Rep. Jose Batista

Reduces the time, from three (3) years to six (6) months, required for a nonimmigrant foreign national student, who has resided in Rhode Island, to be eligible to pay the same in-state tuition as any other Rhode Island student.

Requires statements as to whether a bill is likely to increase equity, decrease equity or have no impact on equity to be included on up to 20 pieces of legislation.

Requires law enforcement agencies to obtain search warrants for electronic information, data, location information and other identifying information of subscribers and customers, except in specified circumstances.

Provides that evidence of life or work expectancy shall be based on statistical data using blended statistics and shall not be based on race, ethnicity or sex.

Provides that the early intervention program for developmentally disabled infants be under the jurisdiction of the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS).

Maddy summaryHB 5836 requires every high school in Rhode Island to offer a yearlong "ethnic studies" course starting with the 2026-27 school year. This course would study American history and the experiences of racialized communities, including specific histories such as Native American, Black, Asian American, and Latin American. It would become a social studies core credit and a high school graduation requirement for students graduating in 2030 and beyond. The bill also establishes a student-led ethnic studies leadership council to oversee curriculum development and implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 5835, titled "The Paul W. Crowley Rhode Island Student Investment Initiative," proposes to establish school-based councils at each public school in Providence, along with a central advisory board. These councils would be composed of principals, parents, teachers, community residents, and high school students, with members largely selected through elections. Their primary duties would include approving school improvement and expenditure plans, making recommendations on staffing and curriculum, and holding public meetings. The bill aims to enhance communication and foster stronger relationships between local schools, their communities, and the Providence public school board.

Maddy summaryHB 5737 amends the laws regarding additional benefits, specifically cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), for retired Workers' Compensation Court judges and their surviving spouses or domestic partners. The bill establishes different rules for calculating these adjustments based on the judge's retirement date. Some COLAs are a fixed percentage of the original allowance, while others are tied to the Consumer Price Index or the retirement system's investment returns. It also introduces conditions for adjustments based on the retirement system's funding level and includes a one-time benefit adjustment for certain retirees.

Maddy summaryHB 5523 requires all public bodies to offer translation and interpretation services for their open meetings. This bill directly affects individuals who need language assistance, including American Sign Language (ASL), to understand or participate in these public proceedings. Public bodies would need to develop a "translation assistance plan" to ensure meeting accessibility upon request. These plans must be implemented by September 1, 2026.

Exempts law enforcement records from public disclosure if releasing them could reveal the identity of a human trafficking victim or someone eligible for an affirmative defense under certain prostitution-related laws.