Rhode Island House Bill H5693

Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/26/25
• Refer: 2/26/25

Caption

Allows municipalities to seek recovery of fines associated with ordinance violations by permitting the municipality to include the fines on a property tax bill.

Impact

If enacted, H5693 would amend the existing penalties related to ordinance violations, allowing municipalities to impose fines and seek restitution for property damage or personal injury. The fines can be substantial, with amounts reaching up to $2,500, and the bill outlines a mechanism for municipalities to file liens against properties belonging to violators. By integrating fine recovery with property tax assessments, the legislation could potentially improve local tax collection, mitigating revenue losses faced by municipalities due to unpaid fines.

Summary

House Bill 5693 proposes a significant amendment to the laws governing ordinances in cities and towns within the state of Rhode Island. Specifically, it allows municipalities to recover fines related to violations of local ordinances by adding those fines to property tax bills. This change aims to streamline the process of collecting fines and enhance local revenue systems, providing municipalities with a clear and enforceable means of addressing ordinance infractions. The bill’s supporters argue that this will lead to more efficient governance and ensure that violators ultimately bear the financial consequences of their actions.

Contention

Critics of H5693 may raise concerns about the potential for this bill to exacerbate financial burdens on property owners, especially during times of economic hardship. There may be worries that adding fines to property tax bills could lead to disproportionate impacts on lower-income residents or those facing financial difficulties. This raises questions about fairness in enforcement and the overall impact of such penalties on community dynamics. The balance between maintaining local order through penalties versus ensuring equitable treatment of residents will likely be a focal point during discussions and debates surrounding the bill.