An important piece of criminal justice legislation would have clarified the language surrounding the definition of “felony” and “misdemeanor” under Rhode Island law. Currently, the definition of a felony encompasses any crime which carries a fine greater than $1,000 – even if that offense does not carry a risk of a prison sentence. Because a person with a felony conviction on their criminal record can face harsh barriers in housing or job hunting, we urged the legislature to codify this much needed amendment which would have statutorily decreed that only those crimes carrying a potential imprisonment of a year or more may be classified as a felony.
The version which passed the Senate, S 518 A as amended, included language incorporating the provisions of important "364 Day Misdemeanor" legislation. Unfortunately, this legislation died in the House.
