Prohibits municipalities from restricting certain landscaping equipment based on its power source.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would prevent cities and towns in Rhode Island from banning or restricting landscaping equipment — like lawn mowers, leaf blowers, or trimmers — based on what powers them. In other words, a municipality could not pass a local rule that prohibits gas-powered equipment in favor of electric, or vice versa. The decision about what type of power source landscaping tools use would be left to individual businesses and homeowners rather than local governments.

The bill would primarily affect landscaping companies, lawn care professionals, and homeowners who use outdoor power equipment. It would also limit the authority of local town and city governments, which currently have the ability to set their own rules about how their communities operate. Some municipalities across the country have passed restrictions on gas-powered landscaping tools due to noise or air quality concerns, and this bill would block Rhode Island towns from taking similar steps.

Currently, the bill has been referred to the House Municipal Government & Housing Committee, which has recommended holding it for further study — meaning it has not moved forward yet and lawmakers want more time to review it before taking action. A hearing is scheduled for early 2026. As of now, no changes to state law have taken effect.