Samuel W Bell | Candidate profile | Rhode Island Elections Project

About this candidate

Samuel W Bell’s campaign positions and public records, with source and reporting-period details below.

At a glance

Samuel W Bell represents Senate District 5 in Providence. This candidate is listed as the Democratic incumbent in the 2026 candidate roster.

How to read this page

Campaign positions are attributed to the campaign. Election returns, finance figures and outside scorecards are labeled by source and period.

Campaign priorities

Health care

Supports restoring Medicaid funding, a Rhode Island Medicare for All system, and stronger protections against insurance denials.

Affordable housing

Supports zoning reform, more low-income and public housing, and greater use of federal housing funds.

Tax policy

Calls for reversing tax cuts for high earners to fund public programs.

Public education

Supports more school funding, building repairs, English learner support, and an elected Providence school committee.

Climate and energy

Supports expanded solar and wind power and opposes new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Official campaign website. Summaries attributed to the campaign.

Past electoral performance

Districtwide general election results. Select a year to open RIEP’s results map.

2024

Winner · 7,937 votesDistrictwide general election

78.6%

2022

Winner · 5,795 votesDistrictwide general election

93.8%

2020

Winner · 7,659 votesDistrictwide general election

96.8%

2018

Winner · 5,868 votesDistrictwide general election

96.7%

Democratic primary history

Senate District 5 · Share of votes cast for named candidates. Select a year or vote share to open that specific primary race.

2026

3,861 votesDemocratic primary · Districtwide

72.49%

2026 figures use RIEP’s unofficial September 10 snapshot. Earlier primary years are under construction. An uncontested 100% excludes undervotes.

Campaign finance snapshot

2026 28-days-before-election · September 2, 2026 to October 5, 2026

$403.04Net cash receipts

$2,257.88Spent during period

$44,292.22Cash at period end

View campaign finance →

Choose reporting periods on the campaign finance page to compare totals, donors and expenses.

Open selected financial report (PDF) ↗

Read the financial report on this page

Record in office · 2025–2026 General Assembly

Incumbent · Descriptive counts from RIEP’s official-source research. They are separate from the historical Lawmakers Project score below.

35Lead-sponsored bills

158Bills cosponsored

9Lead bills passed chamber

5Lead bills became law

Session attendance

81Sessions eligible

80Sessions present

1Sessions absent

98.8%Attendance rate

Presence recorded in official Senate Journals. “Not Voting” on a floor vote is not treated as an absence. Attendance rate is a percentage.

Leadership: No leadership role listed
Committees: Senate Commerce Committee — Secretary

Official committee roster · Dataset updated August 30, 2026.

Experimental · 2025–2026 Senate

Vote-based ideology

How Samuel W Bell’s recorded votes compare with other senators. This feature is under construction and measures voting patterns, not legislative effectiveness.

Loading voting records…

How this is calculated

One-dimensional W-NOMINATE estimates positions from 366 divided roll calls in 81 official Senate journals. Similar positions indicate similar voting patterns in this vote set. Party labels color the points; they are not used to estimate the positions. The positive direction is anchored to Jessica de la Cruz; zero is not a calibrated ideological center.

Coverage ends June 11, 2026. Fifty-two conflicting source records were excluded; missing votes are not counted as Nay. Historical member Ruggerio had too few eligible divided votes for an estimate. Annual fits are separately scaled and cannot measure ideological change directly.

This experimental analysis is separate from CEL’s Legislative Effectiveness Score and RIEP’s Legislative Progress Index. View all senators and methodology → · Official Senate journals ↗

Bills & votes

Samuel W Bell’s 35 lead-sponsored bills in the 2025–2026 General Assembly, from RIEP’s official-source research. Passage and law status reflect the recorded snapshot; “Not recorded” does not describe the current disposition of a bill.

Lead-sponsored records · 2025–2026 35 records

Bill	Year	Passed chamber	Became law
S275	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S276	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S288	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S299	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S300	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S346	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S364	2025	Yes	Not recorded
S425	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S465	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S488	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S535	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S542	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S545	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S548	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S583	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S756	2025	Yes	Yes
S1115	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S1141	2025	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2073	2026	Yes	Yes
S2139	2026	Yes	Yes
S2157	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2172	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2174	2026	Yes	Not recorded
S2206	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2208	2026	Yes	Not recorded
S2287	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2331	2026	Yes	Yes
S2332	2026	Yes	Not recorded
S2473	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2526	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2573	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2680	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S2749	2026	Yes	Yes
S3040	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded
S3217	2026	Not recorded	Not recorded

Source: RIEP research using Rhode Island General Assembly bill-status records, August 30, 2026 snapshot.

