R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-24.1-7: Effective dates of regulations.

Except for the standards under the federal act which come in effect under the provisions of § 23-24.1-3, each regulation establishing a special packaging standard shall specify the date the standard is to take effect, which date shall not be sooner than one hundred and eighty (180) days or later than one year from the date the regulation is final, unless the director, for good cause found, determines that an earlier effective date is in the public interest and publishes in a publication with statewide circulation his or her reason for that finding, in which case the earlier date shall apply. No standard shall be effective as to household substances subject to this chapter packaged prior to the effective date of the final regulation.