Rhode Island legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Rhode Island H7083: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS (Authorizes the city of Cranston to establish a housing division within its municipal court.)
Status: Chaptered, June 11, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, January 14, 2026:
2026 -- H 7083 ======== LC003945 ======== STATEOFRHODEISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ ANACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS Introduced By: Representatives Lima, Potter, Cruz, Slater, Diaz, Sanchez, Handy, Bennett, and McNamara Date Introduced: January 14, 2026 Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. Section 45-2-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-2 entitled "General Powers" is hereby amended to read as follows: 45-2-21. City of Cranston -- Municipal court City of Cranston -- Municipal court -- Housing division. (a) Establishment. The city council of the city of Cranston may establish a municipal court and confer upon the court original jurisdiction notwithstanding any other provisions of the general laws to hear and determine causes the involving violation of any ordinance of the city including all minimum housing violations of the city; provided, that any defendant found guilty of any offense excluding minimum housing violations within the jurisdiction thereof by the court, may, within five (5) days of the conviction, file an appeal from the conviction to the superior court and be entitled in the latter court to a trial de novo; provided, that any defendant found guilty of any minimum housing violation may, within five (5) days of the conviction, file an appeal …
Sponsors
- Charlene Lima (D, HD-014) · primary sponsor
- Brandon Potter (D, HD-016)
- Cherie Cruz (D, HD-058)
- Scott Slater (D, HD-010)
- Enrique Sanchez (D, HD-009)
- Arthur Handy (D, HD-018)
- David Bennett (D, HD-020)
- McNamara, Joseph (D, HD-019)
Latest actions
- : Effective without Governor's signature
- : Transmitted to Governor
- : Senate passed Sub A in concurrence
- : Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar
- : Committee recommends passage of Sub A in concurrence
- : Scheduled for consideration
- : Referred to Senate Judiciary
- : House passed Sub A
- : Placed on House Calendar
- : Committee recommends passage of Sub A
Votes
- Senate Committee on Judiciary: Passage of Sub A in concurrence (May 28, 2026): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Seq #114: PASSAGE (April 16, 2026): 64 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Municipal Government & Housing: Passage of Sub A (April 7, 2026): 13 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: TOWNS AND CITIES
Common questions
- What is H7083?
- H7083 is a bill in the Rhode Island Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS (Authorizes the city of Cranston to establish a housing division within its municipal court.).
- What is the status of H7083?
- Chaptered as of June 11, 2026. Latest action: Effective without Governor's signature (June 11, 2026).
- Who sponsored H7083?
- Charlene Lima (D, HD-014), with 7 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for H7083?
- On the Rhode Island Legislature website: http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H7083A.pdf
Source: official Rhode Island record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.