Your Cookies are Disabled! NationalNotary.org sets cookies on your computer to help improve performance and provide a more engaging user experience. By using this site, you accept the terms of our cookie policy. Learn more.

Menu
National Notary Association

Knowledge Center

RI House Bill 5909/Senate Bill 31

Legislation

State: Rhode Island
Signed: July 08, 2019

Effective: July 08, 2019
Chapter: 113/124

Summary

House Bill 5909/Senate Bill 31 allows an individual to create a supportive decision-making agreement that must be witnessed by 2 adults or be notarized.

Affects

Creates new Chapter 66.13 of Title 42 in the Rhode Island General Laws.

Changes
  1. Allows an individual to sign a supportive decision-making agreement to name a supporter who can assist the individual in managing life decisions.
  2. Requires the agreement to be signed before two witnesses or a Notary Public.
  3. Creates a statutory supportive decision-making agreement.
Analysis

Supportive decision-making allows an adult with a disability to name another individual to be that person's supportive decision-maker in a supportive decision-making agreement. The decision-maker helps the adult make educational, financial and medical decisions as well as other important life decisions. Thus, supportive decision-making "is an alternative to guardianship. Guardians make decisions for the person with a disability. However, supported decision-making allows the person with the disability to make his or her own decisions instead of having someone else make them for him or her" (From About SDM, What is Supported Decision-making at supporteddecisions.org).

Read House Bill 5909.

Read Senate Bill 31.

Close