Robert Britto

Senate Resolution Honoring The Victims Of The Brown University Shooting And Commending First Responders

Senate Resolution Expressing Sincere Condolences On The Passing Of Mary D. Burke

Senate Resolution Extending Deepest Sympathy On The Passing Of The Venerated Legal Luminary, Judge Frank Caprio

This act would provide that an insurer furnish written notice of nonrenewal of automobile or homeowner's insurance coverage at least sixty (60) days prior to nonrenewal, and written notice of any coverage reductions, elimination, or increased deductibles for this insurance not made to the request of the insured would be furnished at least thirty (30) days prior to renewal. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would extend the forbearance of utility terminations for customers with serious illness certifications and would amend various provisions related to the termination of utility services for persons who are disabled, seriously ill, or in arrears. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require the constant updating of information to accommodate changes in broadband technology. The act would also direct the Rhode Island commerce corporation to implement new data collection and mapping of broadband availability, provide protections for certain submitted data, and direct the corporation to collect fees from Internet service providers operating in Rhode Island to fund the data collection required by the act. The act would further require the corporation to submit a detailed plan to the governor and general assembly regarding the creation of a broadband regulatory authority. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would further delineate the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor. This act would take effect on July 1, 2027.

This act would allow all retired police officers and firefighters to receive an additional retirement allowance, equal to the members' accrued benefit, determined pursuant to this section as of June 30, 2026, plus two and one-half percent (2.5%) of the final compensation amount multiplied by the years of service after June 30, 2026. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would afford an option for police and firefighters to receive retirement allowances, without reduction, who seek retirement after twenty (20) years of service, upon reaching age fifty- seven (57). This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit healthcare insurers or pharmacy benefit managers from requiring or conducting a review for prescription medicine that is used in the treatment of alcohol or opioid use disorder, that contains methadone, burenorphine, or naltrexone or that was approved for the mitigation of opioid withdrawal symptoms. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would exempt from taxation the real and tangible personal property of Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center located in the city of Pawtucket. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would classify research, intent and interest in healthcare services as protected healthcare data. The act sets forth additional responsibilities for regulated entities that seek to collect and share consumer data including a requirement for specific and conspicuous consumer consent. It requires separate conspicuous consent from the consumer to sell this data. The act further stipulates acceptable uses for the data and what rights the consumer has regarding their data. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would make numerous changes to the access to public records act, including clarifying various provisions, increasing the sanctions for knowing and willful violations of the law, and making certain traffic accident data and preferred license plate information public. Additionally, this act would include a police report of an incident that does not lead to an arrest as accessible to public records request. Any final reports of investigations conducted by internal affairs would be accessible to public records request. All police worn body camera footage would be accessible to public records request and would be made available within thirty (30) days. Arrest logs made within thirty (30) days of arrest, changed from five (5) days previously, would be accessible to public records request. A civil fine for public officials who knowingly violate this chapter would increase from two thousand dollars ($2,000) to four thousand dollars ($4,000), and if a public official recklessly violates this chapter a fine of two thousand dollars ($2,000) this is a change from one thousand dollars ($1,000) previously. There would also be relief in the case of a person filing frivolous request with the intent to disrupt government operations. This act would take effect upon passage.

Under current law, employers are not obligated to pay overtime to their executive, administrative, and professional employees who are compensated through salary rather than hourly wages, unless the salary of such employees would, if calculated according to a 40-hour work week, fall below the state’s current minimum wage. This act would raise that cut-off and make additional salaried employees non-exempt and therefore eligible for overtime pay, by requiring small employers with one to fifty (1-50) employees and large employers with fifty (50) or more employees, to pay overtime wages to currently exempt workers, if their salary falls below a threshold based upon multipliers of minimum hourly wage, for a forty (40) hour workweek. For example, for the year 2027, the multiplier would be one and one-half (1½) times the minimum hourly wage for a forty (40) hour workweek for small employers with less than fifty (50) employees and two (2) times the minimum hourly wage for a forty (40) hour workweek for large employers with more than fifty (50) employees, resulting in overtime entitlement for more employees. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would amend the OPA desk audit classification rules to eliminate supervising other employees as a factor for position upgrade eligibility. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would raise the gross weight of a vehicle eligible for reserve forces plates from eight thousand five hundred pounds (8,500 lbs.) to twelve thousand pounds (12,000 lbs.) and have the United States flag on the plates. The act would also spell out the requirements for proof of honorable discharge to be furnished to the division of motor vehicles and the renewal month for the passenger and commercial vehicles. This act would take effect upon passage.