Sponsored bills & resolutions · 2026 98 records

The sponsored entries displayed by BillTrack50 include bills and resolutions. Lead sponsorship and cosponsorship are not separated in this list; it is distinct from the official-source lead-sponsored records above.

S2011

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Amends the regulations on the cancellation and renewal of liability and property damage insurance for automobiles, homeowners insurance, residential fire insurance and components thereof.

S2024

Dead

Creates the Rhode Island Climate Superfund Act of 2026.

S2027

Dead

Changes retired teacher income for drivers ed classes to $25,000 per year from $15,000 per year.

S2049

Dead

Establishes a program within the adult correctional institution to permit medication assisted treatment approved by the FDA to be provided for the treatment of opioid use disorder to any incarcerated individual.

S2073

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of Community MusicWorks located in the city of Providence.

S2084

Dead

Increase the personal needs allowance of nursing facility residents from $75.00 to $100 per month.

S2087

Dead

Includes municipal detention facility corporations as exempt from taxation, and requires that an amount equal to 27% of all tax that would have been collected if the property was taxable be paid to the municipality annually.

S2089

Dead

Permits paid members on the state labor relations board to continue to receive their retirement benefits.

S2093

Dead

Makes students in workforce-ready certificate programs at the community college of Rhode Island eligible to receive the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship.

S2116

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Permits a nurse who has the appropriate knowledge, credentials and clinical competency, to provide home services foot care, which includes routine foot and nail care, as well as implementing a plan of care that includes hygiene and fingernails.

S2122

Dead

Modifies the real estate sales disclosure form to include the disclosure of “blower door diagnostic air leakage testing” and advises that air leakage testing is recommended prior to purchasing a residential unit.

S2137

Dead

Prohibits handcuffing children twelve (12) or under at initial police contact unless needed for public safety or if the child is using or threatening physical force against an officer.

S2139

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Prohibits participation in federal school voucher tax credit for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations unless both the general assembly and the governor approve such participation.

S2150

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Requires that notice of a judgment lien be sent within ten (10) business days of the recording of the lien.

S2151

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Allows animal control officers in the cities and towns to lawfully take charge of and provide adequate care to any animal found abandoned or neglected or hazardously accumulated and includes them as agents authorized to enforce the provisions of this law.

S2152

Dead

Requires public bodies to offer translation services for all open meetings of said bodies.

S2157

Dead

Makes sexual contact or penetration between any law enforcement officer that is on duty and a person that is a detainee, arrestee, in custody or a suspect a felony.

S2165

Dead

Grants tenants that are the victim of various forms of abuse including, but not limited to, sexual and domestic abuse and stalking, the right to terminate a lease agreement early without penalty or liability for rent.

S2170

Dead

Allows unemployment benefits for workers who are on strike or are locked out of their workplaces by their employer due to a labor dispute.

S2172

Dead

Provides for the right to strike for public sector workers in Rhode Island, including teachers, with exceptions for police officers, firefighters, 911 employees, and correctional officers.

S2174

Dead

Repeals the law that prevents a collective bargaining agreement covering state employees, public school teachers and municipal employees from specifying a particular healthcare provider in it.

S2206

Dead

Allows RI to opt out of the provisions of DIDMCA exempting out of state lenders from interest rate limits which apply to RI lenders. Prevents evasion of statutory interest rate limits and lending rules for loans made in RI.

S2208

Dead

Amends the composition of the urban collaborative in Providence and provides that it is governed by a board of trustees.

S2215

Dead

Authorizes the school administration to issue an out-of-school suspension to students if they are a threat to the safety of others.

S2240

Dead

JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $2,000,000 TO THE ELISHA PROJECT (Authorizes the appropriation of the sum of $2,000,000 to the Elisha Project.)

S2286

Dead

Requires all motorcycle operators to wear a helmet regardless of age.

S2287

Dead

Increases number of members of state crime laboratory commission to 9, changes makeup of commission to include individuals with expertise in law enforcement, criminal defense, scientific research, makes chair of department of physics executive secretary.

S2299

Dead

Allows expungement of multiple felony convictions for non-violent felonies10 years after sentence completed.

S2303

Dead

Amends the comprehensive community-police relationship act of 2015 to require an annual study by an outside agency chosen by the department.

S2304

Dead

Requires state use actual residences of persons in government custody for redistricting purposes. Information would be collected by the department of corrections and forwarded to the division of statewide planning, to be utilized for redistricting.

S2308

Dead

Provides that prisoners who committed offenses prior to age 18 and were sentenced as adults be eligible for parole after completing 15 yrs of their sentence. Would not lengthen parole eligibility should prisoner be eligible for parole earlier than 15 yrs.

