(a)  Before making a high school pupil under eighteen (18) years of age available to a law enforcement officer for the purpose of questioning, the principal of the school, or his or her designee, shall inform the pupil that the pupil has the right to request that his or her parent or guardian or an adult family member, or person on the list of emergency contacts for the pupil be present during the questioning.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 16-21.5-3

  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6

(b)  If the person selected by the pupil cannot be made available within a reasonable period of time, not exceeding one hour, or declines to be present at the questioning, the principal or his or her designee shall inform the pupil that the pupil may select as an alternate, a school administrator, school counselor, or school teacher who is reasonably available to be present during the questioning.

(c)  If the person selected by the pupil declines to be present during the questioning, the principal, or his or her designee, shall so inform the pupil and advise the pupil that the principal, or his or designee, will be present during the questioning if the pupil so requests.

(d)  If the pupil exercises his or her right, pursuant to this subsection, to have one of the persons designated in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) present during the questioning, the pupil may not be made available to the law enforcement officer for questioning until that person is present.

History of Section.
P.L. 2005, ch. 409, § 1.