Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0409 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- S 0409
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7	7	LC001224
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF
16	16	POLICE ROBOT TECHNOL OGY
17	17	Introduced By: Senators Acosta, Mack, Kallman, and Murray
18	18	Date Introduced: February 16, 2023
19	19	Referred To: Senate Judiciary
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "STATE AFFAIRS AND 1
24	24	GOVERNMENT" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 2
25	25	CHAPTER 165 3
26	26	PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF POLICE ROBOT TECHNOLOGY 4
27	27	42-165-1. Definitions. 5
28	28	When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 6
29	29	(1) "Law enforcement officer" means any permanently employed city or town police 7
30	30	officer, state police officer, or peace officer as defined in § 12-7-21; provided that, this shall not 8
31	31	include members of the explosive operation division of law enforcement bureau of the office of the 9
32	32	state fire marshal. 10
33	33	(2) "Police robot dog" means any machine, that looks similar in appearance to a dog, that 11
34	34	can collect information, process it, and use it to act upon the world and is operated either 12
35	35	autonomously by computers or by an individual remotely. 13
36	36	(3) "Robot" means any machine that can collect information, process it, and use it to act 14
37	37	upon the world and is operated either autonomously by computers or by an individual remotely. 15
38	38	(4) "UAVs" is an acronym that means unmanned aerial vehicles. 16
39	39	(5) "Unmanned aerial vehicles" means an aircraft that is navigated without a pilot on board. 17
40	40	(6) "Weapon" means a device designed to inflict death or serious physical injury. 18
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43	43	LC001224 - Page 2 of 3
44	44	42-165-2. Use of robots prohibited. 1
45	45	(a) No law enforcement officer shall, while carrying out their duties, whether on-duty or 2
46	46	off-duty, authorize the use, attempted use or threatened use of a robot, police robot dog, or UAVs 3
47	47	armed with any weapon. 4
48	48	(b) The prohibition against the use of an armed robot does not apply to situations when an 5
49	49	armed robot is being used to mitigate an explosives-related incident or to breach a barricade. 6
50	50	(c) No law enforcement officer shall, while carrying out their duties, whether on-duty or 7
51	51	off-duty, authorize the use of a robot, police robot dog, or UAVs in a physical manner that is 8
52	52	substantially likely to cause death or serious physical injury, regardless of whether or not the robot 9
53	53	or UAV is armed with a weapon. 10
54	54	(d) No department that employs peace officers shall receive or accept any public or private 11
55	55	financial funding for the purchase or procurement of any police robot dogs. 12
56	56	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 13
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58	58	LC001224
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62	62	LC001224 - Page 3 of 3
63	63	EXPLANATION
64	64	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
65	65	OF
66	66	A N A C T
67	67	RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF
68	68	POLICE ROBOT TECHNOL OGY
69	69	***
70	70	This act would prohibit any on-duty or off-duty law enforcement officer from utilizing any 1
71	71	armed robot, police robot dog, or UAV, within the scope of their employment except for situations 2
72	72	when an armed robot is being used to mitigate an explosives-related incident or to breach a 3
73	73	barricade. This act would also prohibit any department employing police officers from receiving or 4
74	74	accepting any public or private funding for the purchase or procurement of any police robot dogs. 5
75	75	This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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77	77	LC001224
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