2015 -- H 5986 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PROPERTY - CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP

     Introduced By: Representatives Regunberg, Ackerman, and Ajello

     Date Introduced: March 26, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 34-37 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Fair Housing

Practices Act" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     34-37-5.5. Freedom of condominium owners and apartment renters to display

certain religious items. – (a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a landlord or owner,

as defined in § 34-18-11, a management committee, as defined in § 34-36-3, or an association of

unit owners, as defined in § 34-36.1-1.03 (hereinafter "property owners"), may not enforce or

adopt a restrictive covenant or otherwise prohibit a unit owner or tenant from displaying or

affixing on the entry to the unit owner's or tenant's dwelling one or more religious items, the

display of which is motivated by the unit owner's or tenant's sincere religious belief.

     (b) This section does not prohibit the enforcement or adoption of a covenant that, to the

extent allowed by the constitutions of this state and the United States, prohibits the display or

affixing of a religious item on the entry to the unit owner's or tenant's dwelling that:

     (1) Threatens the public health or safety;

     (2) Violates the provisions of chapter 37 of title 34 or any other state or federal law

barring discrimination in housing, or any other law;

     (3) Is in a location other than the entry door or door frame or extends past the outer edge

of the door frame of the unit owner's or resident's dwelling; or

     (4) Individually or in combination with each other religious item displayed or affixed on

the entry door or door frame has a total size of greater than twenty-five (25) square inches.

     (c) Except as otherwise provided by this section does not authorize a unit owner or tenant

to use a material or color for an entry door or door frame of the owner's or resident's dwelling or

make an alteration to the entry door or door frame that is not authorized by the restrictive

covenant governing the dwelling.

     (d) A property owner's association may remove an item displayed in violation of a

restrictive covenant permitted by this section.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PROPERTY - CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP

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     This act would allow the display of religion-related items on the front doors of

condominiums and apartments despite restrictive covenants banning such displays.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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