2023 -- H 5348

========

LC001018

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RESTROOM ACCESS ACT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Ackerman, Bennett, McNamara, Chippendale, Vella-
Wilkinson, Nardone, Kislak, Fogarty, Cortvriend, and McGaw

     Date Introduced: February 03, 2023

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

     SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby

2

amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

3

CHAPTER 20.13

4

RESTROOM ACCESS ACT

5

     23-20.13-1. Short title.

6

     This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Restroom Access Act."

7

     23-20.13-2. Definitions.

8

     As used in this section:

9

     (1) "Customer" means an individual who is lawfully on the premises of a retail

10

establishment.

11

     (2) "Eligible medical condition" means Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, any other

12

inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, pregnancy, cancer or any other medical

13

condition that requires immediate access to a restroom facility.

14

     (3) "Retail establishment" means a place of business open to the general public for the sale

15

of goods or services.

16

     23-20.13-3. Customer access to retail establishment restroom facilities.

17

     A retail establishment that has a restroom facility for its employees shall allow a customer

18

to use that facility during normal business hours if all of the following conditions are met:

19

     (1) The customer requesting the use of the employee restroom facility suffers from an

 

1

eligible medical condition or utilizes an ostomy device;

2

     (2) Three (3) or more employees of the retail establishment are working at the time the

3

customer requests use of the employee restroom facility;

4

     (3) The retail establishment does not normally make a restroom available to the public;

5

     (4) The employee restroom facility is not located in an area where providing access would

6

create an obvious health or safety risk to the customer or an obvious security risk to the retail

7

establishment;

8

     (5) A public restroom is not immediately accessible to the customer; and

9

     (6) When requesting access to an employee restroom facility, a customer shall present to

10

an employee of the retail establishment proof of an eligible medical condition. The proof shall take

11

the form of a document issued by a licensed physician or the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of

12

America identifying the presenter of the document and citing the appropriate statutory authority.

13

     23-20.13-4. Liability.

14

     (a) A retail establishment or an employee of a retail establishment shall not be civilly liable

15

for any act or omission in allowing a customer, who claims to have an eligible medical condition,

16

to use an employee restroom facility that is not a public restroom if the act or omission meets all of

17

the following:

18

     (1) It is not willful or grossly negligent;

19

     (2) It occurs in an area of the retail establishment that is not accessible to the public; and

20

     (3) It results in an injury to or death of the customer or any individual other than an

21

employee accompanying the customer.

22

     (b) A retail establishment is not required to make any physical changes or improvements

23

to an employee restroom facility located on the premises pursuant to this section.

24

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2024.

========

LC001018

========

 

LC001018 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RESTROOM ACCESS ACT

***

1

     This act would require retail establishments with three (3) or more employees on the

2

premises without immediately accessible public restroom facilities to allow customers suffering

3

from eligible medical conditions access to their employee restrooms upon presentation of

4

documentation issued by a licensed physician.

5

     This act would take effect on January 1, 2024.

========

LC001018

========

 

LC001018 - Page 3 of 3