(a)  The state of Rhode Island and any political subdivision thereof, including all cities and towns, shall, subject to the period of limitations set forth in §?9-1-25, hereby be liable in all actions of tort in the same manner as a private individual or corporation; provided, however, that any recovery in any such action shall not exceed the monetary limitations thereof set forth in this chapter.

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 9-31-1

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.

(b)  Except as otherwise provided herein, neither the State nor any other public body of the State of Rhode Island shall have any liability for any claim arising prior to December 31, 2002, from the failure of a computer, software program, database, network, information system, firmware, embedded chip, or any other device, whether operated by or on behalf of the State of Rhode Island or one of its agencies, departments, divisions, or any public body as defined in §?9-1-31.1(a)(1), to interpret, produce, calculate, generate, or account for a date(s) or time(s) which date(s) or time(s) is associated with the year 2000 date change. This provision of this section shall apply without limitation to cities, towns, school committees, regional school committees, housing authorities, public libraries, sewer district, water districts, fire districts, agencies, authorities, boards, committees, subcommittees, councils and commissions. Provided that nothing herein contained shall exempt any public body from liability:

(1)  For acts or omissions not in good faith, or

(2)  For any malicious, willful, wanton, reckless or grossly negligent acts or omissions.

Provided that the public entity will only be liable for the proportion of damages attributable to its own degree of fault, and provided further that any such liability shall be governed by the monetary limitations of this chapter.

History of Section.
P. L. 1970, ch. 181, § 2; P.L. 1999, ch. 161, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 172, § 1.