Increases the yearly amount of money that retired teachers, who had been certified driver education teachers, could earn from fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) to twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), without a reduction in their retirement benefits.
Prohibits any questioning of a juvenile who is suspected of delinquent or criminal behavior, unless the parent of guardian of the juvenile is present, or unless an attorney is present or the juvenile and their parents have waived their presence.
Requires all municipal zoning ordinances be amended to provide that any lot with access to public water/sewer services, not establish or enforce a minimum lot area that exceeds 5,000 sq.ft. for a residential building with between one and 4 dwelling units.
Establishes the trades worker justice and safety act to help provide workers with a workplace free from harassment, discrimination, intimidation, bullying, abuse and retaliation.
Provides that comprehensive permit projects in Tiverton, involving property not connected to either public water or sewer or both, and for which the property is considered hydric said land be excluded from the building land calculation.
Prohibits an employer, employment agency, labor organization, or employee, to commit any act declared to be an unlawful employment practice; individuals would be held personally liable for such conduct.
Maddy summaryHB 7958 requires that all contracts for capital improvements (such as new construction or major renovations) at healthcare facilities must comply with the fair employment practices standards outlined in chapter 13 of title 37. This directly affects healthcare facilities and their construction contractors by mandating adherence to existing non-discrimination and equal opportunity rules in hiring and employment. The key mechanism is applying these established labor standards to capital improvement contracts, ensuring they include protections against employment discrimination. The bill does not create new requirements but extends current fair employment practices to this specific contracting context. It was introduced on February 27, 2026, and referred to the House Labor committee.
Recognizes that municipal employees have the opportunity to utilize binding arbitration and establishes new factors for the arbitrators to consider. These factors include comparisons of wages/hourly conditions of employment in similarly skilled jobs.
Strengthens enforcement of the state's pharmacy audit law by clarifying and tightening audit procedures to ensure pharmacy audits are conducted fairly and transparently.
Maddy summaryHB 8401 strengthens the oversight of medical malpractice insurance for hospitals affiliated with accredited medical schools in Rhode Island. The bill requires these hospitals to obtain prior approval from the Department of Business Regulation before establishing or maintaining any self-insurance program for malpractice liability. To qualify, hospitals must demonstrate financial solvency, adequate reserves, and the ability to pay claims, with the department retaining the power to audit, examine, and revoke approval if standards are not met. Additionally, the legislation mandates that all forms of medical malpractice coverage, including self-insurance and captive arrangements, meet specific state-set limits and undergo annual renewal. Finally, the bill requires these entities to report claims, settlements, and judgments to relevant medical licensing boards within 30 days.
