Amends the definition of public record to exempt from public disclosure the city or town of residence of the justices, judges, and magistrates of the unified judicial system.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change Rhode Island's public records law to protect the home city or town of judges, justices, and magistrates who work in the state's court system. Right now, that location information can potentially be accessed by members of the public through public records requests. If this bill passes, the city or town where these judicial officials live would be shielded from disclosure — meaning anyone who requests government records would not be able to obtain that specific piece of information.

The bill affects Rhode Island's judges and court officials at all levels of the unified judicial system, as well as members of the public who might seek information about where these officials reside. Supporters of measures like this typically argue that protecting the home location of judges is a matter of personal safety, since judges can sometimes face threats from people unhappy with court decisions. It's worth noting that the bill only covers city or town of residence — not other information about judges that may already be publicly available.

Currently, the bill has been referred to the House State Government & Elections Committee, which has recommended it be held for further study. This means lawmakers are not yet ready to move it forward and want more time to review and discuss it before taking action. It remains in the early stages of the legislative process.