This would establish the Rhode Island orange heart medal to formally recognize Rhode Island veterans whose service exposed them to toxic herbicides, burn pits, or other hazardous agents. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would eliminate the registration and service charge fees for National Guard plates. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would remove the fee for registration and plate transfer for a Distinguished Service Cross registration plate. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would allow persons with disabilities to receive up to two (2) motor vehicle disability parking privilege placards. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would declare that any change in producer compensation would be a contract modification. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would strengthen consumer protections by including definitions related directly to deceptive trade practices inherent in the insurance claim process. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would expand various definitions relative to contractors, home inspectors, and claim adjusters to provide clarity regarding licensed and unlicensed vendors, consultants, or third- party representatives. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require that every elementary and secondary school within the State of Rhode Island, whether they are public or privately run, provide and maintain clearly visible and easily accessible trauma kits. This act would also provide for immunity for trained persons that gratuitously render emergency assistance to a person who experiences a traumatic bleeding injury. This act would take effect on January 1, 2028.

The act would direct the office of energy resources to develop building performance standards for large buildings in Rhode Island that would cause greenhouse gas emissions to decline in line with the act on climate requirements. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would allow members of the retirement system who served in the national guard or reserves and qualify as veterans, to purchase retirement service credits based on their years of service in the National guard or reserves. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide on and after July 1, 2027, a school district could elect and choose to not spend money on any mandate that is not fully funded through the state education aid formula or of any other state funding received through the department of elementary and secondary education. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide that services provided by graduate student interns who work under a supervisory protocol would be eligible to be paid from Medicaid reimbursement. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require the department of human services to provide childcare assistance to families, including those served through DCYF, who meet the requirements of a protective services category as defined in CFR 45 §98.20 (a)(3)(ii). This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require all public schools, in grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12), to have at least one full-time certified school social worker for every two hundred fifty (250) students and provide for an appropriation by the general assembly in the amount of two million dollars ($2,000,000) in the budget for Fiscal Year 2027 to the various school districts and municipalities to employ additional social workers. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would expand the post-retirement positions that any retired member in the state retirement system could have at a state college or university, to include positions outside of teaching, but would maintain the same cap on the amount of money that person could be paid for part-time work. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would create an income-sensitive tiered subsidy program to ensure that home energy utility costs are affordable for eligible low-income households. The cost of the discount, including administrative costs not funded through other sources, would be collected in rates from all other customers of the electric and gas distribution companies in a manner determined just and reasonable by the public utilities commission. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would authorize an annual two and one-half percent (2.5%) escalation for all active and retired police and firefighter's retirement pension allowance, compounded each year on January 1 following the year of retirement and continuing yearly, on that date. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would include any costs paid by an enrollee or on behalf of the enrollee, by a third party when calculating an enrollee’s overall contribution to any out-of-pocket maximum or cost sharing requirement, under a health plan as of January 1, 2027. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide that licensed independent clinical social workers be able to enroll and bill Medicaid directly for covered services provided to adults with Medicaid fee-for-service coverage. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish a building energy reporting program for covered residential, nonresidential properties and campuses containing twenty-five thousand (25,000) or more gross square feet. The office of energy resources (OER) shall be responsible for reporting this information to the public in order to provide transparency to the marketplace. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit defendants who are serving probation for driving under the influence death resulting from earning good time off their probationary period. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would strengthen consumer protections in insurance claims by expanding definitions of unfair claims settlement practices as well as clarifying an insured’s right to pursue bad-faith remedies. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would strengthen consumer protections in insurance claims by improving the fairness and timeliness of arbitration and appraisal proceedings, and preventing insurers from delaying or obstructing the dispute resolution process by allowing the court to resolve appraisal and arbitration disputes to provide an equitable remedy to the aggrieved party. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require employers to protect employees from extreme temperatures through rest breaks, PPE, training, and equipment, and mandate training, to recognize and mitigate heat- and cold-related risks. The act would require the department of health to establish and implement a training program. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would establish a seven (7) member public-private partnership infrastructure oversight commission to approve all requests for proposals submitted for public-private partnership construction of qualified facilities. This act would also establish a new scheme outlining the request for proposal process for the construction of public-private qualified facilities and would further provide for the state to exercise the power of eminent domain relating to the construction of such qualified facilities. This act would take effect upon passage.

Effective January 1, 2028, this act would increase the hourly minimum wage in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region for the previous four (4) fiscal years. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require that before any fire fighter or police officer is eligible to receive benefits for an illness or injury sustained while off duty, that they prove they had reasonable grounds to believe that an emergency existed that required immediate need of their assistance. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would designate the month of May, annually, as "Rhode Island Native Plant Month," with appropriate ceremonies and activities to recognize and educate people about Rhode Island's native plants. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would permit the implementation of a system of electronic registration and titling of motor vehicles by the DMV and would require that rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this chapter would be promulgated by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

This act would establish property, tangible, sales and use tax exemptions as incentives for the location of qualified data centers in Rhode Island upon a minimum qualified investment of two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000) in a designated enterprise zone and four hundred million dollars ($400,000,000) in a non-enterprise zone. The application requirements and approval process would be in a form and manner prescribed by the Rhode Island commerce corporation. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would extend certain protocols applicable to motor vehicle manufacturers to their distributors and factory branches, as well as update warranty reimbursement and recall obligation policies. This act would take effect on October 1, 2026.

