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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 -- H 5911 |
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| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
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| 7 | 7 | | LC001961 |
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| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
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| 9 | 9 | | S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY |
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| 16 | 16 | | Introduced By: Representatives Felix, Kazarian, Morales, Fogarty, Quattrocchi, Alzate, |
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| 17 | 17 | | Tanzi, and Hull |
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| 18 | 18 | | Date Introduced: February 28, 2025 |
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| 19 | 19 | | Referred To: House Judiciary |
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| 20 | 20 | | |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 1. Sections 9-31-2 and 9-31-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 9-31 entitled 1 |
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| 24 | 24 | | "Governmental Tort Liability" are hereby amended to read as follows: 2 |
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| 25 | 25 | | 9-31-2. Limitations of damages -- State. 3 |
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| 26 | 26 | | In any tort action against the state of Rhode Island or any political subdivision thereof, any 4 |
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| 27 | 27 | | damages recovered therein shall not exceed the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000); 5 |
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| 28 | 28 | | provided, however, that in all instances in which the state was engaged in a proprietary function in 6 |
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| 29 | 29 | | the commission of the tort, or in any situation whereby the state has agreed to indemnify the federal 7 |
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| 30 | 30 | | government or any agency thereof for any tort liability, the limitation on damages set forth in this 8 |
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| 31 | 31 | | section shall not apply that all claims of willful and malicious conduct, or extreme recklessness 9 |
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| 32 | 32 | | shall not be subject to a limitation on damages. The State of Rhode Island shall not be subject to 10 |
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| 33 | 33 | | the provisions of § 9-21-10. 11 |
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| 34 | 34 | | 9-31-3. Limitation of damages -- Cities, towns, and fire districts. 12 |
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| 35 | 35 | | In any tort action against any city or town or any fire district, any damages recovered 13 |
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| 36 | 36 | | therein shall not exceed the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000); provided, however, 14 |
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| 37 | 37 | | that in all instances in which the city or town or fire district was engaged in a proprietary function 15 |
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| 38 | 38 | | in the commission of the tort, the limitation of damages set forth in this section shall not apply that 16 |
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| 39 | 39 | | all claims of willful and malicious conduct, or extreme recklessness shall not be subject to a 17 |
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| 40 | 40 | | limitation on damages. The State of Rhode Island shall not be subject to the provisions of § 9-21-18 |
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| 41 | 41 | | 10. 19 |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | LC001961 - Page 2 of 3 |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1 |
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| 46 | 46 | | ======== |
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| 47 | 47 | | LC001961 |
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| 48 | 48 | | ======== |
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| 49 | 49 | | |
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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | LC001961 - Page 3 of 3 |
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| 52 | 52 | | EXPLANATION |
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| 53 | 53 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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| 54 | 54 | | OF |
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| 55 | 55 | | A N A C T |
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| 56 | 56 | | RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALL Y |
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| 57 | 57 | | *** |
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| 58 | 58 | | This act would cap damages at $100,000 in tort actions against Rhode Island, cities, towns, 1 |
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| 59 | 59 | | or fire districts, except for willful misconduct or extreme recklessness. It also exempts them from 2 |
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| 60 | 60 | | § 9-21-10. 3 |
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| 61 | 61 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 4 |
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| 62 | 62 | | ======== |
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| 63 | 63 | | LC001961 |
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| 64 | 64 | | ======== |
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