S2313

Dead

Reduces the time for expungements to 3 years for a single misdemeanor and 5 years for felonies and multiple misdemeanors.

S2323

Dead

Establishes the commuter transportation benefit chapter. Employers with five hundred (500) or more employees required to establish a pre-tax commuter transportation fringe benefit program.

S2324

Dead

Prohibits employers from seeking/using credit reports in making hiring decisions concerning prospective employees, asking questions about the applicant's financial past during interviews or including credit history questions in their job applications.

S2331

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Allows for the issuance of a Class B liquor license for the property located at 150 Broadway in the city of Providence.

S2332

Dead

Provides that exemptions to the prohibition of liquor licenses within two hundred feet (200') of schools or places of worship do not eliminate neighboring property owners’ remonstrance rights to object to the license.

S2345

Dead

Enacts the Rhode Island Broadband Oversight and Accountability Act of 2026.

S2348

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Directs middle and high schools which issue student identification cards to include on those cards contact crisis telephone numbers for suicide prevention and substance use disorder prevention.

S2351

Dead

Removes clean coal as a renewable fuel given priority as an energy generation project.

S2353

Dead

Prohibits force-feeding to create a force-fed poultry product or the hiring of another to engage in force-feeding of a poultry product. It also prohibits the sale of a force-fed poultry product or food containing a force-fed poultry product.

S2354

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION TO TERMINATE GAS LINE EXTENSION ALLOWANCES AS PART OF DOCKET 25-45-GE

S2378

Dead

Authorizes an increase in resource eligibility limits for persons with long-term-care needs who reside at home and requires semi-annual reports from Medicaid certified assisted living facilities and adult day service providers to the EOHHS.

S2382

Dead

Mandates all insurance contracts, plans or policies provide insurance coverage for the expense of diagnosing and treating infertility, for women between the ages of twenty-five (25) and forty-two (42) years.

S2384

Dead

Prohibits the state, participating ERISA, or any health plan from purchasing referenced drugs for a cost higher than the referenced rate.

S2387

Dead

Establishes the Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program for the importation of wholesale prescription drugs from Canada, to provide savings to Rhode Island consumers.

S2425

Dead

Authorizes 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.

S2437

Dead

Authorizes the department of environmental management to issue and enforce rules and regulations to implement and enforce the provisions of the food waste ban.

S2439

Dead

Restricts application of pesticides and rodenticides at schools and childcare centers and requires schools to provide copies of notice to parents and guardians.

S2441

Dead

Establishes Compost Fund to award grants related to reducing the amount of solid waste generated in the state.

S2448

Dead

Establishes a performance audit division within the office of the auditor general.

S2452

Dead

Provides $100,000 to support the mental health and emotional well-being of children in OST settings.

S2473

Dead

Addresses any single-family construction, townhouse construction, and multi-family construction complying with the Standards for Visitable Units of the ANSI' Standards for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.

S2492

Dead

Requires a healthcare entity to submit written notice to the attorney general and the department of health of any material change transaction at least 180 days prior to that transaction.

S2494

Dead

Provides for "litigation financing" regulation by DBR.

S2499

Dead

Creates a comprehensive statutory framework to address and regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace, considering the interests of employers and employees.

S2501

Dead

Beginning on July 1, 2026, allows state union employees to negotiate longevity payments in their collective bargaining agreements.

S2517

Dead

Requires that automated teller machines disclose the account balance prior to any cash withdrawal.

S2518

Dead

Enacts the State of Rhode Island interior design practice act to control and regulate the professional practice of interior designers.

S2523

Dead

Requires commercial property owners to install vehicle barriers at their retail establishments when new construction or renovations are being done and permits insurers to consider the installation to provide a discount on the owner's insurance policy.

S2526

Dead

Nullifies the department of elementary and secondary education recommendation that the turnaround plan for Providence public schools be continued.

S2529

Dead

Prohibits the use of heating systems utilizing fossil fuels as well as air or water heating systems in any state or municipal building open to the public constructed, altered or renovated on or after January 1, 2028.

S2531

Dead

Establishes the Plastic Waste Conversion Facility Act.

S2548

Dead

Amends State funding calculations for special education, revising extraordinary cost calculations for FY 2028-2029, and providing additional funds for excess costs when special education students move into a district after the budget is approved.

S2549

Dead

Creates new tax on gains from sale or exchange of real property held for short periods of time, 6 years or less, establishes a comprehensive framework to calculate and implement enforcement and provides imprisonment and/or fines for those who evade taxes.

S2552

Dead

Increases the amount of state aid distributed to the towns and cities through appropriation in lieu of property tax provisions applicable to certain private and state properties that are exempt from property tax.

