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H 8074Police & Prisons

Criminals - Correctional Institutions - Commission on Pardons

Creates a nine-member commission to review pardon applications and recommend candidates to the Governor for approval.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation establishes a new "Commission on Pardons" within Rhode Island. This nine-member commission is tasked with creating an application process, reviewing applicants, and making recommendations to the Governor regarding individuals seeking an executive pardon. The bill outlines specific eligibility requirements, such as having completed a sentence or being eligible for early probation termination. It also defines the composition of the commission, which includes appointees from the judicial system, law enforcement, and several community advocacy organizations. The Governor retains the authority to submit recommended names, or others, to the Senate for approval.

For younger readers

This bill creates a special team called the Commission on Pardons. Sometimes, people who broke the law a long time ago want to be officially forgiven so they can have a fresh start. This team will look at these people to see if they have earned a second chance. The team is made up of different people, including judges and community helpers. If the team thinks someone should be forgiven, they will tell the Governor. The Governor then decides if he wants to ask the state Senate to approve the pardon.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Individuals with criminal recordsGovernor's OfficeRhode Island JudiciaryDepartment of the Attorney GeneralNon-profit social justice organizations
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Democratizes the pardon process by including representatives from community-based social justice organizations and reentry programs, ensuring diverse perspectives beyond just law enforcement.
  • Provides a structured pathway for restoring rights and opportunities to individuals who have completed their sentences but are ineligible for expungement, promoting rehabilitation and reintegration.
  • Formalizes the involvement of groups like the Nonviolence Institute and the Center for Indigenous People’s Rights, helping to address systemic inequities in the justice system.
  • Retains the ultimate authority with the Governor and requires Senate advice and consent, which could politicize the process and stall pardons despite the commission's recommendations.
  • The eligibility criteria exclude individuals who have not yet completed their sentences or met specific probation rules, potentially leaving out deserving individuals still entangled in the system.
  • Does not mandate that the Governor accept the commission's recommendations, meaning the commission's work could be disregarded by an executive with a different agenda.
For Conservatives
  • Maintains checks and balances by ensuring the Governor retains final authority and requiring the state Senate to provide advice and consent on pardons.
  • Includes representatives from the Attorney General’s office, the Judiciary, and Probation/Parole, ensuring that law enforcement perspectives are central to the review process.
  • Sets strict eligibility requirements, ensuring that only those who have completed sentences or met specific legal standards are considered for pardons.
  • Expands government bureaucracy by creating a new commission, potentially increasing administrative complexity and costs without guaranteeing better outcomes.
  • Empowers non-governmental organizations and social justice groups with official decision-making influence over criminal justice matters, which may be viewed as softening the stance on crime.
  • Facilitates the clearing of criminal records, which some may view as erasing the consequences of illegal behavior and undermining the historical record of convictions.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 45 additions

SECTION 1. Title 13 of the General Laws entitled "CRIMINALS — CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: 13-10.1-1. Commission on pardons established – Duties.

(a) There is hereby established a commission on pardons to administer the application process, consider applicants, and ultimately make recommendations to the governor regarding applicants seeking an executive pardon pursuant to Article IX, Section 13 of the Constitution of Rhode Island.

(b) A person shall only be considered for a pardon if:

(1) A person has completed their sentence and is ineligible for an expungement pursuant to the provisions of chapter 1.3 of title 12 ("expungement of criminal records");

(2) A person is eligible for expungement, has applied for expungement, and has been denied; or

(3) A person is on probation and is eligible for early termination of probation pursuant to Rule 35(c) of the Rhode Island superior court rules of criminal procedure.

(c) The commission shall be responsible for promulgating rules and regulations necessary for developing an application process for applicants seeking to request a pardon including, but not limited to:

(1) Establishing what documents and forms need to be submitted with an application in order to be considered for a pardon;

(2) Establishing a timeline for an applicant to receive a response; and

(3) Establishing criteria for determining a person’s eligibility for recommendation of a pardon by the commission.

(d) The commission shall submit to the governor the names of those individuals whom the commission determines should be considered for a pardon, and the governor shall have the authority to submit any of those recommended names, or any others, to the state senate for advice and consent. 13-10.1-2. Composition of commission.

(a) The commission on pardons shall consist of nine (9) members that shall be appointed for a two (2) year term. Members of the commission shall be as follows:

(1) An appointee from the judicial branch who shall be appointed the by chief justice of the Rhode Island supreme court;

(2) An appointee from the department of the attorney general who shall be appointed by the attorney general;

(3) An appointee from the office of the public defender who shall be appointed by the chief public defender;

(4) An appointee from the Rhode Island office of parole/probation who shall be appointed by the governor;

(5) An appointee from the nonviolence institute who shall be appointed by the director of the institute. The appointee shall be an active member of the institute;

(6) An appointee from the Economic Progress Institute who shall be appointed by the director of the institute. The appointee shall be an active member of the institute;

(7) An appointee from the reentry campus program who shall be appointed by the director of the program. The appointee shall be an active member of the program;

(8) An appointee from OpenDoors who shall be appointed by the director of the program. The appointee shall be an active member of the program;

(9) An appointee from the center for indigenous people’s rights who shall be appointed by the director of the center. The appointee shall be an active member of the center.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.