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Committee advances proposal to bar landlords from asking tenants about immigration status; held for study
Summary
Senate Bill 274 would prohibit landlords from inquiring about a tenant's immigration status; immigrant‑rights groups, public‑health experts and legal advocates testified in favor and the committee held the bill for further study.
Senate Bill 274, which would prohibit landlords from asking prospective or current tenants about immigration status, received broad support from immigrant‑rights organizations, public‑health researchers and civil‑liberties advocates at a committee hearing April 3.
Senator Mack, sponsoring the bill, said the measure is intended to reduce fear and intimidation in rental markets and protect families — including mixed‑status households — from housing discrimination. “These are more tools that will help, create more stability for housing,” a co‑sponsor told the committee.
Testimony in favor emphasized public‑health and family stability rationales. Jocelyn Antonio of the Hassenfeld Institute (Brown University) testified in a personal capacity about research showing housing instability harms children’s development and that inquiries about immigration status create a chilling effect that can push families into unsafe or overcrowded housing. Juan Pablo Ocampo of the Immigrant Coalition of Rhode Island and Madeline McGonigal of the ACLU of Rhode Island said landlords should not act as immigration‑status collectors and that existing protections against national‑origin discrimination mean immigration inquiries can function as a proxy for prohibited bias.
Some committee members asked whether asking for status is ever necessary; Senator Thompson and other members urged care in drafting to avoid unintentionally restricting landlords from verifying identity and lawful occupancy where relevant. Supporters replied the bill would preserve landlords’ ability to verify financial and identification information while barring immigration‑status questions.
After testimony the committee voted to hold SB274 for further study. Committee members asked sponsors to return with a technical drafting note that preserves legitimate landlord verification needs while banning status inquiries and to coordinate with fair‑housing authorities on enforcement mechanisms.
