Notwithstanding any prior ratification and validation by the general assembly of any home rule charter provision requiring that police officers and firefighters reside within the employing city, town, or state of Rhode Island, no home rule charter provision shall require that a police officer or firefighter reside within the city, town, or state of Rhode Island as a condition of appointment or continued employment. Any prior ratification and validation by the general assembly of a home rule charter provision requiring residency within a city, town, or the state of Rhode Island as a condition for employment of a police officer or firefighter is hereby expressly repealed by the general assembly; further, no city or town council shall make or ordain any ordinance requiring a police officer or firefighter to reside within the employing city, town, or state of Rhode Island as a condition of appointment or continued employment. Any existing ordinance requiring a police officer or firefighter to reside within the employing city, town, or state of Rhode Island as a condition of appointment appointment or continued employment. Any existing ordinance requiring a police officer or firefighter to reside within the employing city, town, or state of Rhode Island as a condition of appointment or continued employment is hereby considered contrary to the laws of this state and is thus void as being in violation of state law. History of Section.P.L. 2005, ch. 294, § 2; P.L. 2005, ch. 311, § 2; P.L. 2017, ch. 121, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 139, § 1.
Rhode Island Legal Code