| Chapter 072 |
| 2026 -- H 7777 Enacted 06/11/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS--WARWICK MUNICIPAL COURT |
Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Read, Shanley, Solomon, Hopkins, and Bennett |
| Date Introduced: February 12, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 45-2-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-2 entitled "General |
| Powers" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 45-2-19. City of Warwick — Municipal court. |
| (a) The city council of the city of Warwick 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 involving the violation of any ordinance, including minimum housing |
| ordinances, of the city and any violation of the provisions of chapter 24.3 of this title, entitled the |
| Rhode Island Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code; provided, that any defendant found |
| guilty of any offense, excluding violations of the minimum housing ordinances or chapter 24.3 |
| within the jurisdiction of 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; and provided |
| further, that any defendant found guilty of any violation of a minimum housing ordinance, or of |
| chapter 24.3, may, within five (5) days of the conviction, file an appeal from the conviction to the |
| third division of the district court and be entitled to a trial de novo in accordance with §§ 8-8-3(a)(4) |
| and 8-8-3.2. |
| (b) In addition to the jurisdiction conferred in subsection (a) of this section, the municipal |
| court shall have original jurisdiction, notwithstanding any other provisions of the general laws to |
| the contrary, to hear and determine causes involving the violation of the zoning ordinances of the |
| city and any violation of the provisions of chapter 24 of this title ("zoning ordinances"); any |
| violation of chapter 24.1 of this title ("historical area zoning"); any violation of chapter 24.2 of this |
| title ("minimum housing standards"); any violation of chapter 24.3 of this title ("housing |
| maintenance and occupancy code"); any violation of chapter 23 of this title ("subdivision of land"): |
| any violation of any local Warwick ordinance or regulation enacted pursuant to these chapters: and |
| any violation of the provisions of chapter 27.3 of title 23 ("state building code"); and any violation |
| of the provisions of those regulations promulgated by the state building code commission including, |
| without limitation, SBC-1 Rhode Island state building code; SBC-2 Rhode Island state one- and |
| two-(2)family (2) dwelling code; SBC-3 Rhode Island state plumbing code; SBC-4 Rhode Island |
| state mechanical code; SBC-5 Rhode Island state electrical code; SBC-6 state property maintenance |
| code; SBC-8 Rhode Island state energy conservation code; and SBC-20 Rhode Island state fuel and |
| gas code; and provided, further, that any party aggrieved by a final judgment, decree, or order of |
| the municipal court in any of these matters may file an appeal in the same manner and timeframe |
| as set forth in subsection (a) of this section to the superior court and be entitled in the latter court |
| to a trial de novo. |
| (b)(c) With respect to violations of either municipal ordinances dealing with minimum |
| housing or chapter 24.3 of this title dealing with housing maintenance and occupancy matters |
| within the jurisdiction of the municipal court, the city council may also confer upon the municipal |
| court, in furtherance of the court’s jurisdiction, the power to proceed according to equity: |
| (1) To restrain, prevent, enjoin, abate, or correct a violation; |
| (2) To order the repair, vacation, or demolition of any dwelling existing in violation; |
| (3) To otherwise compel compliance with all of the provisions of the ordinances and |
| statutes; or |
| (4) To utilize and apply the provisions set forth in chapter 44 of title 34 (Abandoned |
| Property). |
| (c)(d) The mayor of the city is authorized and empowered to appoint a judge of the |
| municipal court with the advice and consent of the city or town council. The city council is |
| authorized and empowered to enact ordinances governing the operation and procedure to be |
| followed in the court and to establish a schedule of fees and costs. The municipal court may impose |
| a sentence not to exceed thirty (30) days in jail and impose a fine of not in excess of more than five |
| hundred dollars ($500), or both for each violation. The municipal court may also order the |
| destruction of any vehicle impounded in accordance with any ordinance enacted pursuant to § 31- |
| 12-12(c). The court is empowered to administer oaths, compel the attendance of witnesses, and |
| punish persons for contempt. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC003173 |
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