Allows for sending of the notice under power of sale and rights of active military servicemembers by USPS First Class Mail and/or an overnight delivery service, instead of by USPS certified mail return receipt requested.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change how lenders are required to notify homeowners — including active military service members — when a home is being foreclosed on and sold. Currently, Rhode Island law requires these notices to be sent by certified mail with a return receipt requested, meaning someone must sign for the letter and the sender receives written confirmation it was delivered. This bill would allow lenders to instead send these notices by regular first-class mail or through a private overnight delivery service, such as FedEx or UPS.

The change would affect homeowners facing foreclosure and active-duty military members, who have special legal protections during the foreclosure process. Supporters of such changes often argue that relaxing the mailing requirement makes the process faster and less expensive for lenders. Critics sometimes raise concerns that less strict delivery methods could make it easier for important legal notices to be missed or go undelivered without clear proof of receipt, potentially leaving homeowners with less certainty that they received proper warning.

As of now, the bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island House and referred to the House Judiciary Committee, but the committee has chosen to hold it for further study, meaning it has not moved forward yet. This is a common step that allows lawmakers more time to review and discuss a proposal before deciding whether to advance it.