| Chapter 374 |
| 2025 -- S 0887 Enacted 07/01/2025 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CIVIL RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES |
Introduced By: Senators DiMario, Lawson, Gallo, Mack, Zurier, Bissaillon, DiPalma, Murray, McKenney, and Valverde |
| Date Introduced: March 27, 2025 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 42-87-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-87 entitled "Civil Rights |
| of People with Disabilities" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 42-87-2. Discrimination prohibited. |
| (a) No otherwise qualified person with a disability shall, solely by reason of the person’s |
| disability, be subject to discrimination by any person or entity doing business in the state; nor shall |
| any otherwise qualified person with a disability be excluded from participation in or denied the |
| benefits of any program, activity, or service of, or, by any person or entity regulated, by the state |
| or having received financial assistance from the state or under any program or activity conducted |
| by the state, its agents, or any entity doing business with the state. |
| (b) Provided, if any provision or provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of |
| 1973, prohibiting discrimination based on disability in federally funded programs or activities, |
| codified at 29 U.S.C. § 794, and any implementing regulations relating to prohibiting this |
| discrimination, are determined by the Rhode Island commission for human rights and the |
| governor’s commission on disabilities, to have been repealed or to have been declared invalid or |
| nullified by the final judgment of a federal court applicable to the state or by executive or |
| administrative action, which shall be deemed to include an action of the federal executive or judicial |
| branch that nullifies the effectiveness of 29 U.S.C. § 794 in prohibiting discrimination based on |
| disability in federally funded programs or activities, then the following shall apply: |
| (1) Discrimination prohibited under this chapter shall continue to include those acts |
| prohibited on the basis of disability by 29 U.S.C. § 794, and any implementing regulations, as those |
| regulations were in effect as of the date immediately prior to date of the repeal, revocation, or |
| nullification. |
| (2) The provisions of this section shall be interpreted broadly and to the fullest extent |
| possible under state and federal law, in order to continue the protections afforded persons with |
| disabilities under this chapter and throughout the general laws of the state. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC002628 |
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