2026 -- H 7132

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LC003664

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- HOMICIDE

     Introduced By: Representatives Casimiro, Shallcross Smith, Kislak, Speakman, Alzate,
Stewart, Craven, and McEntee

     Date Introduced: January 15, 2026

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 11-23-2 and 11-23-2.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-23 entitled

"Homicide" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     11-23-2. Penalties for murder.

     Every person guilty of murder in the first degree shall be imprisoned for life. Every person

guilty of murder in the first degree: (1) committed intentionally while engaged in the commission

of another capital offense or other felony for which life imprisonment may be imposed; (2)

committed in a manner creating a great risk of death to more than one person by means of a weapon

or device or substance which would normally be hazardous to the life of more than one person; (3)

committed at the direction of another person in return for money or any other thing of monetary

value from that person; (4) committed in a manner involving torture or an aggravated battery to the

victim; (5) committed against any member of the judiciary, law enforcement officer, corrections

employee, assistant attorney general or special assistant attorney general, or firefighter arising from

the lawful performance of his or her official duties; (6) committed by a person who at the time of

the murder was committed to confinement in the adult correctional institutions or the state

reformatory for women upon conviction of a felony; or (7) committed during the course of the

perpetration or attempted perpetration of felony manufacture, sale, delivery or other distribution of

a controlled substance otherwise prohibited by the provisions of chapter 28 of title 21; shall be

imprisoned for life and if ordered by the court pursuant to chapter 19.2 of title 12 that person shall

not be eligible for parole from imprisonment; provided that, no person twenty-one (21) years of

age or younger shall be imprisoned without the possibility of parole. Every person guilty of murder

in the second degree shall be imprisoned for not less than ten (10) years and may be imprisoned for

life.

     11-23-2.1. Penalty for murder of a kidnapped person under the age of eighteen (18).

     If any person under the age of eighteen (18) who is kidnapped in violation of § 11-26-1 by

a person other than his or her natural or adopted parent dies as a direct result of the kidnapping,

then the person convicted of the offense shall be guilty of murder in the first degree and shall be

punished by imprisonment for life, and the court may, pursuant to chapter 19.2 of title 12, order

that that person not be eligible for parole, provided, that no person twenty-one (21) years of age or

younger shall be imprisoned without the possibility of parole.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- HOMICIDE

***

     This act would prohibit the imposition of a sentence of life without parole upon any person

twenty-one (21) years of age or younger.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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