Rhode Island 2026 Session Status: In Committee 3 D cosponsors

HB 8030 — AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS

Last action — 03/05/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced February 27, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Stalled 22% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    4 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (3 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Require criminal background checks for applicants for employment or volunteering for the South Kingstown fire department or fire district.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

1 change Share ↗

Compared against the R.I. General Laws as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill amends existing law to require additional background check procedures for individuals seeking to work or volunteer for fire departments in specific towns.

  • § 45-2-3.4

    Notwithstanding any provisions of the general or public laws to the contrary, any person seeking to work or volunteer for a fire department or fire district located in the Town of South Kingstown, including but not limited to the Union Fire District and the Kingston Fire District, shall undergo a national and state criminal background in accordance with § 45-2-3.4. The applicant shall apply to the bureau of criminal identification (BCI), department of attorney general, state police, or the South Kingstown Police Department for a national and state criminal records check. Fingerprinting shall be required. The applicant shall be responsible for the cost of conducting the national and state criminal records check. The South Kingstown Police Department may request and receive the results of such background check for purpose of determining eligibility for services.

    This change mandates that individuals seeking to work or volunteer for fire services in South Kingstown must undergo background checks in accordance with existing protocols.

Action History

  1. 03/05/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  2. 02/27/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/05/2026)

  3. 02/27/2026 Introduced, referred to House Municipal Government & Housing

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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4 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 110 not signed on

Sponsors (4)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (110)

110 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 8030 do?
Require criminal background checks for applicants for employment or volunteering for the South Kingstown fire department or fire district.
Who sponsors HB 8030?
HB 8030 is sponsored by Stephen M. Casey (Democratic), O'Brien, Tina L. Spears (Democratic), and Carol Hagan McEntee (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 8030?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced February 27, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 8030?
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Last checked for changes about 2 months ago · updated continuously

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