S 2965Rights & Warranties

State Affairs and Government - Uniform Electronic Transactions Act

Allows people to demand a paper copy of a contract in English or Spanish before signing it electronically.

Held for study

Population
Affected

Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the state's Uniform Electronic Transactions Act. It introduces a specific right for individuals entering into electronic agreements. Under this bill, a person can condition their agreement to conduct a transaction electronically on the requirement that they first receive a physical written copy of the document in either English or Spanish. This request must be fulfilled before the individual is required to electronically sign the document or perform any duties outlined in the agreement.

For younger readers

Sometimes, people sign agreements on a computer instead of using paper and pen. This bill makes a new rule for those computer agreements. It says that before a person signs their name on the computer, they are allowed to ask for a real paper copy of the agreement first. They can also ask for that paper copy to be in English or Spanish. This helps people make sure they can read and hold the agreement in their hands before they promise to follow the rules inside it.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

ConsumersSpanish SpeakersBusiness OwnersLandlordsBanks and Lenders

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

None

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Promotes language justice and accessibility by legally guaranteeing Spanish speakers the right to receive contracts in their primary language, reducing the risk of exploitation due to language barriers.
Empowers consumers and workers by allowing them to slow down the often-rushed digital signing process, ensuring they have a physical document to review and retain for their records.
Protects vulnerable populations, including the elderly or those without reliable internet access, by ensuring they can demand a physical copy of important documents rather than relying solely on digital interfaces.
Excludes non-English speakers who speak languages other than Spanish (such as Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, or Mandarin), potentially creating a hierarchy of immigrant rights rather than universal language access.
Could create administrative hurdles for small non-profits or community organizations that use electronic waivers but lack the immediate resources to print or translate documents into Spanish on demand.
May inadvertently increase environmental waste by encouraging the printing of physical paper copies in an era where digital conservation is preferred.

For Conservatives

Upholds the sanctity of contracts by ensuring that all parties truly understand what they are signing, thereby reducing future litigation based on misunderstandings.
Empowers the individual against large corporate entities by giving the consumer the specific right to dictate terms (receiving a paper copy) before entering an agreement.
Reinforces the status of English as a primary language for commerce while pragmatically acknowledging Spanish, avoiding a "translate into every language" mandate that would cripple businesses.
Imposes a government mandate on private businesses, dictating how they must conduct transactions and interfering with the free market's move toward efficiency and digitalization.
Places a financial and logistical burden on business owners to maintain physical printing capabilities and Spanish translations, potentially raising costs for consumers.
Opens the door for frivolous disputes where a party might attempt to void a valid contract by claiming they verbally requested a Spanish copy that was not provided.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 5 additions · 1 deletion

SECTION 1. Section 42-127.1-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-127.1 entitled "Uniform Electronic Transactions Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: 42-127.1-8. Provision of information in writing — Presentation of records.

(a) If parties have agreed to conduct a transaction by electronic means and a law requires a person to provide, send, or deliver information, in writing, to another person, the requirement is satisfied if the information is provided, sent, or delivered, as the case may be, in an electronic record capable of retention by the recipient at the time of receipt. An electronic record is not capable of retention by the recipient if the sender or its information processing system inhibits the ability of the recipient to print or store the electronic record.

(b) If a law other than this chapter requires a record:

(1) to be posted or displayed in a certain manner;

(2) to be sent, communicated, or transmitted by a specified method, or

(3) to contain information that is formatted in a certain manner, the following rules apply:

(i) The record must be posted or displayed in the manner specified in the other law.

(ii) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (d)(2), the record must be sent, communicated, or transmitted by the method specified in the other law.

(iii) The record must contain the information formatted in the manner specified in the other law.

(c) If a sender inhibits the ability of a recipient to store or print an electronic record, the electronic record is not enforceable against the recipient.

(d) The requirements of this section may not be varied by agreement, but:

(1) To the extent a law other than this chapter requires information to be provided, sent, or delivered in writing but permits that requirement to be varied by agreement, the requirement under subsection (a) that the information be in the form of an electronic record capable of retention may also be varied by agreement; ~~and~~

(2) A requirement under a law other than this chapter to send, communicate, or transmit a record by first-class mail, postage prepaid or regular United States mail, may be varied by agreement to the extent permitted by the other law; and

(3) A party may condition their agreement to conduct a transaction by electronic means based upon their stated desire to obtain and receive a written copy of the document in English or Spanish, before electronic execution of any agreement or any performance is required of the party.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.