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SB 2719

AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- HOMICIDE

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Bissaillon and 1 co-sponsor

The bill bars life without parole for anyone 21 or younger at the time of a qualifying murder, while preserving other severe penalties.

05/12/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 2719

Bill Summary: SB 2719 (Rhode Island, 2026) – Homicide

Purpose and intent

  • The bill proposes changes to Rhode Island’s homicide penalties, specifically limiting life-without-parole sentences for certain defendants.
  • It targets age considerations, prohibiting life without parole for individuals 21 years of age or younger.

Key provisions and changes

  • Murder in the first degree (11-23-2)

    • Current framework (as amended by SB 2719) retains life imprisonment as a penalty for first-degree murder.
    • Adds or clarifies aggravating circumstances under which first-degree murder carries life imprisonment and potential parole ineligibility if ordered by the court under a separate statute (chapter 19.2 of title 12). The bill specifies that life imprisonment with parole ineligibility applies in certain circumstances, but explicitly provides that no person 21 or younger at the time of the murder shall be imprisoned without the possibility of parole.
    • Specific aggravating factors for first-degree murder (leading to life imprisonment) include:
    • Committing murder intentionally while engaged in another capital offense or a felony for which life imprisonment may be imposed.
    • Creating a great risk of death to more than one person by means that are hazardous to multiple lives.
    • Committing the murder at the direction of another person for monetary or other value.
    • Torture or aggravated battery involved.
    • Murder of certain public servants (judiciary, law enforcement, corrections, attorney general staff, or firefighters) arising from official duties.
    • Murder by a person who, at the time, was confined in adult correctional institutions or the state reformatory for women after a felony conviction.
    • Murder during the commission or attempted commission of felony drug manufacture, sale, delivery, or distribution in violation of Rhode Island drug laws (chapter 28, title 21).
    • The bill states that, for these scenarios, the court can order parole ineligibility under chapter 19.2 of title 12, but youth (21 or younger) are shielded from life without parole.

  • Murder in the second degree (11-23-2)

    • Penalty remains: not less than 10 years and may be imprisoned for life.

  • Murder of a kidnapped person under 18 (11-23-2.1)

    • If a kidnapping of a person under 18 results in death, the offender is guilty of first-degree murder and faces life imprisonment.
    • The court may order parole ineligibility under chapter 19.2 of title 12, with the same age-based caveat: no person 21 or younger shall be imprisoned without parole.

Who/what would be affected

  • Defendants convicted of first-degree murder under the specified aggravating circumstances.
  • Defendants convicted of second-degree murder.
  • Defendants convicted of kidnapping a minor (under 18) where death results, triggering first-degree murder penalties.
  • Specifically, the bill restricts life-without-parole outcomes for individuals aged 21 or younger at the time of the offense.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: The act would take effect upon passage.
  • Legislative action timeline: Introduced February 27, 2026; referred to Senate Judiciary; scheduled for hearing/consideration in May 2026 (as of the action history).

Notes and context

  • The central policy shift is to prevent life imprisonment without parole for individuals 21 years old or younger, aligning sentencing with youth-proportional considerations.
  • The bill preserves severe penalties for first- and second-degree murder and related offenses but introduces age-conscious limitations on parole eligibility where applicable.
  • It does not change the underlying definitions of murder degrees or the existence of separate parole-review processes (chapter 19.2, title 12).

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with the current statute or summarize potential fiscal and implementation implications for Rhode Island courts and the Department of Corrections.

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

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