This act would remove clean coal as a renewable fuel given priority as an energy generation project. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit the importation, disbursement, distribution, or sale, of any species of non-native (exotic) terrestrial invasive plants. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would prohibit force-feeding to create a force-fed poultry product or the hiring of another to engage in force-feeding of a poultry product. The act would prohibit the sale of a force- fed poultry product or food containing a force-fed poultry product. Any violations would be subject to a civil penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) per violation. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

Senate Resolution Requesting The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission To Terminate Gas Line Extension Allowances As Part Of Docket 25-45-ge

This act would exclude portable solar generation devices intended primarily to offset part of a customer's electricity consumption from the definition of eligible net-metering system. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish Medicaid fee-for-service reimbursement rates set by the general assembly as the rate floor for Medicaid managed care by home care, home nursing care and hospice providers licensed by the department of health, establish rate modifiers to incentivize direct care workers to provide care during evenings, nights, Sundays and holidays as well as hard-to-serve Medicaid beneficiaries that reside in department of health defined low density population communities, comply with federal department of labor rules on time and travel for direct care workers, and adopt the rate review recommendations from the office of the health insurance commissioner for home care, home nursing care and hospice providers. This act reduces administrative burden on Medicaid-contracted home care providers and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services by eliminating a statutory reporting requirement that is no longer relevant to current and future Medicaid home care reimbursement rates. This act would also permit the Rhode Island Partnership for Home Care, with oversight by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, to coordinate behavioral health training to licensed nurse assistants and homemakers delivering paraprofessional care services to Medicaid home care beneficiaries This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would authorize the secretary of the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) to increase resource eligibility limits for persons with long-term-care needs who reside at home to $12,000 for single persons and $18,000 for couples. The act would also require that Medicaid certified assisted living facilities and adult day service providers furnish semi-annual reports to the EOHHS regarding the number of persons served each month and patients’ certification categories for the prior six months. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require that the department of health provide recommended air quality standards for schools. This act would further provide that the department of education incorporate indoor air quality testing as part of the school building authority needs assessment conducted every five years pursuant to § 16-105-3. This act would also provide that HVAC systems in schools achieve a MERV level of 13 or the highest level achievable by system design. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would impose a moratorium on the issuance of new home care provider, home nursing care provider and hospice provider licenses prior to July 1, 2031, and provide for health systems planning specific to home care providers, home nursing care providers and hospice providers licenses during the moratorium by the department of health. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

This act would make numerous changes to the access to public records act, including clarifying various provisions, increasing the sanctions for knowing and willful violations of the law, and making certain traffic accident data and preferred license plate information public. Additionally, this act would include a police report of an incident that does not lead to an arrest as accessible to public records request. Any final reports of investigations conducted by internal affairs would be accessible to public records request. All police worn body camera footage would be accessible to public records request and would be made available within thirty (30) days. Arrest logs made within thirty (30) days of arrest, changed from five (5) days previously, would be accessible to public records request. A civil fine for public officials who knowingly violate this chapter would increase from two thousand dollars ($2,000) to four thousand dollars ($4,000), and if a public official recklessly violates this chapter a fine of two thousand dollars ($2,000) is a change from one thousand dollars ($1,000) previously. There would also be relief in the case of a person filing frivolous request with the intent to disrupt government operations. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would allow parents or guardians to have access to GPS data of the bus or other motor vehicle used to transport students to and from school. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would enact processes to partition heirs' property, which often refers to real property that is owned by multiple relatives (co-tenants) who have inherited the property's title and that does not have a written agreement on how to divide the property. Under the act, if a cotenant sought to partition the property, the court would have to notify all other co-tenants and allow them to buy out the interest of the co-tenant wishing to sell. The act would require the court to determine the fair market value of the property and specify how to do so. Also, under certain conditions, such as if a buyout did not occur, the court could require co-tenants to divide the property into physically distinct and separately titled parcels. If the court ordered a sale of the property and the co-tenants agreed, the court would have to hire a real estate broker for the sale of a property and require that broker to file a report containing information on offers for the property. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would increase penalties for a second or subsequent offense with a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or no more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and up to eleven (11) months imprisonment, for violating the law on the care of dogs. This act would further amend existing law to include city and town animal control officers as agents authorized to enforce the provisions of this law. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would enlarge the definitions of prohibited acts that constitute hazing, make principals, coaches, athletic directors and others responsible for knowingly failing to take reasonable measures to prevent hazing and would punish serious injury by up to ten (10) years of imprisonment. This act would also increase the civil and criminal penalties for hazing and permitting hazing. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would change the maximum term of employment for a superintendent from three (3) to five (5) years. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish a motor vehicle license plate to honor Governor Roger Williams. This act would take effect six (6) months after passage.

