| Chapter 236 |
| 2022 -- S 2511 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 06/28/2022 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- HOTELS |
Introduced By: Senators Ciccone, McCaffrey, Burke, and Goodwin |
| Date Introduced: March 01, 2022 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Sections 5-14-4 and 5-14-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-14 entitled |
| "Hotels" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 5-14-4. Innkeeper's right to eject. |
| (a) An innkeeper may remove or cause to be removed from a hotel a guest or other person |
| who: |
| (1) Refuses or is unable to pay for accommodations or services; |
| (2) While on the premises of the hotel, acts in an obviously intoxicated manner, destroys |
| or threatens to destroy hotel property, verbally or physically threatens employees or guests, or |
| causes or threatens to cause a public disturbance; |
| (3) The innkeeper has direct knowledge a person is using the premises for the unlawful |
| possession or use of controlled substances by the person in violation of chapter 28 of title 21, or |
| using the premises for the consumption of alcohol by a person under the age of twenty-one (21) |
| years of age in violation of chapter 8 of title 3; |
| (4) The innkeeper has direct knowledge a person has brought property into the hotel that |
| may be dangerous to other persons, such as firearms or explosives; |
| (5) A person violates any federal, state, or local laws, ordinances, or rules relating to the |
| hotel; or |
| (6) Violates a rule of the hotel that is clearly and conspicuously posted at or near the front |
| desk and on the inside of the entrance door of every guest room and posted online where the guest |
| can view it before making a reservation at the hotel; or |
| (7) Uses verbally abusive language towards the hotel's employees or guests. For the |
| purposes of this chapter, verbally abusive language shall mean any language which that would |
| reasonably be found to be offensive, threatening, or demeaning. |
| (b) If the guest has paid in advance, the innkeeper shall tender to the guest any unused |
| portion of the advance payment at the time of removal. |
| (c) Nothing in this section shall be used as a pretext to discriminate against a guest on the |
| basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, |
| or country of ancestral origin. |
| 5-14-5. Refusal of admission. |
| An innkeeper may refuse to admit or refuse service or accommodations to a person who: |
| (1) While on the premises of the hotel, acts in an obviously intoxicated manner, destroys |
| or threatens to destroy hotel property, or causes or threatens to cause a public disturbance. |
| (2) The innkeeper has direct knowledge a person is seeking accommodations for the |
| unlawful possession or use of controlled substances in violation of chapter 28 of title 21 or the use |
| of the premises for the consumption of intoxicating liquor by a person. |
| (3) A person under the age of eighteen (18) years if they are not in proper condition or are |
| unable to pay for their charges who is not accompanied by an adult. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall expire and sunset on July 1, |
| 2024, and the provisions of ยงยง 5-14-4 and 5-14-5 shall revert back to the language in effect on |
| January 1, 2022. |
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| LC005170/SUB A |
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