Rhode Island House Bill H7353

Rhode Island 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/26
• Refer: 1/28/26

Caption

Amends the comprehensive community-police relationship act of 2015 to require an annual study by an outside agency chosen by the department.

Impact

If passed, H7353 would establish stricter data collection and reporting standards for police traffic stops and searches. The amendments aim to improve transparency and accountability by ensuring that data regarding the race, ethnicity, and gender of drivers stopped by law enforcement is collected and analyzed. This could significantly impact current policing practices in Rhode Island, as departments would need to reassess how they conduct traffic stops and address any identified disparities in their practices.

Summary

House Bill H7353, introduced in 2026, proposes amendments to the Comprehensive Community-Police Relationship Act of 2015. The bill mandates an annual study conducted by an outside agency to analyze traffic stop and search data, specifically focusing on any racial disparities that may exist. Additionally, it requires law enforcement agencies across Rhode Island to submit regular reports that detail their compliance and the actions taken in response to disparities identified in the data.

Contention

The bill may face contention regarding concerns over how data collected could be used, especially in connection to allegations of racial profiling. While supporters argue that systematic data collection will foster better community-police relations and reduce bias, opponents may raise concerns about the potential for misuse of the data or additional scrutiny on law enforcement officers. The establishment of a twelve-member advisory committee as per the bill is intended to facilitate discussions and recommendations on the best practices for data and policing, yet it could also be seen as an oversight burden on police departments.