Rhode Island 2026 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H7668

Introduced
2/11/26  

Caption

Requires state use actual residences of persons in government custody for redistricting purposes. Information would be collected by the department of corrections and forwarded to the division of statewide planning, to be utilized for redistricting.

Impact

The enactment of H7668 aims to address a significant discrepancy in how incarcerated populations are accounted for in the census. Currently, many incarcerated individuals are counted as residing at their facility rather than their home addresses. By amending how these individuals are represented during redistricting, the bill seeks to enhance electoral representation for communities with high incarceration rates, thereby ensuring that the political voice of these communities is not diluted by the census practices that classify incarcerated individuals as residents of correctional facilities.

Summary

House Bill H7668, known as the Residence of Individuals in Government Custody Act, mandates that the actual residences of persons in government custody be used for state redistricting purposes. The bill obligates the Department of Corrections to collect and maintain electronic records of the legal residences of individuals entering its custody after January 1, 2027. This information, along with demographic data, is to be reported annually to the Division of Statewide Planning, which will utilize it in redistricting population data applicable to various electoral districts.

Contention

The bill has sparked discussions about the implications of accurately representing individuals in custody in the electoral process. Supporters argue that it is a crucial step toward more equitable representation, allowing communities with a significant number of incarcerated residents to better reflect their population in legislative districts. Critics may express concerns about the potential for politicization of incarceration data and highlight challenges regarding the accuracy of records maintained by the Department of Corrections, including issues related to confidentiality and data management.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

RI H5538

Requires state use actual residences of persons in government custody for redistricting purposes. Information would be collected by the department of corrections and forwarded to the division of statewide planning, to be utilized for redistricting.

RI S0524

Requires state use actual residences of persons in government custody for redistricting purposes. Information would be collected by the department of corrections and forwarded to the division of statewide planning, to be utilized for redistricting.

RI H5274

Requires state use actual residences of persons in government custody for redistricting purposes. Information would be collected by the department of corrections and forwarded to the secretary of state to be utilized for redistricting.

RI H5521

Creates a redistricting commission to act every ten (10) years to adopt a redistricting plan for all general assembly and congressional districts. It also provides for a possible right of appeal of the plan, to the state supreme court.

RI S1073

Makes it unlawful for a person in the custody of the department of corrections to use any force or weapon to resist a lawful request or directive.

RI H5874

Makes it easier to vote for people eligible to vote who are incarcerated at the Rhode Island adult correctional institute and creates the position of "voting coordinator," within the department of corrections.

RI S0924

Requires that Medicaid enrollment be maintained or provided to all inmates in the first 30 days of incarceration at the adult correctional institutions within the department of corrections and the last 30 days of incarceration when possible.

RI S0490

Requires landlords of residential properties built before 1978 to register lead hazard mitigation information with the department of health and the information would be private and only accessible by specific entities.

RI H5517

Increases the maximum number of voters that a polling place can accommodate 3,000 to 3,500 and provide for existing polling places that exceed the maximum number of voters, not be required to be changed until the next decennial redistricting.

RI H5283

Adds department of corrections' correctional officers to the list of public safety employees that are entitled to their full salary if they are injured and become disabled as a result of performance of their job duties.

Similar Bills

CA AB1645

Corrections: Humanizing and Uniting Generations Safely (HUGS) Act of 2026.

HI HB1628

Relating To Compassionate Release.

HI SB2688

Relating To Compassionate Release.

CA AB2483

Wildland firefighters: Formerly Incarcerated Firefighter Certification and Employment Program.

CA AB1380

An act to add Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 4960) to Part 4 of Division 4 of the Public Resources Code, relating to wildfires.

CA AB1269

County and city jails: incarcerated person contacts.

CA SB337

An act to amend Sections 289.

TN HB0674

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, Chapter 51, relative to correctional institutions and inmates.