(a)  The governing body of each school in Rhode Island shall be responsible for the development of enforcement procedures to prohibit tobacco product usage and electronic nicotine-delivery system usage by any person utilizing school facilities. All facilities used by a school, whether owned, leased, or rented, shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter. Enforcement procedures shall be promulgated and conspicuously posted in each building.

lawyer at desk

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.9-5

  • Electronic nicotine-delivery system usage: means any vaping, inhaling, or use of any device defined in Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.9-4
  • Governing body: means the body, board, committee or individual, or its designated agent(s) or designee(s), responsible for, or who or that has control over, the administration of any elementary or secondary school, public or private, in the state. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.9-4
  • Person: means any person or persons including but not limited to contract or other workers on school property, school students, school administrators, school employees, school faculty, and school visitors. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.9-4
  • Tobacco product usage: means the smoking or use of any substance or item that contains tobacco, including, but not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or other smoking tobacco, or the use of snuff or smokeless tobacco, or having in one's possession a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe, or other substance or item containing tobacco. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.9-4

(b)  This chapter shall not modify, or be used as a basis for modifying, school policies or regulations in effect prior to the passage of this chapter if the existing policies or regulations prohibit tobacco product usage and electronic nicotine-delivery system usage in the school.

(c)  All school areas where tobacco product usage is prohibited shall be clearly marked with “nonsmoking area” signs with bold block lettering at least three inches (3?) high stating “Tobacco-Free School — Tobacco Use Prohibited.” All school areas where electronic nicotine-delivery system usage is prohibited shall be clearly marked with “nonsmoking area” signs with bold block lettering at least three inches (3?) high stating “E-Cigarettes and Vapor Devices Prohibited.” There shall be at least one “nonsmoking area” sign, in conformance with the above, at every building entrance and in other areas as designated by the governing body. Signs shall also be posted in every school bus and every school vehicle. Signs as detailed above shall be provided, without charge, by the department of health.

History of Section.
P.L. 1992, ch. 230, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 6; P.L. 2017, ch. 409, § 3; P.L. 2017, ch. 426, § 3.