Rhode Island legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Rhode Island S2975: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE-- PROCEDURE IN PARTICULAR ACTION -- SMALL CLAIMS AND CONSUMER CLAIMS (Simplifies the assessment of filing fees required to appeal from small claims and consumer matters adjudicated by the district court.)
Status: Chaptered, June 24, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, March 4, 2026:
2026 -- S 2975 ======== LC005278 ======== STATEOFRHODEISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ ANACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE-- PROCEDURE IN PARTICULAR ACTION -- SMALL CLAIMS AND CONSUMER CLAIMS Introduced By: Senator Mark P. McKenney Date Introduced: March 04, 2026 Referred To: Senate Judiciary (Judiciary) It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. Sections 10-16-4, 10-16-9 and 10-16-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 1016 entitled "Small Claims and Consumer Claims" are hereby amended to read as follows: 10-16-4. Filing fee -- Waiver of appeal. (a) The plaintiff shall pay into the court an entry fee of fifty-five dollars ($55.00) seventyfive dollars ($75.00), inclusive of a civil case processing fee and a technology surcharge assessed in accordance with § 8-15-11, and of which twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be placed in a "small claims mediation restricted-receipt account" together with an amount equal to the then-prevailing postal rate, for mailing notices in the case, which shall be deemed the beginning of the action. The "small claims mediation restricted-receipt account" shall be established under the control of the state court director of finance; the chief judge of the district court shall be authorized to pay for the services of qualified mediators and other related expenses from the "small claims mediation restricted-receipt account." In addition to the …
Sponsors
- Mark McKenney (D, SD-030) · primary sponsor
Latest actions
- : Effective without Governor's signature
- : Transmitted to Governor
- : House passed in concurrence
- : Placed on the House Consent Calendar
- : Senate read and passed
- : Placed on Senate Calendar
- : Committee recommends passage
- : Scheduled for consideration
- : Committee recommended measure be held for further study
- : Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
Votes
- House Seq #319: PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE (June 8, 2026): 69 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Seq #349: (June 3, 2026): 37 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Committee on Judiciary: Passage (May 28, 2026): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Committee on Judiciary: Passage (March 31, 2026): 7 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE-- PROCEDURE IN PARTICULAR ACTION
Common questions
- What is S2975?
- S2975 is a bill in the Rhode Island Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE-- PROCEDURE IN PARTICULAR ACTION -- SMALL CLAIMS AND CONSUMER CLAIMS (Simplifies the assessment of filing fees required to appeal from small claims and consumer matters adjudicated by the district court.).
- What is the status of S2975?
- Chaptered as of June 24, 2026. Latest action: Effective without Governor's signature (June 24, 2026).
- Who sponsored S2975?
- Mark McKenney (D, SD-030).
- Where is the official record for S2975?
- On the Rhode Island Legislature website: http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/SenateText26/S2975.pdf
Source: official Rhode Island record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.