Rep. Joseph McNamara

Maddy summaryHB 7740 clarifies the rules for when registered nurses and nurse practitioners can administer deep sedation or general anesthesia, specifically limiting these actions to emergency situations where delaying care would endanger a patient's health. The bill explicitly prohibits these providers from using general anesthetics for elective, scheduled procedures unless an urgent need arises, while still allowing them to perform minimal or moderate sedation as usual. To enforce these limits, the law requires that any nurse or nurse practitioner who is not a certified registered nurse anesthetist must not initiate, adjust, or maintain general anesthetic medications outside of critical care scenarios. Additionally, the bill mandates that hospitals report specific serious incidents, such as unplanned transitions to deep sedation that result in severe patient outcomes, to the Department of Health within 24 hours.

Maddy summaryHB 7003 requires Rhode Island's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League to create a statewide anti-hazing policy for student athletics. The policy must define hazing, prohibit "consent" as a defense, and include clear consequences like team suspensions or season cancellations for violations. All student-athletes in RIIL schools must sign an acknowledgment form confirming they understand these penalties before participating in any athletic activities. The policy aims to ensure consistent, transparent discipline and integrate with existing school climate and anti-bullying efforts across all participating schools.

Provides that all contractual provisions in a firefighters collective bargaining agreement continue until a successor agreement has been reached or an interest arbitration award has been rendered.

Directs middle and high schools which issue student identification cards to include on those cards on or before September 8, 2026, contact crisis telephone numbers for suicide prevention and substance use disorder prevention.

Maddy summaryHB 7090 changes the date for primary elections that select delegates to national political conventions and determine presidential preferences. It moves the election from the fourth Tuesday in April to the first Tuesday in March starting in 2028, with this schedule applying every four years thereafter. The bill includes a temporary exception for the 2024 election, which will remain on April 2, 2024. This procedural change affects all political parties conducting these delegate elections in the state. The bill requires no new funding or policy shifts, only adjusting the election timing.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution commemorates the 61st annual Gaspee Days celebration and the 254th anniversary of the 1772 burning of the British ship HMS Gaspee. The bill formally acknowledges the historical significance of this event as a pivotal moment in the American Revolution and recognizes the ongoing annual festivities held in Pawtuxet Village, Rhode Island. It directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the resolution to the chair of the Gaspee Days Committee to officially mark the occasion.

Maddy summaryHB 7777 expands the Warwick municipal court's authority to handle cases involving zoning violations, housing maintenance codes, building regulations, and related local ordinances. The bill removes the court's power to impose jail sentences, restricting penalties to fines of up to $500 per violation. It also grants the court the ability to order repairs or corrective actions for housing code violations, such as fixing unsafe dwellings. This change directly affects residents and property owners in Warwick who face enforcement under these housing, building, and zoning codes.

Maddy summaryHB 7083 would allow the city of Cranston to create a dedicated housing division within its municipal court. This division would handle cases involving violations of local housing rules, including zoning, minimum housing standards, building codes, and property maintenance regulations. The housing division could impose fines up to $500 or 30 days in jail for these violations and would hear cases separately from other municipal court matters. Appeals from housing division decisions would go to the district court, not the superior court. This change directly affects Cranston residents and property owners who face housing code enforcement actions.

Expands the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, whether they are publicly or privately run to maintain on site a functional AED while establishing and implementing a cardiac emergency response plan in these schools.

Amends law to include all licensed physician assistants with licensed physicians and nurses required, each license renewal period, to complete a minimum of 1 hour of instruction on the diagnosis treatment, and care of patients with cognitive impairments.