S2554

Dead

Requires that Medicaid enrollment be maintained or provided to all inmates in the first 30 days of incarceration at the adult correctional institutions within the department of corrections and the last 30 days of incarceration when possible.

S2564

Dead

Provides that for treatment of mental health and substance use disorders, payors would rely upon criteria which reflect generally accepted standards of care when developing coverage.

S2566

Dead

Limits the facility's ability to charge rent and fees for a maximum of seven (7) days or until removal of the personal property from the room, whichever occurs first. A violation would constitute a deceptive trade practice.

S2573

Dead

Establishes a universal, comprehensive, affordable single-payer health care insurance program and help control health care costs, which would be referred to as, "the Rhode Island Comprehensive Health Insurance Program" (RICHIP).

S2618

Dead

Administratively seals, upon request of the defendant following the conclusion of the matter in district court, individual counts of any criminal complaints dismissed pursuant to Rule 48(a) that were filed on or after October 1, 2026.

S2621

Dead

Creates a state-run pilot program in Rhode Island that provides paid, low-barrier employment to individuals experiencing homelessness for community beautification and cleanup projects while connecting participants to supportive services.

S2624

Dead

Sunsets/discontinues the Jobs Development Act rate reduction as of July 1, 2026.

S2634

Dead

Provides educators and administrators employed in a charter public school or mayoral academy with prevailing wage and benefits oversight and recourse if found in violation of the same.

S2648

Dead

Expands the definition of operator to anyone who enables customers to purchase virtual currency. Expands the definition of a transaction to include a digital product or application where payment is made in person or through a third party intermediary.

S2674

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE TO ISSUE NOT TO EXCEED $25,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND NOTES TO FUND THE PROVIDENCE HOUSING TRUST FUND TO FINANCE AFFORDABLE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS IN THE CITY

S2680

Dead

Prohibits RIPTA from using state funds or the proceeds of any bond(s) to pay for any work performed after 8/1/26, pursuant to the “transit center joint development project” RFP and/or pursuant to related the preliminary services agreement.

S2685

Dead

Provides coverage and increases individual and group insurance rates of reimbursement for ambulance services.

S2709

Dead

Requires nonprofit entities who receive grants or other funding, to provide a detailed list of their ten highest paid directors, officers or employees’ salaries and benefits, including the names of said individuals.

S2711

Dead

Authorizes the automatic expungement of eligible conviction records by operation of law, initiated and completed by state agencies through electronic processes established within the judicial system.

S2722

Dead

Creates 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.

S2727

Dead

Creates 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.

S2739

Dead

Amends the workers' compensation reimbursement provisions related to the liability of third person for damages.

S2749

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Allows for the issuance of a Class BV liquor license for the property located at 819 Westminster Street in the city of Providence.

S2828

Dead

Amends the Rhode Island works program to increases the monthly cash benefit to one hundred percent (100%) of the federal poverty level effective July 1, 2026.

S2862

Dead

Allows foreign-trained dentists and dental hygienists to obtain limited licenses if they graduate from reputable dental colleges or universities, work under a supervising dentist, and pass a board-approved exam.

S2928

Dead

Requires employers to provide full-time employees four (4) hours of paid leave once a year to donate blood through and any approved blood donation program.

S2930

Dead

Provides that commencing January 1, 2027, the minimum wage shall be twenty-four dollars ($24.00) per hour.

S2940

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

SENATE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JUVENILE HEARING BOARDS (Creates a 19 member special legislative study commission whose purpose it would be to study current practices of state and municipal Juvenile Hearing Boards established pursuant to §§ 8-10-23.1 or 8-10-23.2.)

S2966

Dead

Permits all Rhode Island courts to conduct hearings remotely and allow any party or attorney to appear by telephone or video conference, with remote appearances having the same legal effect as in-person appearances.

S2991

Dead

Mandates all department of corrections staff with direct supervision roles to wear body cameras while on duty in their assigned facility.

S3016

Dead

JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $800,000 TO WATERFIRE PROVIDENCE (Authorizes the appropriation of the sum of $800,000 to WaterFire Providence.)

S3021

Dead

JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION -- OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWER (Proposes a state constitutional amendment that no department or other entity created by the state would have poser to incur debt in excess of $ 50,000, without express approval from the legislature and voters.)

S3036

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

Permits those individuals convicted of multiple felonies and misdemeanors to have their records expunged and provides criteria for the court to consider in determining whether the person is of good character.

S3040

Dead

Requires a municipality to disclose on their official website the specific issues, details and costs of any legal action of which the town or city is a named defendant within 60 days after the close of the fiscal year.

