Rep. Marie Hopkins

Exempts homes under two thousand (2,000) square feet from automatic statewide IECC energy mandates, allowing municipalities to decide whether to adopt climate-focused building code requirements for small and modest homes.

Maddy summaryHB 7531 repeals Rhode Island's 2021 Act on Climate in its entirety, removing the state's legally established greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and associated requirements. This bill directly affects state agencies, the Climate Change Council (created under the repealed law), and all entities subject to the prior climate regulations. The repeal eliminates mandatory targets like 45% below 1990 emissions by 2030 and 80% by 2040, along with the Council's duties to develop plans, coordinate climate efforts, and address environmental justice. The law was introduced in the 2026 legislative session and would remove all provisions of the original 2021 climate law.

Requires agencies preparing economic impact statements for small businesses contain findings that the anticipated compliance costs of a proposed rule scale proportionally with the business size, and do not impose fixed costs that favor larger businesses.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a state-level resolution that commemorates Medal of Honor Day on March 25, 2026, in Rhode Island. It recognizes the state's thirty-five citizens who have received the nation's highest military decoration for acts of extraordinary bravery. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send certified copies to the Governor, Director of Veterans Services, and Adjutant General. This is a ceremonial measure that honors military heroes rather than establishing new laws or policies.

Mandates health insurance coverage by eliminating out-of-pocket costs for lung cancer screenings in order to enable patients to get the critical care they need without delay.

Allows the office of health insurance commissioner (OHIC) as the state agency that has the authority to designate patient-centered medical home (PCMH) care to obtain maximal health outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 7550 criminalizes intentionally obstructing traffic on federal or state highways through loitering (e.g., standing, sitting, or kneeling) in ways that could delay vehicles. It creates a new felony offense with mandatory minimum sentences: 1-3 years for a first offense (with 60 days non-suspendable), 3-5 years for a second, and 5-10 years for a third. If death occurs due to obstruction delaying an emergency vehicle, penalties increase to 5-30 years (with 5 years non-suspendable). This law directly affects individuals who block highways, such as protesters or others loitering in traffic lanes.

Requires insurers to pay electronic claims for healthcare coverage within 14 calendar days of receipt. Permits healthcare providers to dispute claim denials within 60 days and empowers the secretary of EOHHS to establish penalties for violations.

Allows nonprofit organizations to participate in permitted games of chance upon registering with the state police on an annual basis. The nonprofit would be exempt from any required background checks by local law enforcement.

Makes it a felony for any person required to register as a sex offender to live within three hundred feet (300’) of a school as defined in § 11-37.1-2.