2023 -- H 5361

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LC001049

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- GENERAL PROVISIONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Felix, Knight, Kazarian, Morales, Alzate, McNamara,
Stewart, Potter, Henries, and Cruz

     Date Introduced: February 03, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-1-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-1 entitled "General

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Provisions" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-1-2. Felony, misdemeanor — Petty misdemeanor, and violation distinguished.

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     (a) Unless otherwise provided, any criminal offense which at any given time may be

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punished by imprisonment for a term of more than one year, or by a fine of more than one thousand

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dollars ($1,000), is declared to be a felony; any criminal offense which may be punishable by

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imprisonment for a term of more than six (6) months and not exceeding one year three hundred

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sixty-four (364) days, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, is

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declared to be a or solely by a fine of more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both, is declared

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to be a misdemeanor; any criminal offense which may be punishable by imprisonment for a term

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not exceeding six (6) months or solely by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or

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both, and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) is declared to be a petty misdemeanor; and

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any offense which may be punished by only a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) is

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declared to be a violation.

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     (b) Whenever the phrase "one year" appears in any provision of the general or public laws

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in reference to the maximum sentence of imprisonment that may be imposed, such phrase shall

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mean, be interpreted as, and be applied as three hundred sixty-four (364) days.

 

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     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 CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- GENERAL PROVISIONS

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     This act would further delineate the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty

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misdemeanor.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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