HB 7777 Rhode Island House · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS--WARWICK MUNICIPAL COURT

HB 7777 expands the Warwick municipal court's authority to handle cases involving zoning violations, housing maintenance codes, building regulations, and related local ordinances. The bill removes the court's power to impose jail sentences, restricting penalties to fines of up to $500 per violation. It also grants the court the ability to order repairs or corrective actions for housing code violations, such as fixing unsafe dwellings. This change directly affects residents and property owners in Warwick who face enforcement under these housing, building, and zoning codes.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Jun 2026
Signed into Law
Jun 2026
Introduced Feb 12, 2026 Signed Jun 11, 2026
Floor votes · House Apr 16, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
4
Committee
4
Jun 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
06/03/2026 Senate passed in concurrence
upper
May 28, 2026
Legislature · Passed
05/28/2026 Committee recommends passage in concurrence
legislature
May 1, 2026
Committee
05/01/2026 Referred to Senate Judiciary
upper
Apr 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
04/16/2026 House read and passed
lower
Apr 7, 2026
Legislature · Passed
04/07/2026 Committee recommends passage
legislature
Mar 17, 2026
Committee
03/17/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
legislature
Feb 12, 2026
Introduced
02/12/2026 Introduced, referred to House Municipal Government & Housing
lower
6 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors