RI Senate Passes Bill to Fine Homeowners $500 for Leaves Falling from Trees

I don't live in Rhode Island anymore, just moved back to Florida a few months ago, but still I pay attention a bit to what's going on up there because quite frankly it has never ceased to amaze me with some of their politics and decision making.

This below is just one prime example of what I mean.

The Rhode Island State Senate just passed a bill (26-6) to require Rhode Islanders to prune their shrubbery and trees or face a $500 fine if the leaves land on someone else’s property.

Yep, you read that right. Id say I'm stunned at the madness of this, but over the years that I have lived there Ive become rather numb to the insanity.

Come fall this year, just how many things could possibly go wrong with this? I see many lawyers being quite busy, but then again, they have trees too so they may have their own problems.
My brain hurts thinking of how much can go wrong with this since I know how the natives can get, yet there is some bizarre humor to it too that just makes me shake my head. Only in America? Well, Rhode Island at least.

Anyhow, I just thought Id bring this here to you know, share a laugh, and let Nightstar know she has my deepest sympathies as well.

You can read the new law HERE AT THIS LINK

Maybe this should have gone into political madness...

a reply to: onehuman

I really don't have a problem with this and I'll tell you why.

I just spent the last 3+ years living in a house with no trees on my property. But the neighbors had trees.

And there was a HOA and one of the terms was you couldn't have excess leave in the yard. (Excess having a completely arbitrary definition) so I had to rake the leaves every week that weren't mine or get fined by the HOA.

Now, I don't mind raking leaves every once in a while. But I work upwards of 100 hrs a week regularly. So when I do get off I'm generally worn out. And having to worry about whether or not I have excess leaves in my yard is annoying.

So I agree with this in spirit, but some type of defined amount of leaves should be agreed on.

Rhode Islanders to prune their shrubbery and trees or face a $500 fine

Next they will require it be done with a herring

a reply to: onehuman

Where does the $500 fine go ? I doubt it goes to the neighbours for your leaves trespassing on their property

These silly little laws are nothing but glorified taxes in order to try and squeeze every last penny out of your pockets

Sounds like massive authoritarian policies.

Democrat control all the way.

I bet somebody is looking for extra landscaping contracts.

Windy days are going to be a nightmare for Rhode Islanders...


"Mildred quick, grab my extra large fishing net !! The winds are picking up !!"

Being Rhode Island, I can kind of see this happening too... Tongue in check of course

Simple fix, cut all the trees down.

I rate that up there with the folks who can't keep the water that falls on their yard.

Where I live the block is lined with trees. No one would ever be able to tell which leaf belonged to who. Seeing trouble ahead.

the way the wind is blowing around here, I wouldn't be surprised if it's picking up crap from one yard and blowing it to the next country! what they going to do, make the property owners climb up their trees and label each leaf so it can be proven just where that leaf came from, because that would be my first response, prove that any of those leave are from my trees.
so, well, we are supposed to go out and start hacking away at our trees, just to make sure none of the leaves end up in someone else's yard? That's not only cruel to the tree you are hacking on, but also to any living thing that might have made it's home in it. I'd have a moral problem with it, sorry, religious rights and all that ya know!! no can do!

I guess everyone missed the part where it says nuisance.

Falling leaves aren't a nuisance.

Dropping branches on the other hand...

This is right up there with the new portland maine bill for rain

Land of the free!

God forbid that you don't properly dispose of those leaves!

What about neighbors who fling their dog poop in your yard? I wish the one neighbor would stop throwing out used cat litter in the plastic shopping bags all up and down the road here. Some end up hanging in the trees! Hell, I pick it up anyways.

I'm glad none of my neighbors are closer than a 1/4 mile from my swamp, I could imagine what I might be responsible for. Personally I'd pass the buck to the DNR for whatever happens out here, but that's life in the sticks for you.

a reply to: Chadwickus

are you sure about that? I mean, if your trees leaves fall in my yard doesn't it cause me to have to work when I have to rake them up and bag them??

legiscan.com...

I guess it depends on what you consider a nuisance, or unnecessary work.. oh, well, maybe someone will invent tree diapers to prevent all those nasty (although I always found them rather enjoyable, especially when I was a kid) leaves from falling into the neighbor's precious yard...

a reply to: onehuman

Technically that is not what the law states and secondly I dont even think it passed the legislator yet. Its referring to debris that creates a nuisance that will also cause the affected property owner unnecessary work and costs.

After doing a few net searches, I don't think leaves are considered to be a nuisance. And well, if anyone should have a gripe, it's this guy....

money.aol.co.uk...

originally posted by: Informer1958
Simple fix, cut all the trees down.

it may not be that easy anymore. i understand there are many coocoo cachoo places where you get fined if you do cut down trees in your own yard.

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: onehuman

I really don't have a problem with this and I'll tell you why.

I just spent the last 3+ years living in a house with no trees on my property. But the neighbors had trees.

And there was a HOA and one of the terms was you couldn't have excess leave in the yard. (Excess having a completely arbitrary definition) so I had to rake the leaves every week that weren't mine or get fined by the HOA.

Now, I don't mind raking leaves every once in a while. But I work upwards of 100 hrs a week regularly. So when I do get off I'm generally worn out. And having to worry about whether or not I have excess leaves in my yard is annoying.

So I agree with this in spirit, but some type of defined amount of leaves should be agreed on.

Hey, you're the one who wanted to be part of an HOA. Paying other people to tell you what your yard has to look like is just part of the deal.

Technically yes those leaves are tresspassing. Those trees also bumped up property values for the neighborhood and increases privacy.

This is more of a collapse of culture. When a cooperative society becomes hyper competitive. Instead of everyone doing there part everyone turns on each other.

a reply to: dawnstar

I am sure, otherwise I wouldn't have said it.

Ciccone represents Senate District 7, serving parts of Providence and North Providence. He later clarified that his bill was motivated by constituents who complained about the needles and sap from neighbors' pine trees coming into their yards, and was not meant to address leaves from trees.

www.valleybreeze.com...

Ciccone said most fallen leaves don't count as debris, but the bill doesn't make that distinction.
"It's not so much the leaves but the pine needles. They blow into windows," he said.

m.providencejournal.com...