2026 -- H 8110

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LC005380

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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 PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives Cortvriend, Kazarian, Spears, and McGaw

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2026

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 34-18-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 34-18 entitled "Residential

Landlord and Tenant Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     34-18-20. Disclosure.

     (a) A landlord or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on his or her behalf

shall disclose to the tenant in writing, at or before the commencement of the tenancy, the name,

address and number of:

     (1) The person authorized to manage the premises; and

     (2) An owner of the premises or a person authorized to act for and on behalf of the owner

for the purpose of service of process and receiving and receipting for notices and demands.

     (b) The information required to be furnished by this section shall be kept current. This

section extends to and is enforceable against any successor landlord, owner, or manager.

     (c) A person who fails to comply with subsection (a) of this section becomes an agent of

each person who is a landlord for:

     (1) Service of process and receiving and receipting for notices and demands; and

     (2) Performing the obligations of the landlord under this chapter and under the rental

agreement and expending or making available for the purpose of all rent collected from the

premises.

     (d) A landlord who becomes delinquent on a mortgage securing real estate upon which the

dwelling unit is located for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days shall notify the tenant that

the property may be subject to foreclosure; and until the foreclosure occurs the tenant must continue

to pay rent to the landlord as provided under the rental agreement.

     (e)(1) For any dwelling unit that constitutes shoreline property as defined in § 5-20.8-1, the

landlord shall provide the tenant, prior to the commencement of the tenancy, with a written

shoreline access disclosure, which shall include the following information:

     (i) Shoreline Access – Members of the public shall have the right to access shoreline

property as defined in § 5-20.8-1. The public’s rights and privileges of the shore may be exercised,

where shore exists, on wet sand or dry sand or rocky beach, up to ten feet (10') landward of the

recognizable high tide line, subject to the restrictions governed by § 46-23-26 and any general laws

to the contrary;

     (ii) The landlord is required to notify the tenant of any public rights-of-way on the real

estate that are known to the landlord. Upon request, the landlord shall provide the tenant with a

copy of any documentation evidencing such rights-of-way or conditions of public access that is in

the landlord’s possession; and

     (iii) The tenant is advised to contact the coastal resources management council, the

municipality, or applicable nonprofit organizations to determine whether any public rights-of-way

exist.

     (2) The disclosure required by this subsection may be satisfied by incorporating it into any

written rental agreement or provided in a separate written notice delivered to the tenant in the

manner prescribed for delivery of written notices pursuant to § 34-18-14.

     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 PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT

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     This act would require landlords who rent shoreline property to provide their tenants,

before the start of the tenancy, with a detailed, written disclosure regarding public shoreline access

rights.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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