---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- MAIL BALLOTS"
description: "Eliminates requirements of signing with an \"X\" for voters who cannot sign name due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write. Establishes a timeframe for local boards to accept mail ballot applications, if delivered via the postal service."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ri"
legislature: "Rhode Island General Assembly"
session: "2024"
identifier: "HB 7756"
citation: "Rhode Island HB 7756 (2024)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Dawson", "O'Brien", "Shanley"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 17
vote_count: 1
first_action: "2024-02-28"
last_action: "2024-06-17"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/e3fe9f7c-d815-4c91-9274-db72a07786ff"
source_url: "https://status.rilegislature.gov/"
source_hash: "71bf47742a786f9839aedb41088608f26edfcb0be8680b5a0deb952a865045de"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ri"]
---

# Rhode Island HB 7756 (2024) — AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- MAIL BALLOTS

Eliminates requirements of signing with an "X" for voters who cannot sign name due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write. Establishes a timeframe for local boards to accept mail ballot applications, if delivered via the postal service.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **7756 SUB A** (committee substitute) — [source](http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText24/HouseText24/H7756A.pdf)

## Votes

- PASSAGE — **62–4** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Dawson — primary (person)
- O'Brien — primary (person)
- Shanley — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2024-02-28** 02/28/2024 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections `introduction, referral-committee`
- **2024-03-22** 03/22/2024 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/26/2024)
- **2024-03-26** 03/26/2024 Committee recommended measure be held for further study `committee-failure`
- **2024-04-05** 04/05/2024 Scheduled for consideration (04/09/2024)
- **2024-04-09** 04/09/2024 Committee recommended measure be held for further study `committee-failure`
- **2024-05-17** 05/17/2024 Scheduled for consideration (05/23/2024)
- **2024-05-17** 05/17/2024 Proposed Substitute `substitution`
- **2024-05-23** 05/23/2024 Committee recommends passage of Sub A `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2024-05-24** 05/24/2024 Placed on House Calendar (05/30/2024) `reading-3`
- **2024-05-30** 05/30/2024 House passed Sub A `passage`
- **2024-05-30** 05/30/2024 Referred to Senate Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2024-05-31** 05/31/2024 Scheduled for consideration (06/04/2024)
- **2024-06-04** 06/04/2024 Committee recommends passage of Sub A in concurrence `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2024-06-05** 06/05/2024 Placed on Senate Calendar (06/11/2024) `reading-3`
- **2024-06-11** 06/11/2024 Senate passed Sub A in concurrence `passage`
- **2024-06-12** 06/12/2024 Transmitted to Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2024-06-17** 06/17/2024 Signed by Governor `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/e3fe9f7c-d815-4c91-9274-db72a07786ff`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Rhode Island legislature records).