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6/3/2025
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House approves Chairman Craven’s bill to give Family Court jurisdiction on military bases in Rhode Island
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STATE HOUSE — The House today approved legislation introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Robert E. Craven Sr. to give Rhode Island Family Court concurrent jurisdiction on juvenile cases arising on military bases and installations located in Rhode Island.
This bill (2025-H 5222) would give state courts jurisdiction over cases involving a child who is alleged to have committed a crime within the boundaries of a military installation in Rhode Island, so long as the United States Attorney or the appropriate federal court waives exclusive jurisdiction and the alleged act is also a crime under state law.
“The truth of the matter is that the federal judicial system is not equipped to properly deal with these types of cases across the country. This bill will move these juvenile cases to the Family Court, which has the resources and expertise to deal with these matters appropriately and in the best interests of the child,” said Chairman Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown).
The bill was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense, which also submitted testimony in support of its passage, noting that allowing state juvenile courts to adjudicate juvenile offenses allows “for more appropriate sentencing and case management outcomes.”
The measure now moves to the Senate where similar legislation (2025-S 0557) has been introduced by Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston).
For more information, contact:
Andrew Caruolo, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-6124
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