R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 42-87 § 42-87-3
Discriminatory acts
Operative Text
The discriminatory acts prohibited by § 42-87-2 include, but are not limited to, the following activities: (1) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no person or entity licensed or regulated by the state, or having received financial assistance from the state, or doing business within the state, shall: (i) Deny an otherwise qualified person with a disability the opportunity to participate in or benefit from any aid, benefit, or service; (ii) Afford an otherwise qualified person with a disability an opportunity to participate in or benefit from any aid, benefit, or service that is not equal to that afforded others; (iii) Provide an otherwise qualified person with a disability with an aid, benefit, or service that is not as effective as that provided to others; (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to otherwise qualified persons with a disability or to any class of otherwise qualified persons with a disability unless that action is necessary to provide otherwise qualified persons with a disability with aid, benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others; (v) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against an otherwise qualified person with a disability by providing significant assistance to an agency, organization, or person that discriminates on the basis of disability in providing any aid, benefit, or service to beneficiaries of the recipients program; (vi) Deny an otherwise qualified person with a disability the opportunity to participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or (vii) Otherwise limit an otherwise qualified person with a disability in the enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by others receiving an aid, benefit, or service. (2) Notwithstanding any inconsistent terms of any collective bargaining agreement, no otherwise qualified person with a disability shall, solely on the basis of disability, who with reasonable accommodation and with no major cost can perform the essential functions of the job in question, be subjected to discrimination in employment by any person or entity receiving financial assistance from the state, or doing business within the state. The provisions of this subsection (2) apply to the following activities: (i) Recruitment, advertising, and the processing of applications for employment; (ii) Hiring, upgrading, promotion, award to tenure, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, right to return from layoff, and rehiring; (iii) Rates of pay or any other form of compensation and changes in compensation; (iv) Job assignments, job classifications, organizational structures, position descriptions, lines of progression, and seniority lists; (v) Leave of absence, sick leave, or any other leave; (vi) Fringe benefits available by virtue of employment, whether or not administered by the recipient; (vii) Selection and financial support for training, including apprenticeship, professional meetings, conferences, and other related activities, and selection for leaves of absence to pursue training; (viii) Employer sponsored activities including social or recreational programs; and (ix) Any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. (3) Any persons with a disability shall be entitled to full and equal access, as other members of the general public, to all housing accommodations offered for rent, lease, or compensation in this state, subject to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons. (4) Every person with a disability who has a personal assistive animal, or who obtains a personal assistive animal, shall be entitled to full and equal access to all housing and other public accommodations provided for in this chapter and shall not be required to pay extra compensation for the personal assistive animal, but shall be liable for any damage done to the premises by a personal assistive animal. For the purposes of this subsection (4), a "personal assistive animal" is an animal specifically trained, by a certified animal training program, to assist a person with a disability perform independent living tasks. (5) No qualified individual with a disability, as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., nor any individual or entity because of a known relationship or association with an individual with a disability shall be: (i) Discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation or commercial facilities covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; (ii) Excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of, or be subjected to discrimination by, a public entity covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; and (iii) Subject to discrimination in employment by a public entity or employer covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (6) The application, exemptions, definitions, requirements, standards, and deadlines for compliance with subsection (5) shall be in accordance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C., § 12101 et seq., and the federal regulations pertaining to the Act, 28 C.F.R. Part 36, 28 C.F.R. Part 35, and 29 C.F.R. Part 1630.
Rhode Island General Laws § 42-87-3 enumerates the specific discriminatory acts that are prohibited under the state's disability rights law. The provision covers a broad range of conduct, including denying equal access to services, benefits, or housing; discriminating in employment practices; and excluding persons with disabilities from public accommodations. It also establishes that people with disabilities who use personal assistive animals must be granted equal access to housing without extra charges, though they remain responsible for any damage the animal causes to the premises.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-87-3, housing providers operating in Rhode Island are expected to offer equal access to all rental accommodations to persons with disabilities, without imposing additional fees or conditions not applied to other tenants. Operators who allow personal assistive animals—defined under subsection (4) as animals specifically trained by a certified program to assist with independent living tasks—do not charge extra compensation for those animals, though they may hold tenants responsible for any damage the animal causes. Compliant housing operators also review their policies to ensure they do not, directly or indirectly, provide lesser-quality services or separate treatment to tenants with disabilities.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Rhode Island General Laws § 42-87-3 affirms that persons with disabilities are entitled to full and equal access to housing accommodations offered for rent or lease in the state, and that those with personal assistive animals cannot be charged extra fees for those animals. If a housing provider denies equal access, imposes discriminatory conditions, or refuses to allow a qualifying personal assistive animal, these actions may constitute violations of this provision. Tenants who believe their rights under § 42-87-3 have been violated may consider contacting a tenant-rights organization, filing a complaint with a relevant state agency, or consulting an attorney familiar with disability and housing law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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