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4/9/2026
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House approves Rep. O’Brien’s dyslexia bill
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STATE HOUSE – The House today approved legislation sponsored by Rep. William W. O’Brien that would update the definition of “dyslexia” in the Rhode Island Literacy and Dropout Prevention Act.
“As we learn more about dyslexia and its characteristics, it’s important that we update our laws to reflect the current science relating to this learning disability. As someone who deals with dyslexia myself, I believe it is important to actively diagnose and treat our students who also suffer from dyslexia, so that their learning may not be hampered. Nothing is more important in a school setting than reading, so it’s crucial to do everything we can to support our dyslexic students,” said Representative O’Brien (D-Dist. 54, North Providence).
The legislation (2026-H 7909) would redefine “dyslexia” to mean a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary depending on the orthography.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration, where Sen. Robert Britto (D-Dist. 18, East Providence, Pawtucket) has introduced the legislation (2026-S 3078).
For more information, contact:
Andrew Caruolo, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-6124
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