vacation, or demolition of any dwelling existing in violation;
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(3) To otherwise compel compliance with all of the provisions of the ordinances and
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statutes; or
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(4) To utilize and apply the provisions set forth in chapter 44 of title 34 (Abandoned
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Property).
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(c)
(d)
The mayor of the city is authorized and empowered to appoint a judge of the
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municipal court with the advice and consent of the city or town council. The city council is
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authorized and empowered to enact ordinances governing the operation and procedure to be
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followed in the court and to establish a schedule of fees and costs. The municipal court may impose
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a sentence not to exceed thirty (30) days in jail and impose
a fine
of
not
in excess of

more than
five
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hundred dollars ($500)
, or both

for each violation
. The municipal court may also order the
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destruction of any vehicle impounded in accordance with any ordinance enacted pursuant to § 31-
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12-12(c). The court is empowered to administer oaths, compel the attendance of witnesses, and
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punish persons for contempt.

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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 TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS--WARWICK MUNICIPAL
COURT
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This act would expand the jurisdiction of the city of Warwick municipal court to include
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zoning, minimum housing and occupancy codes, subdivisions and land development regulations,
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state building codes and local ordinances. The act would also remove the ability to sentence people
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to jail.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003185
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