# Rhode Island S2291: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT -- RHODE ISLAND SURVIVOR EARLY LEASE TERMINATION ACT . Rhode Island S2291, AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT -- RHODE ISLAND SURVIVOR EARLY LEASE TERMINATION ACT ., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Melissa A. Murray (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-18 (Signed by Governor — Chapter 148); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2291-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Rhode Island S2291 - State: Rhode Island - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT -- RHODE ISLAND SURVIVOR EARLY LEASE TERMINATION ACT . - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-23 - Last action: 2026-06-18, Signed by Governor — Chapter 148 - Sponsor: Melissa A. Murray (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 6 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (105 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - End your lease safely after abuse: benefit, high. You can end your lease without penalty if you or a household member were a victim in the last 150 days, or a recent event plus past abuse makes you reasonably fear for safety. You may use a protective order, proof you started a case to get one, a police or court record, a note from listed professio… - No denials; courts enforce survivor rights: benefit, medium. A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you because you ended a lease under the survivor rule or asked to change locks. Housing subsidy programs cannot deny you assistance for those reasons. Any lease term that waives these survivor rights is void. The district court can stop violations and award remed… - Quick lock changes for threatened tenants: benefit, medium. If you reasonably face an imminent threat of abuse, the owner must change the locks within two business days or let you do it. The owner can ask for proof, and if the alleged abuser is a tenant or household member you must give a protective order or a court or law‑enforcement record showing an immi… - Who counts for survivor protections: benefit, low. The law broadens who is covered. Abuse includes crimes like child abuse, sexual assault, stalking, strangulation, kidnapping, and trafficking. Domestic violence covers many offenses, including assault, vandalism, trespass, sexual assault, homicide, stalking, cyberstalking, strangulation, and electr… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Melissa A. Murray (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Jacob Bissaillon (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Alana M. DiMario (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Dawn Euer (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Victoria Gu (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Pamela J. Lauria (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lori Urso (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-10 | House | SURVIVOR EARLY LEASE TERMINATION PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE | pass | 68 | 0 | | | 2026-06-09 | Senate | PROPERTY - RHODE ISLAND SURVIVOR EARLY LEASE TERMINATION ACT Passage | pass | 37 | 0 | | ## Actions (20) - 2026-06-18: Signed by Governor — Chapter 148 (Governor) - 2026-06-16: Transmitted to Governor (Governor) - 2026-06-10: House passed Sub A in concurrence (House) - 2026-06-09: Placed on the House Consent Calendar (06/10/2026) (House) - 2026-06-09: Senate passed Sub A (Senate) - 2026-06-04: Placed on Senate Calendar (06/09/2026) (Senate) - 2026-06-03: Committee recommends passage of Sub A - 2026-06-02: Proposed Substitute - 2026-06-02: Meeting postponed (06/02/2026) - 2026-06-02: Meeting postponed (06/02/2026) - 2026-06-01: Scheduled for consideration (06/03/2026) - 2026-06-01: Proposed Substitute - 2026-05-30: Scheduled for consideration - 2026-05-12: Committee recommended Substitute A be held for further study - 2026-05-12: Committee recommended indefinite postponement - 2026-05-11: Proposed Substitute - 2026-05-08: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/12/2026) - 2026-04-24: Meeting postponed (04/28/2026) - 2026-04-24: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration - 2026-01-23: Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary (Senate) ## Bill text - S2291 - As Introduced, 2026-01-23: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2291.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2291.pdf) - S2291 - Substitute, 2026-01-23: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2291A.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2291A.pdf) ## Related bills - H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS . (became law) - H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT . (became law) - H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY . (became law) - H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES . (became law) - H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN . (became law) - H8437: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION . (became law) ## Sources - [S2291 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2291.htm) - [S2291 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2291.pdf) - [S2291 - Substitute (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2291A.htm) - [S2291 - Substitute (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2291A.pdf) ## Related - [H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8605-2026) - [H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8580-2026) - [H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8586-2026) - [H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8525-2026) - [H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8506-2026) - [H8437: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8437-2026) - [Rhode Island bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island/bills) - [Rhode Island state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2291-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).