S3116

Dead

Prohibits state or local authorities from voluntary participation in federal civil immigration enforcement. It would not prohibit compliance with a judicial warrant or court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

S3217

Dead

Permits the family court to award possession of household pets to the plaintiff in a domestic abuse complaint, including the enforcement remedy of a restraining order or other injunctive relief.

S3234

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

SENATE RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING MAY 2026 AS “JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH” IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

S3351

Signed/Enacted/Adopted

SENATE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF JUNE 2026 AS "PRIDE MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Source: BillTrack50 public legislator table, captured October 4, 2026. Status labels reflect that snapshot.

Individual votes · June 10–11, 2026 100 records

The 100 records displayed in BillTrack50’s public vote table. This is a limited snapshot, not a complete session voting history. Committee and floor motions remain separate; repeated bill numbers can represent separate votes.

Individual votes · June 10–11, 2026
Bill	Description	Motion / committee	Date	Vote
H7020	Authorizes veterinarians to establish a client-patient relationship through electronic means, subject to limitations and requirements such as Vet making a good faith effort to determine if care should be provided through telemedicine instead of in person.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7030	Establishes the healthcare worker platform and would require platforms offering healthcare shifts to register with the department of health by June 1, 2027, while, specifically, exempting them from being classified as nursing service agencies.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
H7046	Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of Blithewold, Inc., located at 101 Ferry Road, Bristol, Rhode Island.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7079	Permits those individuals convicted of multiple felonies and misdemeanors to have their records expunged and provides criteria for the court to consider in determining whether the person is of good character.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7163	Prohibits participation in federal school voucher tax credit for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations unless both the general assembly and the governor approve such participation.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7183	Establishes a program for the energy and water benchmarking of large buildings in Rhode Island and a standard for their energy performance.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7198	Further delineate the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7202	Creates the Rhode Island Federal Constitution defense act.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7290	Places limits on the number of self-service checkout stations a grocery store can have and on the workload of employees assigned to monitor those checkout stations.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7373	Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center located in the city of Pawtucket.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7377	Requires party chairpersons to submit lists of party voters to the mayor or council president within 30 days of notice of vacancy in a municipal election office and mayor/council president are required to make a replacement nomination within 30 days.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7415	Bars the council from granting approval to create or expand a charter school beginning operations in 26-27 school year and bars the state from approving or appropriating funds to a new charter school not approved before July 1, 2025.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7415	Bars the council from granting approval to create or expand a charter school beginning operations in 26-27 school year and bars the state from approving or appropriating funds to a new charter school not approved before July 1, 2025.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
H7434	Prohibits ICE employees, agents or officials from being within two hundred feet (200 ft) of any polling place during voting.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7477	Replaces the existing limited liability company act with a newer and updated model act.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
H7495	Authorizes the use of campaign funds for security related expenses, including home and office security systems and ongoing monitoring, in response to threats arising from their public service or candidacy.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7538	Requires healthcare providers and healthcare facilities to inform patients of the use of artificial intelligence to memorialize patient visits.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7585	Permits hit and run victims suffering serious bodily injury to recover under the crime victim compensation program.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7625	Commencing January 1, 2027, mandates insurers provide health insurance coverage without cost-share requirements for vaccinations recommended by the DOH and mandates the coverage for the medical assistance program and managed care organizations.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7654	Allows for sending of the notice under power of sale and rights of active military servicemembers by USPS First Class Mail and/or an overnight delivery service, instead of by USPS certified mail return receipt requested.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7654	Allows for sending of the notice under power of sale and rights of active military servicemembers by USPS First Class Mail and/or an overnight delivery service, instead of by USPS certified mail return receipt requested.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7683	Increases monthly minimum benefit for a spouse, domestic partner, former spouse.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7740	Provides and clarifies procedures for the administration of deep sedation and general anesthesia by certain types of nurses.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7753	Makes it a felony for any person to remove or attempt to remove any firearm or other weapon or any communication device from any peace officer or investigator of the department of attorney general.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
H7865	Provides a framework through which the department of business regulation can seek grants to fund a home hardening program.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
