2025 -- H 5915

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LC001960

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS

     Introduced By: Representatives Felix, Kazarian, Morales, Batista, Handy, Fogarty,
Quattrocchi, Corvese, Noret, and Alzate

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2025

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 45-15-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-15 entitled "Actions by

and Against Towns" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     45-15-8. Recovery against town for damages from neglect to maintain highway or

bridge.

     (a) If any person receives or suffers bodily injury or damage to that person’s property by

reason of defect, want of repair, or insufficient railing, in or upon a public highway, causeway, or

bridge, in any town which is by law obliged to repair and keep the same in a condition safe and

convenient for travelers with their vehicles, which injury or damage might have been prevented by

reasonable care and diligence on the part of the town, the person may recover, in the manner

provided in this chapter, from the town, the amount of damages, sustained by the aggrieved person,

if the town had reasonable notice of the defect, or might have had notice of the defect by the exercise

of proper care and diligence on its part.

     (b) This cause of action is exempt from the provisions of chapter 31 of title 9.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC001960

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS

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     This bill would exempt recovery claims for damages due to a town's neglect in maintaining

highways or bridges from the provisions of chapter 31 of title 9 on governmental tort liability.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC001960

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