Rep. Brandon Potter

Maddy summaryHB 7729 prohibits the unlawful use of designated seclusion rooms in Rhode Island public pre-K, elementary, and secondary schools, meaning students cannot be left alone in isolated rooms without freedom to leave. The bill specifically excludes physical prompts, restraints, and time-outs from this prohibition. School staff must follow positive behavioral interventions instead, and the education commissioner must handle complaints about violations through investigations and published procedures. This law directly affects all public school students, staff, and administrators in Rhode Island’s K-12 system.

Maddy summaryHB 7781 changes the name of the second Monday in August from "Victory Day" to "Peace and Remembrance Day" in Rhode Island's state holiday schedule. This directly affects state employees and official state communications, as the holiday is listed in the General Laws governing state holiday observances. The bill amends the statutory holiday list to replace the existing name and repeals a prior provision prohibiting the use of any other name for this day. The change takes effect upon passage without altering the holiday's date or observance requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 7905 establishes a voluntary quality rating system for early childhood education and school-age childcare programs operating in RIDE-certified school buildings. It sets specific quality standards that providers can meet to earn a rating, aiming to improve program quality through a structured, non-mandatory framework. The bill directly affects childcare providers in certified school settings by offering a pathway to recognition based on established criteria. This system encourages quality enhancements without imposing mandatory requirements on participating programs.

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.

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.

Amends the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act to clarify housing-status enforcement, ban discriminatory housing notices, align state law with federal standards and remove a ban on public discussion of fair housing cases.

Requires certain health care facilities to allow a terminally ill patient’s use of medicinal cannabis within the health care facility, subject to certain restrictions.

Raises the age of eligibility for mobile response and stabilization services from eighteen (18) to twenty-one (21) and establishes a minimum rate for commercial health insurance reimbursement for such services.

Permits licensed providers to accompany emergency medical services and treat patients within the community for mental health disorders, including substance use disorders.

Grants an affirmative defense for certain privileged communications, including communications made by an individual, without malice, regarding an incident of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination.