R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-12-9: Residency within municipality not required.

Notwithstanding any prior ratification and validation by the general assembly of any home rule charter provision requiring that a public school department employee reside within the employing city or town, effective September 1, 2001, no home rule charter provision shall require that a public school department employee reside within the city or town as a condition of appointment or continued employment. Any prior ratification and validation by the general assembly of a home rule charter provision requiring residency within a city or town as a condition for employment of a public school department employee is expressly repealed by the general assembly. Nor shall any town or city council make or ordain any ordinance requiring that a public school department employee reside within the employing city or town as a condition of appointment or continued employment. Any existing ordinance requiring that a public school department employee reside within the employing city or town as a condition of appointment or continued employment is considered contrary to the laws of this state and is thus void as violative of state law.