Rhode Island lawmakers let prison phone, solitary, and bail bills die in committee
Three 2026 legislative proposals regarding conditions in state prisons stalled in the General Assembly, leaving incarcerated people and their families to navigate existing rules until the next session begins.
By Adewale Fletcher ·
Rhode Island legislators allowed three major bills affecting prison conditions to expire without a final vote as the 2026 legislative session ended in June. The measures, which targeted phone call costs, solitary confinement limits, and bail for probation violators, were all held for further study by Judiciary committees. No new versions have been introduced since the session closed.
The free phone call initiative, S 2984, was sponsored by Sen. Meghan Kallman. A companion House bill, H 8117, was introduced by Rep. Leonela Felix. In a May 12 letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee, then-Director Wayne T. Salisbury Jr. of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections noted that Securus Technologies collected over $795,000 from incarcerated individuals in 2025. This figure represents an increase from $666,000 in 2024 and covers 2,542,786 calls. Salisbury’s letter supported the bill’s intent but cited concerns regarding cost and monitoring technology.
The Senate committee held S 2984 on May 12. The House Judiciary committee had previously held H 8117 on March 24. Although RIDOC stated that Rhode Island maintains some of the lowest phone rates in the nation and provides monthly free calls, the bills did not advance to the floor.
The 2026 Restrictive Confinement Oversight Act, S 2977, led by Sen. Jonathan Acosta, sought to create an oversight committee and mandate minimum time out of cells. The bill proposed two hours outside for disciplinary confinement under 15 days, three hours for longer stays, and ten hours for general population. House Judiciary held the companion bill, H 8275, on April 2. Senate Judiciary held S 2977 on May 12.
This is the fourth consecutive session where solitary confinement reform bills have stalled. The ACLU of Rhode Island, which supports the legislation, points to a 2017 legislative commission that recommended a 15-day limit on solitary confinement. In 2021, RIDOC official Kathleen Kelly described such a cap as costly and misguided. Previous attempts in 2023 and 2025 also ended in committee holds.
Rep. Batista sponsored H 7651, which would have required courts to set reasonable bail for individuals accused of probation violations and created a presumption of release. House Judiciary held the bill on April 30. During earlier debates, Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office argued that judges should retain discretion in setting bail rather than following an automatic rule.
The holds were managed by committee chairs Sen. Matthew LaMountain of Warwick and Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee of South Kingstown. Rhode Island law, Gen. Laws § 17-9.2-3, bars individuals incarcerated for felony convictions from voting until they are discharged. The Department of Corrections reported an average population of 2,344 in 2024, with 25 people serving life without parole, 84% of whom were housed in maximum security facilities.
New legislation must be filed in the session opening in January 2027. The state’s governor’s race will determine who appoints Parole Board members in the new administration. Helena Foulkes, who defeated incumbent Gov. Dan McKee in the September Democratic primary, faces Republican Aaron C. Guckian and independent Ken Block on Tuesday.
