RELATED TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- SENTENCING RECONSIDERATION ACT

Rhode Island Sentencing Reconsideration Act – Plain English Summary

This bill would create a new legal pathway for certain people serving prison sentences in Rhode Island to ask a Superior Court judge to reduce their sentence. To request this review, an incarcerated person would need to meet specific eligibility requirements set out in the bill. A judge would then consider whether a sentence reduction is appropriate based on the circumstances of the case.

Not everyone would qualify for this opportunity. People serving life without the possibility of parole or those serving mandatory minimum sentences required by law would be excluded and could not use this process to seek a reduction. This means the bill is targeted at a specific group of incarcerated individuals — those whose sentences fall somewhere in between those more fixed penalties.

This bill primarily affects incarcerated individuals who are currently serving eligible sentences, as well as the courts that would handle these requests. It could also have indirect effects on victims, families, and the broader criminal justice system. The process would go through the Superior Court, meaning a judge — not an automatic formula — would make the final decision on any potential reduction.

The bill was introduced in the Rhode Island House and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, which has recommended it be held for further study, meaning it has not yet moved forward in the legislative process. A hearing is scheduled for April 2026.