2026 -- S 2965

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LC005526

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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 STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- UNIFORM ELECTRONIC

TRANSACTIONS ACT

     Introduced By: Senators Lauria, DiMario, Valverde, Murray, Vargas, Ujifusa, Urso,
Mack, Acosta, Kallman, and Pearson

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2026

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 42-127.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-127.1 entitled

"Uniform Electronic Transactions Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-127.1-8. Provision of information in writing — Presentation of records.

     (a) If parties have agreed to conduct a transaction by electronic means and a law requires

a person to provide, send, or deliver information, in writing, to another person, the requirement is

satisfied if the information is provided, sent, or delivered, as the case may be, in an electronic record

capable of retention by the recipient at the time of receipt. An electronic record is not capable of

retention by the recipient if the sender or its information processing system inhibits the ability of

the recipient to print or store the electronic record.

     (b) If a law other than this chapter requires a record:

     (1) to be posted or displayed in a certain manner;

     (2) to be sent, communicated, or transmitted by a specified method, or

     (3) to contain information that is formatted in a certain manner, the following rules apply:

     (i) The record must be posted or displayed in the manner specified in the other law.

     (ii) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (d)(2), the record must be sent,

communicated, or transmitted by the method specified in the other law.

     (iii) The record must contain the information formatted in the manner specified in the other

law.

     (c) If a sender inhibits the ability of a recipient to store or print an electronic record, the

electronic record is not enforceable against the recipient.

     (d) The requirements of this section may not be varied by agreement, but:

     (1) To the extent a law other than this chapter requires information to be provided, sent, or

delivered in writing but permits that requirement to be varied by agreement, the requirement under

subsection (a) that the information be in the form of an electronic record capable of retention may

also be varied by agreement; and

     (2) A requirement under a law other than this chapter to send, communicate, or transmit a

record by first-class mail, postage prepaid or regular United States mail, may be varied by

agreement to the extent permitted by the other law; and

     (3) A party may condition their agreement to conduct a transaction by electronic means

based upon their stated desire to obtain and receive a written copy of the document in English or

Spanish, before electronic execution of any agreement or any performance is required of the party.

     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 STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- UNIFORM ELECTRONIC

TRANSACTIONS ACT

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     This act would allow a party to condition a transaction by electronic means on their stated

desire to obtain and receive a written copy of the document in English or Spanish before electronic

execution of the agreement or performance is required of the party.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005526

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