This act would include a veteran who is seventy-five (75) years of age or older with a combined service-connected disability rating of seventy percent (70%), as eligible for disabled veterans license plates. A veteran who is “individually unemployable” due to a service-connected disability shall be exempted from the payment of the annual registration of and license to operate fee. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require the state building commissioner to implement electronic permitting for any category of state or local permit authorized under state law to significantly impact the expediency of construction and development. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide protocols for radon inspection relative to real estate transactions and provides time frames and conditions for testing and mitigation. This act would take effect on June 1, 2027.

This act would authorize and empower the department of transportation to plant pollinator friendly native species of trees, shrubs, grasses and plants within limits of a roadway, including state highways. The department would follow guidelines to benefit pollinators consistent with § 23 U.S.C.332. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require the public utilities commission (PUC) to provide for a classification of service for retail electricity consumers that are large energy use facilities, defined as a facility that uses or is able to use twenty megawatts (20mw) or more and is primarily engaged in providing a service that is related to businesses offering infrastructure like cloud storage, application hosting (excluding software publishing), data entry services and facilities that process client-supplied data for reports or provide automated services such as optical scanning and disk conversion. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit the application of lawn care pesticides or rodenticides on the grounds of any public or private pre-school or public or private school with students in grade twelve (12) or lower, except in an emergency situation or to be used on the playing fields and playgrounds of the school as well as pre-schools and child care centers pursuant to an integrated pest management plan as developed by the department of environmental management and the department of health and would create a task force to study health risks of PFAS in athletic fields to students who use them. This act would also require a school department to provide a copy of the pesticide or rodenticide application notice sent to parents and guardians to the department of education. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would redefine what constitutes a farm by reducing the amount of revenue from farm products required to be sold from ten thousand ($10,000) to two thousand five hundred dollars ($2500). The act would expand the farm to include all agricultural operations, including forestry. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in the fiscal year 2026- 2027 budget to support the mental health and emotional well-being of children and youth through investments in out-of-school time (“OST”) settings, as essential, community-based spaces that provide connection, stability, and resilience during a period of heightened need and reduced public supports. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would mandate insurance coverage for scalp cooling treatments for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatments. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish a digital electronics right to repair, which would allow for digital electronic equipment and parts that are sold in this state on or after January 1, 2027, to be repaired at an independent repair provider. Additionally, this act would require an original equipment manufacturer to make available to any independent repair facility any documentation, parts, and tools required for diagnosis, maintenance, or other repairs. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would change the date for the election of delegates to the conventions from the fourth Tuesday in April to the first Tuesday in March 2028. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would allow a pregnant member or a member that has given birth in the past six (6) months to appear remotely to participate in a public body meeting. This act would further permit any member that participates in a meeting remotely to also vote remotely at that meeting, provided that the meeting is held in person. This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Recognizing February 10th, 2026, As "211 Day" In The State Of Rhode Island And Honoring United Way 211 For Its Service To Rhode Islanders

Senate Resolution Proclaiming February 7th Through The 14th Of 2026, To Be "congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week" In The State Of Rhode Island

This act would enact the State of Rhode Island interior design practice act to control and regulate the professional practice of interior designers. This act would establish a board existing of seven (7) members, four (4) of whom would be registered interior designers. The board would have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations to register interior designers, regulate the unlawful practice of interior design, and enforcement of such rules and regulations. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

This act would establish the Rhode Island Special Deposits Act to be governed by an account agreement between the bank and the depositor or its beneficiary. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require commercial property owners to install vehicle barriers at their retail establishment locations as part of any new construction or renovation. This act would also require insurers to consider the installation of such vehicle barriers as a safety measure and eligible for a discount on the owner's insurance policy premium. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit the use of combustion-based heating for air or water heating in any state or municipal building open to the public constructed, altered or renovated on or after January 1, 2028. Systems for emergency back-up power, or buildings specifically designed for occupancy of a commercial food establishment, laboratory, laundromat, hospital, or crematorium, shall be exempt. This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Formally Requesting That The Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission To Consider The Creation And Adoption Of A Seasonal Heat Pump Rate As Part Of Docket 25-45-ge

This act would allow a modification to federal adjusted gross income of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) of social security income for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would change the teacher and state employees' retirement benefit calculations' cutoff date, from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2009, for all retirement members eligible to and who retire on or after the new July 1, 2009, cutoff date. The average compensation means the average of the highest three (3) consecutive years, of compensation, within the total service, when the average compensation was its highest. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would gradually phase in modifications to federal adjusted gross income over a four (4) year period for social security income, from twenty-five percent (25%) up to one hundred percent (100%), beginning on or after January 1, 2027. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would raise the minimum fee per barrel of petroleum products or crude oil from five cents ($0.05) to twelve cents ($0.12) per barrel as part of the uniform oil spill response and prevention fee. Use of the fund would be expanded to support projects and initiatives to reduce emissions and meet the act on climate goals as directed by the executive climate change coordinating council (EC4). This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require the department of elementary and secondary education to establish a bilingual education support fund to provide grants to traditional public school districts that establish and expand bilingual language instruction program model. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

This act would exempt a single-family, primary residence, owned by a taxpayer, who is at least sixty-five (65) years old, and has been a Rhode Island resident for at least forty (40) years. This act would exclude multi-family and income-producing properties. This act would take effect upon passage.

