The bill introduces the "Racial Impact Assessment Act" to Title 22 of the General Laws, which aims to address the disproportionate impact that state legislation has had on communities of color in Rhode Island. The Act acknowledges that such impacts have led to negative outcomes in health, education, and socioeconomic status, which in turn have increased rates of incarceration and public health risks. The Act is inspired by similar initiatives in states like Connecticut and Massachusetts and seeks to incorporate racial impact statements into the legislative process. These statements are intended to inform legislators about the potential consequences of proposed policies on historically disadvantaged racial populations, with the goal of ensuring racial equity and avoiding the perpetuation of disparities.

The Act defines key terms, establishes a committee to oversee racial impact statement reports, and outlines the information that must be included in these statements. It specifies that racial impact statements should be impartial, simple, and understandable, and should include data on the racial composition of individuals impacted by the legislation, a narrative about the demographic impact, a summary of past disparities, and efforts to address them, including retroactive relief for those harmed by previous legislation. The Act requires that racial impact statements be requested for legislation related to the criminal justice system and made available to the public during committee hearings. It also mandates annual reports from the chairs of each standing committee to the speaker of the house and senate president, detailing the use and effectiveness of racial impact statements. The Act would take effect upon passage.