H 7150Cities & Towns

Towns and Cities - General Powers

This bill prevents towns from enacting new bans on landscaping equipment based on fuel type, while preserving existing bans.

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Introduced Jan 16, 2026Committee House Municipal Government & Housing

Plain-English Summary

This legislation prohibits Rhode Island cities and towns from creating new laws that ban or restrict the use of landscaping equipment, such as leaf blowers and lawnmowers, based solely on the type of fuel they use (e.g., gasoline vs. electric). While municipalities cannot enact new bans on gas-powered tools, they retain the right to regulate noise levels, hours of operation, and safety concerns. Additionally, any town ordinances banning specific fuel types that were already in effect before this bill passed will remain valid, provided they are not later expanded or changed.

For younger readers

This new rule tells cities and towns that they cannot stop people from using certain yard tools, like lawnmowers or leaf blowers, just because they run on gas instead of batteries. Towns are still allowed to make rules about how loud these machines can be or what time of day they can be used to keep things quiet and safe. However, if a town already had a rule against gas-powered tools before this law started, they are allowed to keep that rule, but they cannot make new ones like it.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Landscaping Business OwnersMunicipal GovernmentsHomeownersEnvironmental Advocacy GroupsEquipment Retailers

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Protects small, often minority-owned landscaping businesses from the immediate, high capital costs of replacing functional gas equipment with expensive electric alternatives.
Prevents a patchwork of exclusionary local laws that could disproportionately bar working-class laborers from operating in wealthier municipalities that might otherwise ban their equipment.
Ensures that landscaping services remain affordable for working-class homeowners and seniors by preventing the overhead costs of forced electrification from being passed down to consumers.
Blocks local communities from taking direct action to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution, hindering grassroots environmental progress and climate change mitigation.
Perpetuates the use of equipment that emits high levels of exhaust and particulate matter, continuing to expose landscape workers and residents to respiratory health hazards.
Undermines local democracy by stripping residents of the right to vote on and regulate the environmental quality and noise standards of their own neighborhoods.

For Conservatives

Protects the free market and consumer choice by preventing government interference in the purchase and use of legal private property and equipment.
Supports small business owners by removing the threat of burdensome government mandates that would force them to discard working assets and purchase new technology.
Checks the power of local governments, preventing them from enacting overzealous regulations that infringe on the rights of property owners to maintain their land efficiently.
Violates the principle of Home Rule by allowing the state government to dictate what local municipalities can and cannot regulate within their own borders.
The grandfather clause creates an unequal legal landscape where citizens and businesses in some towns face restrictions that others do not, rather than a uniform statewide standard.
Limits the ability of communities to protect property values by addressing noise and fumes through specific bans if the community consensus supports such measures.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 24 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 45-2 of the General Laws entitled "General Powers" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 45-2-71. Regulation of powered landscape equipment.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of a municipal charter, ordinance, rule, or regulation to the contrary, no city or town shall enact or enforce any ordinance or regulation that prohibits, bans, or otherwise restricts the sale, purchase, ownership, or use of powered landscape equipment based solely upon the type of fuel or power source used by such equipment.

(b) For purposes of this section, “powered landscape equipment” shall include, but not be limited to, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, edgers, and similar outdoor maintenance equipment, whether powered by gasoline, diesel, electricity, battery, or other energy source.

(1) Reasonable, content-neutral noise regulations of general applicability;

(2) Restrictions on hours of operation applicable to all powered equipment; or

(3) Regulations necessary to address public safety concerns, provided such regulations do not effectively prohibit the use of powered landscape equipment based on fuel type.

(d) Grandfathering. Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, any ordinance or regulation of a city or town that was duly adopted and in effect prior to the effective date of this section and that prohibits or restricts powered landscape equipment based on fuel or power source, including any municipal ban, shall remain valid and enforceable within that municipality; provided that, such ordinance or regulation is not amended, expanded, or reenacted after the effective date of this section.

(e) Any ordinance or regulation adopted, amended, expanded, or reenacted after the effective date of this section that is inconsistent with the provisions herein shall be deemed null and void.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.