Joint Resolution Making An Appropriation Of $3,000,000 To Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc. (appropriates The Sum Of $3,000,000 To Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc.)

This act would permit licensed providers to accompany emergency medical services and treat patients within the community for mental health disorders, including substance use disorders. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would include both the MomsPRN and PediPRN teleconsultation lines in the healthcare services funding contributions payable by health insurers. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require all major hospitals within the state constructed or substantially renovated or expanded on or after January 1, 2028 to use renewable energy sources for power. The building code standards committee would promulgate rules and regulations to implement the requirements. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide guidelines regarding placing restrictions on residential recovery houses. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would amend the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act to define "assistance animal" and clarify existing protections for persons with such animals consistent with the federal Fair Housing Act; clarify the ability of the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights to accept, investigate, and decide cases alleging discrimination on the basis of "housing status;" make unlawful the issuance of discriminatory notices or statements related to the sale, rental or leasing of housing; and delete a provision in current law prohibiting parties from discussing their fair housing cases publicly. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would grant an affirmative defense for certain privileged communications, including communications made by an individual, without malice, regarding an incident of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination and would specify the attorneys' fees and damages available to a prevailing defendant in any defamation action brought against that defendant for making that communication. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would amend what is considered sexual abuse for purposes of limitations on actions based on sexual abuse or exploitation of a child and would amend the provisions for when a cause of action may be brought. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

This act would remove corporate and dark-money spending from all Rhode Island elections and ballot questions by revoking all previously granted artificial-person powers and regranting a narrower set of powers sufficient for ordinary business, charitable, cooperative, and organizational activity, but excluding political spending power. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would set the minimum wage for 2027 at twenty dollars ($20) per hour. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide for better communication between sending and receiving districts regarding students receiving career and technical education or attending pathways programs outside of the student’s home district. This act would also adjust the costs between a sending and receiving district to educate and transport students receiving CTE or pathways education services. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

This act would allow, but not require, local licensing authorities to grant temporary periods for extended indoor service hours under existing liquor licenses for certain 2026 FIFA World Cup Tournament matches occurring between June 11, 2026 and July 3, 2026, for operation until up to 4 a.m. with liquor service until up to 3 a.m. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide an end to transaction fees for school lunches in all districts. The department would ensure there is at least one no-fee payment method for school lunches. This act would also require that any payment processing platform used by the district clearly discloses whether fees will be charged. This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Honoring The Lives Of Rhonda Dorgan, Aidan Dorgan And Gerald Dorgan, Commending The Heroism Of First Responders And Citizens, And Expressing The Deepest Sympathy Of The Rhode Island Senate Following The Tragic Events At The Dennis M. Lynch Arena In The City Of Pawtucket

This act would allow customers to directly take single-use plastic straws from single straw dispensers at food service establishments. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish the catastrophe savings account act. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026, and would be applicable to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.

This act would create a new chapter to protect Rhode Island consumers from coercive tactics at grocery stores. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide that stores offering food product discounts must provide the same discounts to in-store customers that are offered to customers using electronic digital coupons. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would expand the definitions of a virtual currency kiosk operator to include owners, non-owners and anyone who provides a service to enable or facilitate a customer to purchase virtual currency. This act would expand the definition of virtual currency kiosk transaction to include a digital product or application where a customer remits payment in person, including through a clerk or other intermediary, for the purpose of completing the transaction. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would ensure that any public school with available seats, after completion of the initial enrollment period for students residing in that school’s designated attendance area, would make such seats available to other students residing within the same school district. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would require veterinarians to provide consultations to dog or cat owners when a drug is prescribed and dispensed for that animal patient. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would require applications for energy facilities to take into consideration the net- zero mandate contained in the 2021 act on climate and how the facility may advance or delay the greenhouse gas emissions reductions. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would remove the requirement that five percent (5%) of the hotel tax generated from the South County tourism district be paid to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, and would add that five percent (5%) of the hotel tax to the existing tax paid to the Rhode Island commerce corporation. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would set the allocation rate to be transferred to the Rhode Island public transit authority for 2027 and thereafter at eleven and seventy-five hundredths cents ($0.1175) or 29.375% of the total proceeds, whichever is greater, of which one-half cent ($0.005) per gallon shall be derived from the one cent ($0.01) per gallon environmental protection fee. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would increase the monthly minimum death benefit for a spouse, domestic partner or former spouse. This act would take effect upon passage.

