Bill Sponsors
Bissaillon, Bell, DiMario, Urso, and Famiglietti
Committee
Senate Judiciary
Summary
Select
This legislation amends the Rhode Island "Open Meetings" laws to require all public bodies to develop a translation assistance plan. The objective is to ensure that proceedings of open meetings are accessible to individuals in a language they understand, provided they make a request for such services. All public bodies subject to open meeting laws must have this translation assistance plan fully implemented by September 1, 2027.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Promotes social justice and inclusivity by ensuring that language barriers do not prevent non-English speaking residents and immigrants from participating in the democratic process.
- Empowers marginalized communities to advocate for their needs directly to public officials, fostering a more representative government and dismantling systemic exclusion.
- Mandates a systemic reform where public bodies must proactively plan for accessibility rather than reacting to exclusion, ensuring a more generous and welcoming public service environment.
Cons for Progressives
- The implementation deadline of September 1, 2027, delays essential access to civic participation for several years, leaving current language barriers in place too long.
- Relies on an "upon request" model rather than guaranteeing automatic translation, which places the burden on marginalized individuals to demand access rather than providing it by default.
- Lacks specific funding mandates or quality standards for interpretation, creating a risk that under-resourced communities may receive inadequate services compared to wealthier ones.
Pros for Conservatives
- Ensures government transparency and accountability by allowing all tax-paying residents to understand what their government is doing, regardless of their background.
- Utilizes an "upon request" standard rather than a blanket mandate for all meetings, which helps prevent wasteful spending on translators when they are not actually needed.
- Maintains a level of local control by allowing public bodies to develop their own assistance plans rather than imposing a rigid, one-size-fits-all state system.
Cons for Conservatives
- Creates an unfunded mandate that will likely force local governments to raise property taxes to pay for potentially expensive translation and interpretation services.
- Expands government bureaucracy by requiring every public body to generate new administrative plans, diverting time and resources away from core efficiency and governance.
- Discourages assimilation by accommodating non-English speakers at the taxpayer's expense, rather than encouraging the use of English as the primary language of civic life.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Non-English speakers
- Public body administrators
- Taxpayers
- Translators and interpreters
- Immigrant communities
Towns Affected
All
Cost to Taxpayers
Amount unknown
Revenue Generated
None
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 01/16/2026 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Chapter 42-46 of the General Laws entitled "Open Meetings" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
42-46-15. Translation and interpretation services.
(a) All public bodies shall develop a translation assistance plan setting forth the steps necessary to ensure that all open meetings of said bodies shall have the proceedings accessible to an individual in a language they understand, upon request.
(b) The public body shall implement the translation assistance plan under this section by September 1, 2027.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
42-46-15. Translation and interpretation services.
(a) All public bodies shall develop a translation assistance plan setting forth the steps necessary to ensure that all open meetings of said bodies shall have the proceedings accessible to an individual in a language they understand, upon request.
(b) The public body shall implement the translation assistance plan under this section by September 1, 2027.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.