H7866	Raises the percentage from eighty percent (80%) to eighty-five percent (85%) regarding declaring a vehicle a total loss.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7879	Facilitates the study of thermal energy technology to determine if these goals can be met by the implementation of thermal energy networks in Rhode Island.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7923	Revises sections of the uniform controlled substances act to remove specific opioid dosage requirements and revises the uniform controlled substances act in accordance with current standards of professional practice.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7962	Eliminates the "until June 30, 2026" sunset on the increase in the total amount of earnings a partial-unemployment insurance claimant can receive before being entirely disqualified for unemployment insurance benefits.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H7975	Requires licensed retailers authorized to sell intoxicating beverages to provide a lid to a consumer upon request.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8004	Provides technical amendments relating to comprehensive planning and land use, subdivision of land, zoning ordinances and low- and moderate-income housing.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8005	Amends the standards and limitations on permitted parking requirements for dwelling units.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8028	Exempts property that consists of the lake bed and Wilson’s Reservoir in the town of Burrillville from taxes.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8046	Establishes a set service rate of seventy dollars ($70.00) for the service of all writs, citations or subpoenas.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8110	Requires owners or landlords who rent shoreline property to provide their tenants, before the start of the tenancy, with a detailed, written disclosure regarding public shoreline access rights.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8155	Under the emergency fund for victims, increases the share of a victim’s total award that may be used for relocation related expenses but not increase total compensation available to a victim.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8252	Provides any student, who meets the requirements of this section, with an exemption from paying nonresident tuition at Rhode Island public universities, colleges, or community colleges.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8384	Creates an enhanced penalty defined as "road rage" to be applied in addition to penalties for convictions of certain motor vehicle offenses.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
H8400	Prohibits the operation of any thermal waste conversion facility such as pyrolysis within the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park and expires on June 1, 2027.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8435	Allows for the issuance of a Class B license for the property located at 102 Granite Street, in the town of Westerly.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8436	Amends the current statute governing exemptions from property taxes for elderly and the disabled in the town of Glocester.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8463	Makes it unlawful for a person in the custody of the department of corrections to use any force or weapon to resist a lawful request or directive.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
H8484	Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of Amos House, provided it remains a qualified tax-exempt corporation pursuant to § 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8501	Re-enacts certain chapters of title 45 relating to towns and cities and provides various technical statutory construction edits throughout the general laws.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8527	AUTHORIZING THE CHARIHO REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION, FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SERVING THE TOWNS OF CHARLESTOWN, RICHMOND AND HOPKINTON, CONSISTING OF ONE OR MORE BUILDINGS ON A SINGLE CAMPUS, AND IMPROVEMENTS AT THE SWITCH ROAD CAMPUS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COSTS OF LAND ACQUISITION, DEMOLITION, DESIGN, HEALTH AND SAFETY PROJECTS, PLAYGROUNDS, LANDSCAPING, PAVING, AND ALL EXPENSES INCIDENTAL THERETO, BY THE ISSUANCE OF NOT MORE THAN $116,0	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8546	REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8582	Imposes certain duties, transparency, and accountability from pharmacy benefits managers and pharmacy benefits management services.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8605	JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS (Authorizes the appropriation to pay certain claims.)	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
H8611	Amends the apportionment and allocation of income for purposes of taxation relating to the taxation of banks.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2032	Prohibits an insurance company from imposing any cost-sharing requirements for any diagnostic or supplemental breast examinations.	Passage	06/10/2026	Yea
S2039	Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of AS220 located in the city of Providence. Effective retroactively to December 31, 2025 and affects next levy issued by the city or town where property is located.	Passage	06/10/2026	Yea
S2039	Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of AS220 located in the city of Providence. Effective retroactively to December 31, 2025 and affects next levy issued by the city or town where property is located.	Passage	06/10/2026	Nay
S2045	Protects people attending Rhode Island court proceedings from civil arrest without a judicial warrant, ensures court access, sets enforcement rules, and provides remedies for violations.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2045	Protects people attending Rhode Island court proceedings from civil arrest without a judicial warrant, ensures court access, sets enforcement rules, and provides remedies for violations.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2047	Further delineates the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2123	Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center located in the city of Pawtucket. Effective retroactively to December 31, 2025 and affects next levy issued by the city or town where property is located.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2292	Makes it a felony for any person to remove or attempt to remove any firearm or other weapon or any communication device from any peace officer or investigator of the department of attorney general.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
S2330	Permits the implementation of a system of electronic registration and titling of motor vehicles, by the DMV and requires that rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this chapter, be promulgated by the administrator of the DMV.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2334	Authorizes the use of campaign funds for security related expenses, including home and office security systems and ongoing monitoring, in response to threats arising from their public service or candidacy.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2342	Places limits on the number of self-service checkout stations a grocery store can have and on the workload of employees assigned to monitor those checkout stations.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2365	Eliminates the age requirement for modification on Social Security income.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2452	Provides $100,000 to support the mental health and emotional well-being of children in OST settings.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2506	Adds pickles and relish to those foods not requiring refrigeration which are permitted to be manufactured and sold as a farm home food product.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2555	Requires DOE to establish a bilingual education support fund.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2650	Provides any student, who meets the requirements of this section, with an exemption from paying nonresident tuition at Rhode Island public universities, colleges, or community colleges.