Joint Resolution Authorizing The State To Enter Into A Financing Agreement Relating To School Construction In The City Of Pawtucket And Authorizing The City Of Pawtucket To Finance Renovations And Repairs To Samuel Slater Middle School Facilities, Or The Acquisition, Construction, Improvement, Furnishing And Equipping Of A New Middle School And School Facilities And All Expenses Incident Thereto Including, But Not Limited To, Costs Of Design, Demolition, Athletic Fields, Landscaping And Parking By The Issuance Of Not More Than $22,500,000 City Bonds, City Notes And/or Other Evidences Of Indebtedness Therefor (authorizes The City Of Pawtucket To Issue Bonds For School Renovations.)

This act would establish the office of the elder advocate to promote the rights of older adults in Rhode Island. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit the imposition of fees associated with home modifications that are specifically required to accommodate a veteran’s disability. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish the criminal offense of real estate title fraud. Additionally, this act would allow municipalities to refuse to record “suspicious documents” from persons who are not trusted submitters. The act would also create penalties for real estate title fraud. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would amend various sections of law relating to campaign contributions and expenditures, including prohibitions on self-dealing with committee funds and would prohibit donations made in fictitious names. This act would also provide that for purposes of the limitations on contributions, all contributions made by political committees established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same person or the same group of persons shall be considered to have been made by a single political committee. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would create the child-serving provider liability joint underwriting association to provide a joint underwriting association to provide liability insurance coverage for eligible child serving providers. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would create a cause of action for the replacement cost of a child restraint system that is in a motor vehicle at the time of a motor vehicle accident. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would change the application to purchase a firearm. Further, this act would require all persons seeking to possess a firearm except for police and military personnel to complete and pass a basic firearm safety training course. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would create an intervenor compensation program to provide compensation in the form of grants for legal fees, expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs to an intervenor in both, energy siting board and public utilities commission proceedings. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would expand the benefit definitions of temporary care giver leave to include a grandchild and care recipient and would increase a leave benefits period to ten (10) weeks for 2027 and twelve (12) weeks for 2028. This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Urging The Governor To Conduct A Veterans Home Workforce Analysis To Guide Policy And Budget Decisions (creates The Rhode Island Veterans Home Staffing Support Act Of 2026.)

This act would define "military-connected student" and permit military-connected students to enroll by remote registration upon presentation of military orders confirming that the parent or guardian shall be stationed in this state during the current or following school year. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would take several measures to lead by example by banning state purchases of plastic bottles, and would require state funds to be used to lease or purchase electric vehicles and renewable energy efficient technologies for use on state property. Annual reports would be required to be filed by January 31, and provided to the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council (EC4), the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the governor. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit the use of artificial turf as material to cover compacted solid waste at a sanitary landfill on or after July 1, 2026. This act would also establish a pilot program to determine the benefits of using a plant mix and/or grass mix with pollinators as landfill cover. This act would also impose reporting requirements on the resource recover corporation on these matters on or before January 1, 2028. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would remove the requirement that five percent (5%) of the hotel tax generated from regional tourism districts be paid to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, and would add that five percent (5%) of the hotel tax to the existing tax paid to the Rhode Island commerce corporation. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would define food and food supplies for the purposes of Rhode Island general laws title 37 public property and works chapter 2 state purchases. This act would further allow for the procurement of food and food supplies not exceeding an aggregate amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) to be made in accordance with small purchase regulations promulgated by the chief purchasing officer. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would cap the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription inhaler, prescription device, or prescription equipment to twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per thirty (30) day supply. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would cap the amount that a covered person is required to pay for insulin administration and glucose monitoring equipment and supplies at twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per thirty (30) day supply or per item when an item is intended to be used for longer than thirty (30) days and would prohibit any deductible for the equipment and supplies. The coverage would commence on January 1, 2027. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would amend various sections of the condominium law to enhance transparency and establish a condominium ombudsman. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish a system of ranked choice voting whenever a municipality's charter amendment is approved by its voters. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would require that any person convicted of a charge of driving under the influence or refusal to submit to a chemical test, have an ignition interlock system installed in their vehicle as part of any sentence before being eligible for a license reinstatement. It would also establish an ignition interlock system fund administered by the office of the general treasurer to provide funding for indigent defendants. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would repeal provisions which allow the department of corrections to charge inmates for phone calls and would require the department of corrections to provide free communication services to inmates and juveniles held in residential placement or detention centers. This act also would require that those facilities provide in-person contact visits. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would allow a modification for up to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) of individual retirement account income that is included in federal adjusted gross income for the taxable year; provided that the person with individual retirement accounts has no income from pensions. This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Celebrating March Of 2026 As “arts In The Schools - Youth Art Month” In The State Of Rhode Island

