Increases the time that mortgage foreclosure notices are required to be provided to active military service members, from nine (9) months to one year, after completion of their active duty.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would extend the amount of time that lenders must wait before starting the foreclosure process on a home owned by an active-duty military service member. Currently, Rhode Island law requires that foreclosure notices be given no sooner than nine months after a service member completes their active duty. This bill would extend that window from nine months to one full year (12 months).

The change is designed to give military service members more time to get their finances in order after returning from active duty. Returning service members may face challenges transitioning back to civilian life, including finding stable employment or catching up on financial obligations that may have fallen behind while they were deployed. The extra three months of protection would give them more breathing room before facing the threat of losing their home.

This bill primarily affects active-duty military service members in Rhode Island who have a mortgage and may be behind on payments. It also affects mortgage lenders and loan servicers, who would be required to wait the additional time before initiating foreclosure proceedings against these borrowers. The bill does not apply to the general public — only to those who have served on active military duty.

As of now, the bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee and is scheduled for a hearing in March 2026. The committee has recommended it be held for further study, meaning no final decision has been made yet.