Submits the State's 2026 capital development program requesting the issuance of general obligation bonds for approval of the electorate at the general election to be held in November 2026.
Entitles correctional officers with twenty-five (25) years of service and who are at least fifty-five (55) years of age to a non-Medicare-eligible retiree health care insurance benefit.
Exempts from sales tax the amount paid for a parking space to a patron for one hour or less, in or on a parking facility on which a commercial establishment is located.
Maddy summaryHB 8498 repeals Rhode Island's existing laws that established a system for the responsible recycling, reuse, and disposal of mattresses. This bill directly affects mattress producers, retailers, and local municipalities by removing the legal framework that previously required them to participate in a statewide stewardship program. Under the old rules, companies were expected to pay fees into a council designed to manage discarded mattresses in an environmentally sound way. By eliminating these regulations entirely, the bill allows the state to stop enforcing these specific collection and recycling requirements.
Maddy summaryHB 8499 repeals the existing state laws that established a program for collecting and recycling unused household paint. This change directly affects paint manufacturers, retailers, and consumers by removing the legal requirement for a statewide paint stewardship system. The bill eliminates provisions that previously mandated producers to fund a nonprofit organization responsible for managing paint disposal and recycling. Consequently, the specific rules for how unused paint must be collected, transported, and processed are no longer in effect.
Authorizes the appropriation of the sum of $118,422 to the Rhode Island Parent Information Network to support Rhode Island’s Medicare-Medicaid Dual Ombudsman Program.
Removes the vehicle registration restriction for Kei cars and Kei trucks and spells out the restrictions on the Kei vehicles in order to be operated on public highways in the state.
Maddy summaryHB 7378 requires local election boards to provide clearer voter information about ballot questions, early voting, and registration deadlines. It mandates posting local ballot questions (including bond costs and project details for financial measures) in public spaces, in local newspapers, or via mailed notices to households, and publishing all details on municipal websites for 25 days before elections. The bill also requires early voting locations and hours to be advertised in newspapers and posted online throughout the voting period, with accessibility compliance. These changes directly affect local election boards and voters by standardizing how election information is delivered.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Rhode Island's tax and sales regulations on electronic nicotine-delivery systems by classifying menthol as a flavored product. It prohibits the sale, offer for sale, or possession with intent to sell flavored electronic nicotine-delivery system products to consumers within the state. The law defines characterizing flavors broadly to include menthol along with other tastes or aromas such as fruit, mint, chocolate, and vanilla, and requires consideration of product labeling and advertising claims when determining flavor status. Licensed compassion centers and cannabis cultivators remain exempt from this ban, except for products containing tobacco or nicotine. The measure takes effect immediately upon passage.
Removes the definition of "totally and permanently disabled" from the general law affording college tuition paid by the state to the spouse and children of active members of the police force who are killed or disabled during duty.
