Boylan, McKenney bill to ban invasive plants heard in committee
STATE HOUSE — Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Boylan and Sen. Mark McKenney to ban invasive plants from Rhode Island was heard by the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee Thursday.
Sen. Mark McKenney
“Invasive plants are a scourge on the biodiversity and natural beauty of Rhode Island, and between the work of our land trusts, the Department of Environmental Management and concerned community members across the state, we’ve put a lot of time and money into pulling them out of the ground. But it is a lot easier if they never go into the ground in the first place,” said Representative Boylan (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence). “Rhode Island is an outlier in the United States—46 other states restrict the sale and distribution of invasive plants—and it is past time we ban the sale and distribution of terrestrial invasive plants.”
The bill (2026-H 7071) would ban the sale, purchase, importation, distribution, introduction or dispersal of any species of non-native invasive plant in Rhode Island. The director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management would design and publish the rules and regulations that would govern the ban, as well as maintain a list of all prohibited plants. The ban would not go into effect until these regulations were implemented.
Violations of this ban would be punishable by a fine of up to $500.
Rep. Jennifer Boylan
“The single greatest stewardship challenge facing Rhode Island’s land trust community is managing invasive plants. These species are widespread, expensive to deal with and threaten the biodiversity and health of our landscapes. Representative Boylan and Senator McKenney’s bill is an important step toward preventing the sale and spread of invasive plants in Rhode Island, and we applaud their leadership on this issue,” said Kate Sayles, executive director of the Rhode Island Land Trust Council.
Senator McKenney (D-Dist. 30, Warwick) will shortly introduce companion legislation in the Senate.
“DEM is already tasked with classifying and regulating our invasive aquatics, and there’s no reason they couldn’t capably expand those efforts to cover all invasive plants in Rhode Island,” said Senator McKenney. “Invasive species are an issue that negatively impacts every aspect of our environment. A sensible list of plants that we keep out of Rhode Island is important first step in preserving the beauty and natural diversity of our state.”
Rhode Island law already provides a similar ban for invasive aquatic plants, also implemented by DEM.
“Native plants are the foundation of healthy habitats for birds, pollinators and entire food webs. Native plants protect and strengthen ecosystems especially as climate change is reshaping our environment. Removing invasive plants, once they get established in the ecosystem, is far more costly than preventing their sale to begin with. By stopping the import and sale of known invasive species, this legislation prioritizes prevention over proliferation,” said Jeffrey Hall, executive director of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.