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2667	Increases income limits for eligible families and also increases the exit threshold.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2667	Increases income limits for eligible families and also increases the exit threshold.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2676	JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $150,000 TO THE MAIN STREET RHODE ISLAND PROGRAM (Authorizes the appropriation of the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) to the Main Street Rhode Island Program.)	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2678	Increases monthly minimum benefit for a spouse, domestic partner, former spouse.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2704	Provides that cities or towns may, by ordinance, designate "special ways" throughout the city or town which would be subject to alternative regulations to preserve its cultural, historic or scenic character.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2722	Creates 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.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2733	Makes it unlawful for a person in the custody of the department of corrections to use any force or weapon to resist a lawful request or directive.	Passage	06/11/2026	Nay
S2734	Requires owners or landlords who rent shoreline property to provide their tenants, before the start of the tenancy, with a detailed, written disclosure regarding public shoreline access rights.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2823	Establishes a child tax credit in the amount of three hundred thirty dollars ($330) for eligible taxpayers adjusted for inflation annually commencing January 1, 2027.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2828	Amends the Rhode Island works program to increases the monthly cash benefit to one hundred percent (100%) of the federal poverty level effective July 1, 2026.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2828	Amends the Rhode Island works program to increases the monthly cash benefit to one hundred percent (100%) of the federal poverty level effective July 1, 2026.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2829	Establishes a procedure to permit DCYF to apply for benefits on behalf of children, who are eligible, that are within temporary custody or guardianship of the department.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2834	Permits extended early intervention services for children with developmental disabilities whose third birthday is between May 1 and August 31.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2841	Mandates DCYF protection for benefits owed to foster children.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2929	Eliminates the "until June 30, 2026" sunset on the increase in the total amount of earnings a partial-unemployment insurance claimant can receive before being entirely disqualified for unemployment insurance benefits.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2940	SENATE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JUVENILE HEARING BOARDS (Creates a 19 member special legislative study commission whose purpose it would be to study current practices of state and municipal Juvenile Hearing Boards established pursuant to §§ 8-10-23.1 or 8-10-23.2.)	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2940	SENATE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR JUVENILE HEARING BOARDS (Creates a 19 member special legislative study commission whose purpose it would be to study current practices of state and municipal Juvenile Hearing Boards established pursuant to §§ 8-10-23.1 or 8-10-23.2.)	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S2958	Requires shooting ranges to post signs in any area in which shooting occurs that contain the following language: “WARNING: If you or a loved one is experiencing distress and/or depression, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline or text “HOME” to 741741”.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3000	Requires licensed retailers authorized to sell intoxicating beverages to provide a lid to a consumer upon request.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3059	Imposes certain duties, transparency, and accountability from pharmacy benefits managers and pharmacy benefits management services.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3080	Establishes the thermal energy network & jobs act facilitating study of the technology to determine if goals can be met by implementing thermal energy networks in Rhode Island/creates a task force of interested parties to be an advisory committee.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3152	Amends the pension benefits for both current and former Rhode Island State Police members.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3184	Provides and clarify procedures for the administration of deep sedation and general anesthesia by certain types of nurses.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3185	Exempts property that consists of the lake bed and Wilson’s Reservoir in the town of Burrillville from taxes.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3262	Amends the current statute governing exemptions from property taxes for elderly and the disabled in the town of Glocester.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3290	Establishes a separate domestic violence calendar within the superior court to handle felony domestic violence cases.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3327	Establishes 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.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3334	Amends the compositions of the Rhode Island life science hub board of directors and amends the I-195 redevelopment district commission and provides additional amendments to the powers and duties of the commission.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3334	Amends the compositions of the Rhode Island life science hub board of directors and amends the I-195 redevelopment district commission and provides additional amendments to the powers and duties of the commission.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3361	Allows for sending of the notice under power of sale and rights of active military servicemembers by USPS First Class Mail and/or an overnight delivery service, instead of by USPS certified mail return receipt requested.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3361	Allows for sending of the notice under power of sale and rights of active military servicemembers by USPS First Class Mail and/or an overnight delivery service, instead of by USPS certified mail return receipt requested.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3362	Empowers the division of motor vehicles to make available special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity, the Dominican Independence and Heritage Award Committee of RI.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3365	Requires an insurance company to directly pay the insured's chosen appraiser and the umpire appraiser, if applicable, upon receipt of a "direction to pay" executed by an insured or claimant.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3366	Creates special motor vehicle registration plates for vehicles based on the not-for-profit entity Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea
S3370	Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of Amos House, provided it remains a qualified tax-exempt corporation pursuant to § 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.	Passage	06/11/2026	Yea

