Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0631 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2023 -- S 0631
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7	7	LC002287
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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	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- SOCIAL HOST REGULATIONS
16	16	Introduced By: Senator Melissa A. Murray
17	17	Date Introduced: March 07, 2023
18	18	Referred To: Senate Judiciary
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21	21	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
22	22	SECTION 1. Title 21 of the General Laws entitled "FOOD AND DRUGS" is hereby 1
23	23	amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 2
24	24	CHAPTER 38 3
25	25	SOCIAL HOST REGULATIONS 4
26	26	21-38-1. Definitions. 5
27	27	Terms used in this chapter shall have the meaning given to them by state law except as 6
28	28	expressly provided herein. 7
29	29	(1) “Control” means any form of dominion including ownership, tenancy, or other 8
30	30	possessory right. 9
31	31	(2) “Controlled substance” means a drug or substance whose possession and use are 10
32	32	regulated under chapter 28 of title 21 ("uniform controlled substances act"). Such term does not 11
33	33	include any drug or substance for which the individual found to have consumed such substance has 12
34	34	a valid prescription issued by a licensed medical practitioner authorized to issue such a prescription 13
35	35	and medical marijuana. 14
36	36	(3) “Gathering” means a party, gathering, or event, where a group of two (2) or more 15
37	37	persons have assembled or are assembling for a social occasion or social activity at a residence or 16
38	38	premises. 17
39	39	(4) “Residence” or “premises” means a hotel or motel room, home, yard, apartment, 18
40	40	condominium, or other dwelling unit, or a hall or meeting room, whether occupied on a temporary 19
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43	43	LC002287 - Page 2 of 5
44	44	or permanent basis, whether occupied as a dwelling or for a party or other social function, and 1
45	45	whether owned, leased, rented, or used with or without compensation. 2
46	46	(5) “Social host” means a person who permits or allows a gathering where one or more 3
47	47	minor individuals consume marijuana or other controlled substances or where any adult consumes 4
48	48	a prohibited controlled substance on property owned or controlled by the person. 5
49	49	(6) “Medical marijuana” as defined in § 21-28.6-3 and regulated by chapter 28.6 of title 6
50	50	21. 7
51	51	(7) “Other private property” refers to a hotel or motel room; an assembly hall or meeting 8
52	52	room; a common room of a dwelling unit used for a party like a recreation room of an apartment 9
53	53	building; a site in a privately owned campground; privately owned vacant lot; privately owned 10
54	54	agricultural land; or privately owned rural land whether occupied as a dwelling, and whether 11
55	55	owned, leased, rented or used without compensation. 12
56	56	21-38-2. Property owner’s duties and prohibitions. 13
57	57	(a) It shall be the duty of any person having control of any residence, real property, or 14
58	58	premises, who hosts, permits, or allows a gathering to take place at said residence or premises, to 15
59	59	take all reasonable steps to prevent the consumption of a controlled substance by any adult or 16
60	60	marijuana or other controlled substance by any minor at the gathering. Whenever the person having 17
61	61	control of the residence or premises either knows or should know a person has consumed a 18
62	62	controlled substance at their residence or premises in violation of this chapter, it is presumed that 19
63	63	the person had the ability to take all reasonable steps to prevent the consumption of a controlled 20
64	64	substance at the gathering; it is further presumed that the person has the ability to terminate the 21
65	65	illegal conduct once it is, or should reasonably have been, discovered. 22
66	66	(b) No person who owns or has control of any residence or premises shall allow a gathering 23
67	67	to take place or continue at their residence or premises if: 24
68	68	(1) At the gathering any minor consumes any marijuana or other controlled substances or 25
69	69	any adult consumes any prohibited controlled substance; and 26
70	70	(2) The person knows or reasonably should know by taking all reasonable steps to prevent 27
71	71	the illegal consumption of controlled substances at the gathering by any person. Reasonable steps 28
72	72	include controlling access to and the use of marijuana by minors and other controlled substances at 29
73	73	the gathering by both adults and minors. 30
74	74	(c) For purposes of this chapter, "minor" means any person not having reached eighteen 31
75	75	(18) years of age. 32
76	76	21-38-3. Unlawful party, gathering or event where controlled substances and/or 33
77	77	marijuana are served to, consumed by or in the possession of any attendee who is a minor. 34
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81	81	No person shall suffer, permit or host a party, gathering or event at their place of residence 1
82	82	or other private property, place or premises or host a gathering of two (2) or more minor persons at 2
83	83	a place under their control where controlled substances are served to, consumed by or in the 3
84	84	possession of any attendee who is a minor. 4
85	85	21-38-4. Violation(s) -- Civil fine(s) and district court jurisdiction. 5
86	86	(a) It shall be a civil violation for a person to conduct or allow a party, gathering or event 6
87	87	where marijuana or controlled substances are served in violation of this chapter on premises owned 7
88	88	by the person responsible for the event, on premises rented by or to the person responsible for the 8
89	89	event, on premises where the person responsible for the event resides or on premises where the 9
90	90	person responsible for the event is in control of such premises during the party, gathering or event. 10
91	91	Law enforcement personnel, at their discretion, may immediately issue a citation for this civil 11
92	92	violation upon evidence of the violation of this chapter. There is no requirement of a first warning 12
93	93	in order for law enforcement to issue this civil citation. 13
94	94	(1) Civil fine. A first violation of this section shall result in a citation with a five hundred 14
95	95	dollar ($500) fine. A second violation shall result in a citation with a seven hundred fifty dollar 15
96	96	($750) fine. A third or subsequent violation shall result in a citation with a one thousand dollar 16
97	97	($1,000) fine. 17
98	98	(2) In the event that the responsible person, who is in violation of this section, is a minor, 18
99	99	then the minor and the parents or guardians of that minor will be jointly and severally liable for the 19
100	100	civil violation. 20
101	101	(b) The district court shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all violations of this chapter, as 21
102	102	provided in § 12-3-1. 22
103	103	21-38-5. Penalties cumulative -- Actions -- Relationship to other laws. 23
104	104	The penalties provided under this chapter are cumulative, and shall not restrict any city or 24
105	105	town to any other remedy to which it is entitled under law or equity. Nothing in this chapter shall 25
106	106	be deemed to preclude the imposition of any criminal penalty under state law, nor shall anything in 26
107	107	this chapter be deemed to conflict with any penalty or provision under state law, or prohibit any 27
108	108	conduct authorized by the state or federal Constitution. 28
109	109	21-38-5. Severability. 29
110	110	If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is 30
111	111	held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter, which 31
112	112	can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of 32
113	113	this chapter are declared to be severable. 33
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117	117	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1
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119	119	LC002287
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124	124	EXPLANATION
125	125	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
126	126	OF
127	127	A N A C T
128	128	RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- SOCIAL HOST REGULATIONS
129	129	***
130	130	This act would create a social host statutory framework to address the presence and 1
131	131	consumption of controlled substances, including marijuana as it relates to minors, at social parties, 2
132	132	gatherings and events. 3
133	133	This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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135	135	LC002287
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