{"data":{"id":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-42-66-9","jurisdiction":"us-ri","citation":"R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-66-9","heading":"Obstruction of provision of services.","body":"(a) No person shall obstruct the provision of available and existing services to a person sixty (60) years of age or older who has been abused, neglected, exploited, or who is self-neglecting. For the purposes of this section, “obstruction” shall mean threats, intimidation, assaults, and/or abuse, whether physical or emotional, made with the intent to prevent or dissuade the recipient or proposed recipient from accepting, requesting, and/or receiving services available under § 42-66-8. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500).\n(b) However, nothing in this chapter is construed to mean a person is abused, neglected, exploited, or is self-neglecting for the sole reason that person is being furnished or relies upon treatment by spiritual means through prayer alone in accordance with the tenets and practices of a church or religious denomination recognized by the laws of this state.\n(c) No person shall deny access to a person sixty (60) years of age or older who is alleged to be a victim of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or who is self-neglecting, while the staff person is investigating a report made under this chapter.","path":["Title 42 State Affairs and Government","Chapter 66 Office of Healthy Aging"],"source_url":"https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE42/42-66/42-66-9.htm","current_through":"site files published 2025-08-13","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:00:02Z","sha256":"e61c6d9f704c577e6a74d3995ec4160417200969bc8a5fa208ae584a0c86ad82","source_id":"us-ri","stale":true,"prev":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-42-66-8.2","next":"us-ri/r.i.-gen.-laws-42-66-10"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}