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SB 952

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- CREDIT CARD CRIME ACT

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Appollonio and 9 co-sponsors

Rhode Island enacts credit card crime legislation establishing new criminal penalties and enforcement tools to combat financial fraud and protect consumers from identity theft and card misuse.

06/10/2025 Signed by Governor
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 952

Legislative bill overview

SB 952, Rhode Island's Credit Card Crime Act, establishes new criminal penalties and enforcement mechanisms for credit card fraud and related financial crimes. The bill has been signed into law as of June 10, 2025, following passage through both chambers with committee recommendation.

Why this is important

Credit card fraud costs consumers and businesses billions annually and causes direct financial harm to victims. Strengthening state-level criminal statutes provides prosecutors with clearer tools to pursue offenders and potentially serves as a deterrent to fraudulent activity within Rhode Island.

Potential points of contention

  • Severity of penalties: Unclear from the bill summary whether new penalties are proportionate to offense severity or if they represent a significant escalation that critics might view as excessive
  • Privacy and data protection balance: Enhanced enforcement may require expanded data collection or sharing between financial institutions and law enforcement, raising privacy concerns
  • Small business compliance burden: New credit card crime provisions might impose additional reporting or verification requirements on merchants and financial service providers

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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