The bill proposes the creation of the "Protection Against Retaliation Act" under a new chapter (Chapter 2.1) in Title 13 of the General Laws, which pertains to "CRIMINALS — CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS." The intent of the legislation is to ensure that individuals who are currently or have been incarcerated, as well as those on probation or parole, retain their rights to free political speech and participation in the political process without fear of retaliation from the Department of Corrections or its employees. The bill defines key terms such as "applicable person," "political speech," "private records," "punishment," and "threaten."

The bill explicitly prohibits any employee of the Department of Corrections from punishing or threatening an "applicable person" due to their political speech. It also forbids the retaliatory release of private records of such individuals without proper authorization. Additionally, the bill allows for the pursuit of a declaratory judgment in the superior court of Providence County if it is alleged that the Department of Corrections has failed to perform a duty required by this chapter or acted in violation of lawful procedure. The act would take effect immediately upon passage.