Title 34
Property
Chapter 37
Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-37-5.5
§ 34-37-5.5. Freedom of condominium owners and apartment renters to display certain religious items.
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a landlord or owner, as defined in § 34-18-11; a management committee, as defined in § 34-36-3; or an association of unit owners, as defined in § 34-36.1-1.03 (hereinafter “property owners”); may not enforce or adopt a restrictive covenant
or otherwise prohibit a unit owner or tenant from displaying or affixing on the entry
to the unit owner’s or tenant’s dwelling one or more religious items, the display
of which is motivated by the unit owner’s or tenant’s sincere religious belief.
(b) This section does not prohibit the enforcement or adoption of a covenant that, to
the extent allowed by the constitutions of this state and the United States, prohibits
the display or affixing of a religious item on the entry to the unit owner’s or tenant’s
dwelling that:
(1) Threatens the public health or safety;
(2) Violates the provisions of chapter 37 of title 34 or any other state or federal law barring discrimination in housing, or any other
law;
(3) Is in a location other than the entry door or door frame or extends past the outer
edge of the door frame of the unit owner’s or resident’s dwelling; or
(4) Individually, or in combination with each other religious item displayed or affixed
on the entry door or door frame, has a total size of greater than twenty-five (25)
square inches.