Senate Resolution Expressing Deepest Condolences On The Passing Of The Following Seven Members Of The United States Military Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor, Sergeant Declan Coady, Captain Cody Khork, Sergeant First Class Noah Tietjens, Major Jeffrey O'brien, Sergeant Benjamin N. Pennington And Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan

This act would impose certain duties, transparency, and accountability from pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacy benefit management services. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

This act would require that reimbursement rates for licensed mobile response and stabilization services be equal to or greater than the prevailing integrated state Medicaid rate for mobile response and stabilizations services as established by EOHHS. This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Congratulating Miranda Marie Musumeci On Being Named Miss Ireland In The West Warwick St. Patrick's Day Parade 2026

Senate Resolution Affirming The State Of Rhode Island's Commitment To Supporting Women In The Building Trades And Expanding Equitable Access To Careers In The Construction Industry

Senate Resolution Expressing Deepest Condolences On The Passing Of The Honorable James M. Donelan, Esq.

Senate Resolution Expressing Deepest Condolences On The Passing Of Francisco J. Batista

Senate Resolution Expressing Deepest Condolences On The Passing Of Vincent D'adamo, Jr.

This act would limit mortgage prepayment rules to mortgages on owner-occupied properties with one to four (4) dwelling units. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would allow a lender to charge an origination fee, increase interest rates and collect a monthly service fee, on loans up to three hundred dollars ($300) but not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000). This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish requirements for capital, liquidity, and corporate governance including audit, risk management, and board oversight, for nonbank mortgage servicers. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would update the state’s public accountancy act for consistency with the 9th edition of the Uniform Accountancy Act, as issued by NASBA and AICPA in July 2025. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would redefine dyslexia to mean a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary depending on the orthography. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would allow any member of a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Rhode Island to receive recreational freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses free of charge. It would also make a technical correction to a separate section of law dealing with commercial fishing dealers' licenses. Sections 1 and 3 of this act would take effect on March 1, 2027. Section 2 of this act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish the thermal energy network and jobs act to facilitate the study of this technology to determine if these goals can be met by the implementation of thermal energy networks in Rhode Island. The act would create a twelve (12) member task force of interested parties which would be an advisory committee to evaluate the results of the feasibility studies. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would enact the old growth forest protection act to provide protection for state- owned forestland in their natural state. This act would prohibit extractive logging in old growth forests on state-owned land or land owned by a municipality, or a natural area preserve. This act would further prohibit clearcutting in any forest on state-owned land. The act would further create the natural heritage program within the division of statewide planning. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would merge the coastal resources management council with the department of environmental management and create the bureau of coastal resources management within the department of environmental management. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish a restricted receipt account for the benefit of the Rhode Island public transit authority to fund its operations, funded by sales taxes collected from ride- share companies, which account would be exempt from indirect cost recovery provisions. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

This act would increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate for Tier C services in licensed assisted living residences by 13% starting January 1, 2027. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit a healthcare entity from unilaterally modifying amending or reinterpreting any material term or condition of a contact with a healthcare provider during the term of such contact. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would prohibit a healthcare provider from requiring patients to provide electronic payment information to be kept on file as a condition to receiving treatment. The act would make a violation of this section a deceptive trade practice. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would permit the Quonset Development Corporation to acquire, own, maintain, and control all streetlights located within the Quonset Business Park. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide that roads located within the Quonset Business Park be under the control of the Quonset Development Corporation who shall have the sole authority relating to the care and maintenance of roads, freeways and bridges designated as QDC public roads. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would, effective April 1, 2027, require every vehicle that operates in intrastate commerce be permanently marked with a USDOT number. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would permit grand juries to issue reports and would provide for a process for review and acceptance by the superior court. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide that original agricultural equipment manufacturers, implemented by or with surrogate distributors, of agricultural equipment would provide to independent service providers; repair information and tools to maintain and repair electronics-enabled agricultural equipment. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would include the senate majority leader in the joint committee on legislative services. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would allow the state to require utilities to relocate facilities for certain highway projects and to pay the cost of the relocation to the utility as part of the cost of the federally aided highway project. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish a restricted receipt account for the benefit of the Rhode Island public transit authority for use to fund its operations, funded by sales taxes collected from ride- share companies, which account would be exempt from indirect cost recovery provisions. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

This act would require any person, as defined, who is in the business of selling, assigning or buying an equitable interest in real estate without taking legal title to such property, to be licensed as a real estate broker or salesperson and to comply with the disclosure requirements and cancellation provisions as mandated. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

Senate Resolution Proclaiming March Of 2026, As "colorectal Cancer Awareness Month" In The State Of Rhode Island

Senate Resolution Celebrating The 50th Anniversary Of The Founding Of Sojourner House Of Rhode Island

This act would increase the historic tax credit to thirty percent (30%) of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures; provided that, at least eighty percent (80%) of the total rental area of the certified historic structure would be made available for multi-family housing. This act would further increase the tax credit to thirty-five percent (35%); provided that, at least eighty percent (80%) of the total rental area of the certified historic structure would be made available for multi- family housing in which twenty percent (20%) of rental units would constitute affordable rental units, or ten percent (10%) of available units would be sold as affordable housing. This act would take effect on upon passage.

