Removes the provision not allowing to publicly post or display the personal information of any protected individual or immediate family member without first obtaining permission.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would remove an existing legal protection that currently prevents people from publicly posting or displaying the personal information of certain "protected individuals" — such as judges, law enforcement officers, or other officials — and their immediate family members without first getting permission. Under current law, sharing this type of personal information (like home addresses or other identifying details) without consent is prohibited. This bill would eliminate that restriction.

In practical terms, the change would mean there would no longer be a legal requirement to obtain permission before publicly sharing the personal details of these protected individuals or their families. Anyone who previously could have faced legal consequences for posting such information without consent would no longer be restricted by this particular rule.

This bill primarily affects two groups: the protected individuals and their families who currently benefit from this privacy safeguard, and anyone who might want to publicly share such information. For protected individuals — who may include people in sensitive public roles — this change could reduce their privacy protections and potentially affect their personal safety.

The bill was introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has recommended it be "held for further study," meaning lawmakers are not moving it forward immediately and are taking more time to review it before deciding on any action.