KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Rhode Island

S2391 • 2026

AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE (Requires public auctions by any city or town of real estate or an interest therein to only be done in person and not by electronic or remote procedures unless authorized by court order.)

AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE (Requires public auctions by any city or town of real estate or an interest therein to only be done in person and not by electronic or remote procedures unless authorized by court order.)

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Patalano, Dimitri, Ciccone, LaMountain, Tikoian, Famiglietti, Quezada, Appollonio, Thompson, Raptakis
Last action
2026-04-29
Official status
Referred to House Judiciary
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 PROPERTY -- PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE (Requires public auctions by any city or town of real estate or an interest therein to only be done in person and not by electronic or remote procedures unless authorized by court order.)

AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE (Requires public auctions by any city or town of real estate or an interest therein to only be done in person and not by electronic or remote procedures unless authorized by court order.)

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE (Requires public auctions by any city or town of real estate or an interest therein to only be done in person and not by electronic or remote procedures unless authorized by court order.)

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

  1. 2026-04-29 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Referred to House Judiciary

  2. 2026-04-28 Senate

    Senate read and passed

  3. 2026-04-24 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Calendar (04/28/2026)

  4. 2026-04-16 Committee

    Committee recommends passage

  5. 2026-04-10 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Scheduled for consideration (04/16/2026)

  6. 2026-03-03 Committee

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  7. 2026-02-27 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/03/2026)

  8. 2026-01-30 Rhode Island General Assembly

    Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

Official Summary Text

AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE (Requires public auctions by any city or town of real estate or an interest therein to only be done in person and not by electronic or remote procedures unless authorized by court order.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S2391

2026 -- S 2391
========
LC004320
========

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO PROPERTY -- PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE

Introduced By:
Senators Patalano, Dimitri, Ciccone, LaMountain, Tikoian, Famiglietti,
Quezada, Appollonio, Thompson, and Raptakis

Date Introduced:
January 30, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Purpose
2
The purpose of this act is to bring greater public scrutiny to the public auction sales of real
3
estate in Rhode Island.
4
SECTION 2. Title 34 of the General Laws entitled "PROPERTY" is hereby amended by
5
adding thereto the following chapter:
6
CHAPTER 51
7
PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE
8

34-51-1. Public auctions of real estate.

9

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, public auctions by any city or town
10
of real estate or an interest therein shall only be done in person at the time and place specified in
11
the legal advertisement, and in accordance with Rhode Island statutes that govern said sales, to
12
include, but not be limited to, the provisions of chapter 9 of title 44.
13

(b) No public auction of real estate or an interest therein shall be done by electronic or
14
remote procedures unless authorized by court order of the Rhode Island superior court, after hearing
15
thereon and a finding that an in-person auction is not feasible under the circumstances of the
16
specific case.

1
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
========
LC004320
========

LC004320 - Page 2 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO PROPERTY -- PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF REAL ESTATE
***
1
This act would require public auctions by any city or town of real estate or an interest
2
therein to only be done in person and not by electronic or remote procedures unless authorized by
3
court order.
4
This act would take effect upon passage.
========
LC004320
========

LC004320 - Page 3 of 3