Leader Chippendale: 2026 H8058 - Warns Against Criminalizing Annoying Emails (6426)

House Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale (R District 40 - Coventry, Foster, Glocester), speaks in opposition to 2026 H 8058, a bill relating to criminal offenses and computer crime. Referencing a letter from the Public Defender's office, he argues that the legislation sets an unconstitutionally low threshold for cyberstalking, potentially criminalizing the act of sending multiple "annoying" emails to a legislator. While acknowledging he has received and properly reported genuine threats to law enforcement agencies like the FBI and Rhode Island State Police, Leader Chippendale stresses the danger of conflating legitimate threats with merely annoying communications. He concludes by calling the proposed statute "foolishness" and expresses hope that the Senate will reject the measure.

House Bill No. 8058
BY Caldwell, McEntee, Casimiro, Speakman, Donovan, Kislak, Spears, Dawson
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- COMPUTER CRIME (Makes it unnecessary to prove that a person's transmission of electronic communications be for the sole purpose of harassment before being found guilty of cyberstalking or cyberharassment.)
{LC5714/1}
» http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H8058.pdf

House Minority Leader Michael W. Chippendale
» https://www.rihousegop.org/leaderchippendale.html

Rhode Island House Republicans
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