Source: BillTrack50 public legislator table, captured October 4, 2026. Further dates are under construction.

Outside ratings & scorecards

Each organization uses its own methodology. RIEP does not combine these into an overall candidate score.

Legislative effectiveness · 2023–2024

Center for Effective Lawmaking

0.26Expected benchmark: 0.912

Historical score covering the 2023–2024 legislative session. It does not measure Samuel W Bell’s 2025–2026 record.

Below Expectations#33 of 34 Senate Democrats

The party rank compares this legislator with other members of the same party in the same chamber. CEL’s expectations label uses a separate benchmark that accounts for party status, seniority and committee leadership. “Meets Expectations” means a score between 50% and 150% of that benchmark; it does not mean an average party rank. How CEL defines expectations ↗

21Bills introduced

19Committee action

3Beyond committee

3Passed chamber

2Became law

View full legislative effectiveness details

The score weights advancement by bill significance. The expected benchmark accounts for comparable legislators’ party status, seniority and committee leadership.

Category	Bills introduced	Committee action	Beyond committee	Passed chamber	Became law
Commemorative	0	0	0	0	0
Substantive	21	19	3	3	2
Substantive and significant	0	0	0	0	0

Historical scores

2023–2024 · 0.26 · Party rank 33 of 34

2021–2022 · 0.33 · Party rank 30 of 34

2019–2020 · 0.29 · Party rank 32 of 33

Produced by the Center for Effective Lawmaking at the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University, not by RIEP. Source report ↗ · Methodology ↗ · Glossary ↗

Experimental RIEP calculation · 2025–2026

Three-stage legislative progress index

0.48#32 of 38 Senate district records

#30 of 34 Senate DemocratsBelow Senate average

View entire 2025–2026 Senate ranking →

Why RIEP publishes a current-session index

CEL’s Legislative Effectiveness Score is our research benchmark. The CEL data presented here cover 2023–2024 and have not been extended to the 2025–2026 session. RIEP’s provisional index provides a current-session view of bill sponsorship and advancement while that historical score remains available for context.

RIEP uses three equally weighted stages and a Senate average of 1. It does not reproduce CEL’s five-stage method, bill-significance weights or expected-performance model. “Above” or “below Senate average” describes this index only; it is not a CEL expectations label.

Compare RIEP and CEL scores for the same 2023–2024 session →

Lead-sponsored bills, bills passed by the Senate, and bills that became law, compared with all 38 Senate district records. A score of 1 represents the comparison-set average.

35Lead-sponsored

9Passed Senate

5Became law

View calculation and methodology

Each stage receives equal weight. Divide Bell’s count at each stage by the corresponding Senate total, average the three shares, and multiply by 38. Rank uses unrounded scores; equal scores share a rank. Bills that become law contribute at each stage they reach. Cosponsored bills and resolutions are excluded.

38 ÷ 3 × (35 ÷ 2192 + 9 ÷ 758 + 5 ÷ 488) = 0.482428.

Dataset updated: August 30, 2026. Counts reflect this dataset, not a live legislative feed.

Prototype only. This is a separate RIEP progress index, not an update to the Center for Effective Lawmaking’s score or an overall assessment of a legislator. It does not include committee-action stages or bill-significance weights. It uses existing district records rather than every legislator who served during the term.

Underlying bill records: Official Rhode Island Bill Status/History ↗

RI League of Cities and Towns · 2025Votes on nine 2025 bills and budget items selected by the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns as priorities affecting municipalities, local authority, municipal budgets, public employees, state aid, and local taxpayers.

7/9

This is the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns' score, not an RIEP assessment. Denominators below nine reflect absences, recusals, or other non-votes in the League's published scorecard. Source report ↗

ACLU of Rhode Island · 2025Individual roll-call record on 11 Senate votes selected by the ACLU of Rhode Island as key civil-liberties issues for the 2025 session. The source shows, vote by vote, whether the legislator's vote matched the ACLU's stated position, opposed it, or was absent/otherwise not voting.

7/11

The ACLU selected these votes to highlight civil-liberties issues. An aligned vote matches its stated position; an opposed vote does not. The selection does not cover every relevant bill or capture committee and floor leadership, so RIEP does not convert it into an overall grade.

This is an ACLU of Rhode Island voting record, not an RIEP score or endorsement. RIEP displays the underlying organization-selected record without converting it into a percentage, grade, rank, or aggregate candidate rating. The ACLU states that its selected votes do not cover every bill with civil-liberties implications and do not capture committee or floor leadership. Source report ↗

League of Women Voters · 2026 voter guide

The supplied October 2026 South County guide covers selected Chariho-area races. This candidate is not included in that regional guide.

Explore League voter information at VOTE411 ↗

Browse League guide responses and sources →

Endorsements

Published endorsements from outside organizations. Select an organization to view its endorsement source.

Clean Water Action ↗