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SB 2496

AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OPEN MEETINGS

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Appollonio and 7 co-sponsors

Expands remote participation and voting for certain public officials (e.g., pregnant/postpartum, disabilities, military service) while preserving transparency and Open Meetings Act

05/28/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 2496

Summary of SB 2496 (Rhode Island, 2026) – Open Meetings

Purpose and intent

  • Modernize and clarify open meeting rules by specifying when public bodies may close meetings, and by expanding permissible use of electronic or remote participation in open meetings.
  • Allow certain public officials to participate remotely (and vote remotely in some cases) due to pregnancy, recent birth, disability, military service, or other circumstances, while ensuring transparency and public notice.

Key provisions and changes

  • Section 42-46-5(a): Closed-meeting justifications
    • Retains and expands the list of permissible closed-session topics, including:
    • Personal performance/health of individuals with advance written notification and opportunity for open-meeting discussion if requested.
    • Collective bargaining, litigation, or related work sessions.
    • Security-related matters.
    • Investigations of misconduct (civil or criminal).
    • Real estate acquisition/disposition where public-interest information would be detrimental.
    • Matters involving prospective business or industry location if open discussion would harm public interests.
    • Investment of public funds where premature disclosure would hurt public interest (e.g., lottery promotions).
    • Certain student privacy matters in local school committee proceedings, with advance notification and potential open meeting upon request.
    • Grievances under a collective bargaining agreement.
    • Personal finances of prospective donors to a library.
  • Section 42-46-5(b): Electronic communications and participation restrictions
    • Prohibits using public body meetings or electronics to circumvent the Open Meetings Act, but allows:
    • Electronic/telephone discussions to schedule a meeting.
    • Remote participation for public body members on active U.S. military duty.
    • Remote participation for members with a disability that prevents in-person attendance, provided specific process is followed (see below).
    • Subsection (b)(4): Roles of Governor’s Commission on Disabilities
    • Establish rules for determining disability-based remote participation feasibility.
    • Grant waivers allowing electronic/telephone participation only if disability prevents physical attendance and such accommodation is the only reasonable option.
    • Waiver decisions become public records.
    • Subsections (b)(5)-(b)(6): Authorized remote participation for:
    • University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees (remote participation allowed with conditions).
    • Rhode Island Life Science Hub Board of Directors (remote participation allowed as per § 23-99-4(c)).
    • Subsection (b)(7): Pregnant or recently postpartum members may participate remotely.
    • Subsection (b)(8): A member participating remotely may be allowed to vote remotely, provided the meeting is held in person.
  • Section 42-46-5(c): Applicability
    • Public meetings between the Open Meetings Act and judicial/municipal court proceedings are exempt from this chapter; not applicable to judicial branches.
  • Section 42-46-5(d): Disruptive conduct
    • Allows removal of individuals who willfully disrupt meetings in a manner that seriously compromises orderly conduct.
  • Section 2: Effective date
    • The act takes effect upon passage.

Affected entities and individuals

  • Rhode Island public bodies subject to the Open Meetings Act (e.g., state agencies, local government committees, school committees).
  • Public officials and board members eligible for remote participation:
    • Members with disabilities needing reasonable accommodations.
    • Members who are pregnant or have given birth in the prior six months.
    • Members on active military duty.
    • Members of specific boards (e.g., URI Board of Trustees, RI Life Science Hub board) with authorized remote participation.
  • Public impacted individuals:
    • General public observers of meetings, who must have access to remote or in-person meetings when remote participation is used.

Procedural and timeline implications

  • Remote participation requires adherence to: audible/visible presence, quorum requirements, and public access notices (especially when videoconferencing is used).
  • Waivers for disability-based remote participation must be publicly recorded.
  • When remote participation is used for voting (per subsection (b)(8)), voting is permitted only if the meeting itself is held in person.
  • Notification requirements for closed sessions involving individuals (pregnant/postpartum or disability-related) must be provided in advance in writing; failure to notify nullifies any action taken against the affected party.
  • The act is self-executing upon passage, with the stated effective date.

Practical impact and considerations

  • Increases accessibility and inclusion by enabling remote participation and voting in certain contexts, potentially improving participation for pregnant/postpartum members, those with disabilities, military personnel, and board members from specified bodies.
  • Maintains transparency by requiring public notice, public records of waivers, and clear procedures for remote participation.
  • Retains safeguards against circumventing open meetings requirements and preserves the ability to remove disruptive participants.

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

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