§ 8-15-12. Rhode Island judicial security act. [Effective January 1, 2026.]
(a) As used in this chapter, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires
otherwise, have the following meanings:
(1) "Data aggregator� means a commercial entity that collects, assembles, or maintains
personal information concerning an individual or an employee of that entity in order
to sell the information or provide third-party access to the information.
(2) "Immediate family� means the spouse, domestic partner, child, step-child, parent,
or any other blood relative who lives in the same residence as a protected individual,
as defined herein.
(3) "Personal information� means the Social Security number, residence addresses, home
phone numbers, mobile phone numbers, or personal email addresses of, and identifiable
to, the protected individual or immediate family member.
(4) "Protected individual� means a retired, recalled, or current justice, judge, or magistrate
of the Rhode Island unified judicial system, as defined in § 8-15-1, and retired, recalled, or current justices, judges, and magistrates of the United
States Supreme Court, United States Courts of Appeal, United States District Courts
and United States Bankruptcy Courts who reside in the State of Rhode Island.
(b)(1) No state agency, county agency, or municipal agency shall publicly post or display
the personal information of any protected individual following receipt of notice provided
for in subsection (b)(2) of this section without first obtaining the written permission
of that individual.
(2) Each protected individual may file a written notice of their status as a protected
individual, for themselves and immediate family with any state, county, or municipal
agency requesting each state, county, or municipal agency to mark as confidential
the protected individual's or immediate family member's personal information.
(3) Upon receipt of a written request in accordance with this section, the state, county,
or municipal agency shall remove the protected individual's or immediate family member's
personal information from publicly available content within seventy-two (72) hours;
and further, shall not publicly post or display the personal information of any protected
individual or immediate family member without first obtaining written permission from
the protected individual.
(4) This subsection (b) shall not prohibit the list of delinquent taxpayers published
pursuant to § 44-1-34 from containing the name of any protected individual or immediate family member,
the type of tax levied, and the amount of the delinquency, including interest and
penalty. Addresses, including the city or town and zip code, of any protected individual
or immediate family member shall not be disclosed on such list once the division of
taxation receives a written notice filed in accordance with subsection (b)(2) of this
section.
(c)(1) In accordance with this section, it shall be unlawful for a data aggregator to sell,
license, trade, purchase, or otherwise provide or make available for consideration
a protected individual's or immediate family member's personal information following
receipt of notice provided for in subsection (b)(2) of this section.
(2) Each protected individual may file a written notice of their status as a protected
individual, for themselves and immediate family, to any person, data aggregator, business,
or association, requesting the person, data aggregator, business, or association mark
as confidential the protected individual's or immediate family member's personal information.
(3) In accordance with this section, upon receipt of a written request submitted by the
protected individual, either directly or through an agent, to the person, data aggregator,
business, or association, the person, data aggregator, business, or association shall
remove the protected individual's or immediate family member's personal information
from publicly available content within ten (10) business days; and further, shall
not in the future publicly post or display the personal information of any protected
individual or immediate family member without first obtaining written permission from
the protected individual.
(4) Within ten (10) business days after receiving a protected individual's written request,
a person, data aggregator, business, or association shall ensure that the protected
individual's or the immediate family member's personal information is not made available
on any website or subsidiary website controlled by the person, data aggregator, business,
or association, except for disclosures to governmental agencies, law enforcement,
healthcare organizations, insurance organizations, financial institutions, or in connection
with fraud prevention services or legal process.
(5) A person, data aggregator, business, or association shall comply with a written request
received from a protected individual's authorized agent if the request is submitted
with a notarized affidavit signed by the protected individual identifying their agent
as being authorized to act on the protected individual's behalf in accordance with
this section.
(6) After receiving a protected individual's written request, no person, data aggregator,
business, or association shall transfer the protected individual's or an immediate
family member's personally identifiable information to any other person, business,
or association through any medium except as provided herein. This section shall not
apply to a transfer made at the request of the protected individual or that is necessary
to effectuate the request to the data aggregator, business, or association from the
protected individual.
(7) A protected individual, or their immediate family member, whose personally identifiable
information is made public as a result of a violation of this section may bring an
action seeking injunctive or declaratory relief in any court of competent jurisdiction
within the State of Rhode Island. If the court grants injunctive or declaratory relief,
the person, business, or association responsible for the violation shall be required
to pay the individual's costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.