Rhode Island legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Rhode Island H7763: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- MAINTENANCE OF PRIVATE EASEMENTS AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY (Repeals certain provisions of the law regarding maintenance of private easements and rights of way.)
Status: Chaptered, June 24, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, February 12, 2026:
2026 -- H 7763 ======== LC004995 ======== STATEOFRHODEISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ ANACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- MAINTENANCE OF PRIVATE EASEMENTS AND RIGHTSOF-WAY Introduced By: Representatives Shallcross Smith, Boylan, Fellela, and DeSimone Date Introduced: February 12, 2026 Referred To: House Judiciary It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: SECTION 1. Section 34-9.1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 34-9.1 entitled "Maintenance of Private Easements and Rights-Of-Way" is hereby amended to read as follows: 34-9.1-2. Maintenance of private easement and rights-of-way. (a) In the absence of an enforceable, written agreement to the contrary, the owner of any residential real property that benefits from an easement or right-of-way, the purpose of which is to provide access to the residential real property, shall be responsible for the cost of maintaining the easement or right-of-way in good repair and the cost of repairing or restoring any damaged portion of the easement or right-of-way. The maintenance shall include, but not be limited to, the removal of snow from the easement or right-of-way. (b) In the absence of an enforceable, written agreement, the cost of maintaining and repairing or restoring the easement or right-of-way shall be shared by each owner of a benefited property in proportion to the benefit received by each property; provided, that the market value or assessed …
Sponsors
- Ann Shallcross Smith, Mary (D, HD-046) · primary sponsor
- Jennifer Boylan (D, HD-066)
- DeSimone, Anthony (D, HD-005)
Latest actions
- : Effective without Governor's signature
- : Transmitted to Governor
- : Senate passed Sub A in concurrence
- : Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar
- : House passed Sub A
- : Placed on House Calendar
- : Committee recommends passage of Sub A
- : Proposed Substitute
- : Scheduled for consideration
- : Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Votes
- House Seq #333: PASSAGE (June 8, 2026): 70 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Judiciary: Passage of Sub A (June 3, 2026): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: PROPERTY
Common questions
- What is H7763?
- H7763 is a bill in the Rhode Island Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- MAINTENANCE OF PRIVATE EASEMENTS AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY (Repeals certain provisions of the law regarding maintenance of private easements and rights of way.).
- What is the status of H7763?
- Chaptered as of June 24, 2026. Latest action: Effective without Governor's signature (June 24, 2026).
- Who sponsored H7763?
- Ann Shallcross Smith, Mary (D, HD-046), with 2 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for H7763?
- On the Rhode Island Legislature website: http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H7763A.pdf
Source: official Rhode Island record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.