This act would impose a wealth proceeds tax equal to four percent (4%) on net investment income, such as interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, capital gains and rental income, of high- income households, estates and trusts, based upon federal guidelines. This act would take effect on January 1, 2027, and would not be applied retroactively.

This act would make assault on a railroad worker resulting in personal injury a felony. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would allow any city, town, state and/or agency of a municipality or the state to report unpaid fines of two hundred dollars ($200) or more to the division of motor vehicles as grounds for refusal of registration. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide that motor vehicle rental companies be entitled to establish non- liability for toll violations, administrative fees, and fines by providing a rental or lease agreement to the traffic tribunal as prima facie evidence that a lessee was the vehicle operator, and would exempt car rental companies from registration penalties resulting from out-of-state toll violations from operators using their rental vehicles. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would designate bridge number 44-000000000007010, located in Providence, Rhode Island, where U.S. Route 44 (Smith Street) crosses over both northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 95, roughly a tenth of a mile south of the junction with Route 146, as the “George Nee Bridge.” This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Celebrating The 172nd Anniversary Of The United States And Japan Treaty Of Peace And Amity

Senate Resolution Recognizing And Honoring The Courage, Heroism, And Compassion Of The Individuals Who Rendered Aid During The Lynch Arena Shooting In Pawtucket

Senate Resolution Congratulating The Blackstone Valley Schools (bvs) Boys Co-op Team On Winning The Rhode Island Division Ii High School State Hockey Championship

This act would authorize a veterinarian to establish a client-patient relationship in Rhode Island through synchronous audiovisual electronic means, subject to certain limitations and requirements. The act would also provide that the veterinarian shall be licensed in Rhode Island, obtain the client consent to establish the veterinarian client-patient relationship through electronic means, and maintain such documentation for at least one year. This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Proclaiming April 9, 2026, To Be "rhode Island Home Visiting Day"

Senate Resolution Congratulating The Winners Of The 2026 14th Annual Prostart® High School Competition And Wishing Them Success At The National Prostart® Invitational

This act would make a series of amendments and add new provisions of law to address business identity theft and deceptive solicitations sent to businesses and the unauthorized formation of entities. This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Senate Resolution Condemning Political Violence And Reaffirming The Principles Of Civility, Public Safety, And Democratic Governance

Commencing on July 1, 2026, this act would allow teachers, state and municipal employees to retire upon the earlier of reaching age sixty (60) with thirty (30) years of service or the employee's retirement eligibility date under present state statutes. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would promote fiscal integrity, transparency, and accountability in the state’s healthcare system by mandating that the reporting covered health entities identified therein submit quarterly financial reports to the secretary to facilitate the regular and timely assessment of their financial soundness and identify any entities that may be facing financial risks with the potential to affect the overall stability of the state’s healthcare system, equitable access to high-quality and affordable services, and the goals of the statewide health planning process. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would provide that certain actions taken by pharmacy benefits managers are to be considered deceptive or unfair trade practices. This act would take effect upon passage.

Joint Resolution Repealing Rhode Island's Ratification Of The Corwin Amendment (repeals The General Assembly’s Previous Ratification Of The Corwin Amendment.)

Senate Resolution Congratulating Ripin On 35 Years Of Improving Rhode Islanders' Lives

Senate Resolution Celebrating "national Hospital Week" On May 10-16, 2026, In The State Of Rhode Island

Senate Resolution Honoring The Rhode Island Medical Society For Organizing The 2026 State House Advocacy Day

This act would authorize the city of East Providence to issue licenses to any person or business entity seeking to engage in the business of operating a hotel, motel, inn, boardinghouse, or catering establishment. The act would also provide that the business in question first obtains approval from the chief of police, the building inspector and the mayor. This act would take effect upon passage.

This act would establish the office of inspector general to investigate the management and operation of agencies in an effort to prevent and deter fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds. This act would take effect upon passage.

Senate Resolution Celebrating And Honoring The Girl Scouts Of Southeastern New England

Senate Resolution Declaring May 28, 2026, As "pharmacy Advocacy Day" In The State Of Rhode Island

Senate Resolution Congratulating Rhode Island Native Joseph Mazzulla, Head Coach Of The Boston Celtics, On Being Named The 2025-2026 National Basketball Association Coach Of The Year

Senate Resolution Proclaiming And Acknowledging June Of 2026 As "portuguese American Heritage Month" In The State Of Rhode Island

This act would allow for sending of the notice under power of sale and rights of active military servicemembers by United States Postal Service First Class Mail and/or an overnight delivery service, instead of by United States Postal Service certified mail return receipt requested. This act would take effect upon passage.