The proposed bill amends Chapter 8-15 of the General Laws by introducing the "Rhode Island Judicial Security Act," which aims to protect the personal information of judicial officers and their immediate family members. The act defines key terms, including "data aggregator," "immediate family," "personal information," and "protected individual."
The bill prohibits state, county, and municipal agencies from publicly posting or displaying the personal information of protected individuals without their written consent. Protected individuals may file a written notice to mark their personal information as confidential, and agencies are required to remove such information from public access within 72 hours of receiving the notice.
Additionally, the bill imposes restrictions on data aggregators, making it unlawful for them to sell, license, trade, purchase, or otherwise provide the personal information of protected individuals without consent. Data aggregators must comply with confidentiality requests within ten business days and are prohibited from transferring personally identifiable information to others, except as specified in the act.
The act also provides legal recourse for protected individuals whose information is improperly disclosed, allowing them to seek injunctive or declaratory relief in court. If successful, the responsible party must pay the individual's costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.