# Rhode Island S2394: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- UNIFORM PARTITION OF HEIRS' PROPERTY ACT . Rhode Island S2394, AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- UNIFORM PARTITION OF HEIRS' PROPERTY ACT ., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jacob Bissaillon (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-19 (Signed by Governor — Chapter 207) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2394-2026 - 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 S2394 - State: Rhode Island - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- UNIFORM PARTITION OF HEIRS' PROPERTY ACT . - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-30 - Last action: 2026-06-19, Signed by Governor — Chapter 207 - Sponsor: Jacob Bissaillon (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 4 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (107 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Court sets fair market value: benefit, medium. In heirs’ property cases, the court sets the fair market value first. It usually orders a sworn appraisal by a disinterested Rhode Island‑licensed appraiser, or adopts an agreed value. After an appraisal is filed, parties get notice within 10 days, have 30 days to object, and a hearing is held no s… - Open‑market sale and broker rules: benefit, medium. If a sale is ordered, the default is an open‑market listing. Parties have 10 days to agree on a Rhode Island‑licensed broker; otherwise the court appoints a disinterested broker and sets a fair commission. The broker must market the property and not sell for less than the court‑set value. Within 7… - Which cases use these rules: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, these rules apply to partition cases filed after that date that involve heirs’ property. The court must first decide if the land is heirs’ property; if so, this chapter governs unless all co‑owners sign and record an opt‑out. When notice by publication is allowed, the pla… - Buyout rights for co-owners: mixed, high. When any co-owner asks the court to sell heirs’ property, other co-owners get 45 days after the court sets value to elect to buy the seller’s shares. The price equals the whole property’s fair market value times each seller’s ownership share. The court sets a payment deadline at least 60 days after… - Physical split favored over sale: mixed, medium. The court must divide the land into pieces (partition in kind) unless that would cause great prejudice to the owners as a group. The court weighs practical and value impacts, family ownership history and ties, current use, and who paid taxes and upkeep. Two or more owners may combine their shares b… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jacob Bissaillon (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Robert Britto (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Matthew L. LaMountain (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tiara T. Mack (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mark P. McKenney (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-08 | House | UNIFORM PARTITION HEIRS'PROP ACT PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE | pass | 69 | 0 | | | 2026-06-03 | Senate | PROPERTY -- UNIFORM PARTITION OF HEIRS' PROPERTY ACT Passage | pass | 38 | 0 | | ## Actions (11) - 2026-06-19: Signed by Governor — Chapter 207 (Governor) - 2026-06-16: Transmitted to Governor (Governor) - 2026-06-08: House passed in concurrence (House) - 2026-06-05: Placed on the House Consent Calendar (06/08/2026) (House) - 2026-06-03: Senate read and passed (Senate) - 2026-05-27: Placed on Senate Calendar (06/03/2026) (Senate) - 2026-05-26: Committee recommends passage - 2026-05-22: Scheduled for consideration (05/26/2026) - 2026-03-03: Committee recommended measure be held for further study - 2026-02-27: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/03/2026) - 2026-01-30: Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary (Senate) ## Bill text - S2394 - As Introduced, 2026-01-30: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2394.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2394.pdf) ## Related bills - S3047: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRICT COURT PRACTICE . (became law) - H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS . (became law) - H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY . (became law) - H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT . (became law) - H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN . (became law) - H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES . (became law) ## Sources - [S2394 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2394.htm) - [S2394 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2394.pdf) ## Related - [S3047: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRIC…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S3047-2026) - [H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8605-2026) - [H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8586-2026) - [H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8580-2026) - [H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8506-2026) - [H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8525-2026) - [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-S2394-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).