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Senate passes S 63 to revise misdemeanor definitions amid debate over immigration effects
Summary
The Rhode Island Senate approved S 63, a one‑page bill revising misdemeanor definitions in state law, after discussion about possible immigration consequences and prior Attorney General concerns. The measure passed with 32 senators voting in the affirmative.
The Rhode Island Senate on Feb. 25, 2025, passed S 63, a one‑page bill that revises state definitions of misdemeanors and other offenses to clarify differences between minor and more serious crimes. Senator Jonathan Acosta, sponsor of the measure, moved its passage; the chamber recorded 32 senators in the affirmative and the bill passed.
The change is narrow in form but prompted debate because of potential interactions with federal immigration law. Proponents said the text is a technical cleanup; opponents warned it could alter which state convictions carry immigration consequences. The discussion referenced a prior letter from the state Attorney General urging caution and noted that similar changes in other states have prompted later reversals.
Senator Jonathan Acosta, the bill's sponsor, described S 63 as "quite simple," saying, "All it does is clean up…
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