Title 23Health and Safety

Title 23Health and Safety

Chapter 26Bedding and Upholstered Furniture

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-26-1

§ 23-26-1. Definitions.

The following words, as used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, shall have the following meanings:

(1) “Bedding” or “article of bedding” includes upholstered furniture and filling material or its container (as herein defined) and any mattress, pillow, cushion, quilt, bedpad, comforter, upholstered spring bed, box spring, davenport or day bed, bed spring, metal couch, metal folding bed, metal cot, metal cradle, metal bassinet, and any glider, hammock, or other substantially similar article which is wholly or partly upholstered, when used or intended for use for sleeping or reclining purposes.

(2) “Department” means the department of business regulation.

(3) “Director” means the director of business regulation.

(4) “Filling material” includes any hair, down, feathers, wool, cotton, kapok, or other material used for filling articles of bedding or upholstered furniture.

(5) “Manufacture,” “making,” “make,” or “made” includes altering, repairing, remaking, renovating, finishing, or preparing articles of bedding or upholstered furniture or filling materials for sale or compensation.

(6) “New” means any material or article which has not been previously used for any purpose, except that an article of bedding returned by the purchaser for exchange, alteration, or correction within thirty (30) days from date of delivery after original sale at retail, shall be deemed to be a new article, but thirty (30) days from date of delivery the article shall be deemed to be second-hand.

(7) “Repairer-renovator” means any person who repairs, makes over, re-covers, restores, renovates, or otherwise prepares or tags articles of bedding, directly for the consumer, or for direct sale by the person at retail.

(8) “Sale,” “sell,” or “sold,” includes offering or exposing for sale or exchange or lease or consigning or delivering in consignment for sale, exchange, or lease or holding in possession with like intent. The possession of any article of bedding, as herein defined, by any maker or dealer, or his or her agent or servant in the course of business, shall be presumptive evidence of intent to sell.

(9) “Second-hand” means any material or article of which prior use has been made.

(10) “Supply dealer” means any person who breaks bulk, packages, or repackages, or otherwise prepares or tags any filling material or articles of bedding, for sale other than at retail.

(11) “Upholstered furniture” means any article of household furniture wholly or partly stuffed or filled with soft material, and which is used or intended for use for sitting, reading, or reclining purposes.

History of Section.P.L. 1940, ch. 820, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-26-1; P.L. 1960, ch. 187, § 1.