Rhode Island Bill Adds School Employees to Protections Against Threats to Public Officials

Original title: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- THREATS AND EXTORTION (Adds school superintendents, central office officials, school principals, and all other school employees, to the definition of a “public official” for purposes of the criminal prohibition against making threats to public officials.)

Last action · April 2, 2026: Committee recommended measure be held for further studySponsors: David Tikoian and 9 others

Companion · H 7552same policy, House version

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Senate Bill 2957 expands the definition of a under Rhode Island criminal law to include school superintendents, central office officials, principals, and all other school employees, applying criminal threat prohibitions to them.

Why it matters

Expands legal protections against threats to cover public school personnel, meaning individuals who threaten these employees face the same criminal penalties previously reserved for threats against traditional s.

Background

State criminal codes typically designate specific categories of government workers as public officials to apply harsher penalties for threats, harassment, or extortion. context

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

School employees

School superintendents, central office officials, principals, and all other school employees are included in the definition of public officials, extending criminal threat protections to them.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is newly covered under the threat and extortion laws in this bill?

School superintendents, central office officials, school principals, and all other school employees are added to the definition of a .

What is the current status of Senate Bill 2957?

The measure was introduced on March 4, 2026, and a Senate committee recommended that it be held for further study.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.

Procedural history

3 actions

Apr 2, 2026
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Mar 27, 2026
Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/02/2026)
Mar 4, 2026Introduced
Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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