Bill Sponsors
Chippendale, Blazejewski, and Shekarchi
Committee
House read and passed
Summary
Select
This legislation grants specific legal authority to the Honorable Frank Picozzi, Mayor of Warwick, to officiate a marriage ceremony. The wedding is for Madeline Marie Hopkins and Cameron David Charon and is scheduled to take place in Warwick, Rhode Island, on or around February 10, 2026. This bill ensures that the marriage will be legally recognized under Rhode Island's general laws regarding the solemnization of marriages.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Facilitates a significant personal life event for community members, supporting individual happiness and social connection within the city.
- Demonstrates the legislature's responsiveness to individual constituent needs, ensuring that government services are accessible for personal milestones.
- Encourages community bonding by allowing a locally elected official to participate directly in the lives of the residents they serve.
Cons for Progressives
- Utilizes legislative time and resources for a private matter that could ideally be handled through a streamlined administrative process rather than a bill.
- Can be perceived as a form of special privilege where individuals with access to legislators get specific laws passed for their private benefit.
- Reinforces a system where personal relationships require state validation and permission, rather than being autonomous private decisions.
Pros for Conservatives
- Supports the formation of a traditional family unit through marriage, contributing to social stability in the community.
- Empowers a local government official to perform a civic duty, reinforcing the importance of local authority and community leadership.
- Represents a non-intrusive government action that facilitates individual liberty without imposing new taxes or broad regulations.
Cons for Conservatives
- Represents a waste of taxpayer dollars and legislative session time on a trivial private matter that should not require a state law.
- Highlights unnecessary government bureaucracy by requiring free citizens to seek state permission for a private ceremony.
- Sets a precedent for clogging the legislative calendar with individual requests rather than focusing on substantive policy issues.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Madeline Marie Hopkins
- Cameron David Charon
- Mayor Frank Picozzi
- Wedding Guests
- City of Warwick Clerks
Towns Affected
Warwick
Cost to Taxpayers
None
Revenue Generated
None
BillBuddy Impact Ratings
Importance
Measures population affected and overall level of impact.
Freedom Impact
Level of individual freedom impacted by the bill.
Public Services
How much the bill is likely to impact one or more public services.
Regulatory
Estimated regulatory burden imposed on the subject(s) of the bill.
Clarity of Bill Language
How clear the language of the bill is. Higher ambiguity equals a lower score.
Enforcement Provisions
Measures enforcement provisions and penalties for non-compliance (if applicable).
Environmental Impact
Impact the bill will have on the environment, positive or negative.
Privacy Impact
Impact the bill is likely to have on the privacy of individuals.
Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/20/2026 House read and passed
• 01/22/2026 Senate passed in concurrence
• 01/22/2026 Transmitted to Governor
• 01/27/2026 Signed by Governor
• 01/22/2026 Senate passed in concurrence
• 01/22/2026 Transmitted to Governor
• 01/27/2026 Signed by Governor
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, the Honorable Mayor Frank Picozzi may join Madeline Marie Hopkins and Cameron David Charon in marriage within the City of Warwick, Rhode Island on or about February 10, 2026. The Honorable Mayor Frank Picozzi is hereby authorized and empowered to join the foregoing persons in marriage pursuant to and in accordance with Chapter 3 of Title 15 of the General laws, entitled “Solemnization of Marriages.”
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.