To: The Rhode Island State House, The Rhode Island State Senate, and Governor Gina Raimondo
Stop bills targeting protesters and the homeless
We oppose Rhode Island bills that encourage driving a car into protesters (H5690), make it a crime to stand on the median of a street (H5258), and ban giving anyone money or other items from a car (H5210).
Why is this important?
Three troubling bills target the homeless and protesters. H5690 says that drivers who drive into a protester on the road are not liable for the injury they cause if they "exercise due care" -- the bill sends a signal that encourages malicious people to "accidentally" drive into protest marches and rallies.
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText17/HouseText17/H5690.pdf
H5258 makes it a crime to stand anywhere in an "unsafe" road or on the roadway median, a bill that targets panhandlers but also criminalizes people with political messages or fundraising drives.
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText17/HouseText17/H5258.pdf
H5210 fines drivers if they stop to give anyone money or other items, penalizing those who are generous to the less fortunate as well as anyone who just hands something to family or friends.
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText17/HouseText17/H5210.pdf
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText17/HouseText17/H5690.pdf
H5258 makes it a crime to stand anywhere in an "unsafe" road or on the roadway median, a bill that targets panhandlers but also criminalizes people with political messages or fundraising drives.
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText17/HouseText17/H5258.pdf
H5210 fines drivers if they stop to give anyone money or other items, penalizing those who are generous to the less fortunate as well as anyone who just hands something to family or friends.
http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText17/HouseText17/H5210.pdf