Rep. David Bennett

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Comprehensive Community-Police Relationship Act to require state and municipal police departments in Rhode Island to collect detailed data on every routine traffic stop and vehicle search. Officers must record specific information for each stop, including the driver's perceived race and ethnicity, the reason for the stop, whether a search occurred, and the outcome such as citations or arrests. An outside agency chosen by the Department of Transportation will conduct an annual study of this data to analyze potential racial disparities in enforcement, with the first report due within 18 months of data collection beginning. The bill also mandates that quarterly summary reports be made public while keeping individual officer identities confidential, and it allows civil rights organizations to sue police departments that fail to comply with these data collection requirements.

Increases insurance coverage for hearing aids from one thousand five hundred dollars to one thousand seven hundred fifty dollars, per ear, for all people regardless of age.

Increases the maximum state and municipal small purchase limits from $10,000 to $25,000 for construction projects and from $5,000 to $10,000 for all other state and municipal purchases.

Provides for paid leave for a state employee who donates an organ. The duration of the leave is dependent on the type of donation and notice should be provided to the employer at least thirty (30) days prior to the leave.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Rhode Island's Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights by renaming it the Law Enforcement Officers' Due Process, Accountability, and Transparency Act. It directly affects permanently employed police officers, state troopers, and other sworn law enforcement personnel, excluding department heads. The law establishes a five-member hearing committee to review complaints against officers and mandates that both the agency and the officer share the cost of legal counsel for these hearings. Additionally, the bill requires that investigations be conducted at reasonable hours, allows officers to have an attorney present during interrogations, and prohibits threatening officers with disciplinary action during the inquiry process.

Extends the reporting and expiration dates, and amend the commission’s purpose to include glass and aluminum products, and would report back by April 30, 2025, and expire on May 5, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Rhode Island bill officially recognizes the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe as a Native American group for specific, limited purposes. It allows the tribe and its members to access federal benefits related to education, job training, housing, and the sale of artwork, while also protecting their ability to practice traditional ceremonies and safeguard burial sites. The legislation explicitly states that this recognition does not grant the tribe the right to conduct gambling, sell motor fuels or tobacco, or claim ownership of any land. Additionally, the resolution clarifies that this state action does not serve as a substitute for federal recognition or imply approval for the tribe to operate under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Maddy summaryHB 7069 amends the laws governing the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation to change how one of its seven directors is selected. Specifically, the bill requires that the director representing the Rhode Island Airport Corporation be appointed by the mayor of Warwick instead of the current process. This change directly affects the governance structure of the airport corporation and the appointment authority of the Warwick mayor. The legislation is a procedural amendment focused on updating appointment procedures without altering the core functions of the corporation.

Establishes a rare disease advisory council within the department of health and provides guidance and recommendations to educate health care providers and the citizens of the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a celebratory resolution that formally recognizes the 250th anniversary of the Pawtuxet Rangers, a Rhode Island militia group established in 1774. It highlights the unit's historical role in defending the state during the Revolutionary War and other conflicts, as well as its modern revival in 1972. The resolution authorizes the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the document to the current commanding officer of the group.