Rep. Evan Shanley

Creates a taskforce to provide recommendations, advice and guidance to help expedite and provide technical assistance with regard to the development of solar energy systems on property owned by the state.

Requires small employers with one to fifty (1-50) employees and large employers with fifty (50) or more employees to pay overtime wages to exempt workers if their salary exceeds varying multipliers of minimum wage for a forty (40) hour workweek.

Increases the minimum hourly wage commencing January 1, 2029, by an amount equal to the total percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Northeast Region for the calendar year 2027.

Makes construction contractors civilly liable and/or jointly civilly liable for any claims of wage theft or nonpayment from an employee against the contractor, its subcontractors and any subcontractor.

Maddy summaryHB 8113 (2026) requires residential landlords to pay interest on security deposits held for tenants. This directly affects landlords who collect security deposits and tenants who provide them. The key provision mandates that landlords pay interest on these deposits, likely calculated at a specified rate, though the exact rate isn't detailed in the abstract. The bill is currently in the introduction stage (referred to House Judiciary on 02/27/2026) and has not yet been voted on or enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates March 18, 2026, as Transit Employee Appreciation Day in Rhode Island to recognize the work of public transportation workers. It directly affects employees of the Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority (RIPTA), who operate bus routes and paratransit services across the state. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy to RIPTA's CEO, Christopher Durand, as a formal acknowledgment of the workforce. The legislation serves as a commemorative measure rather than establishing new operational requirements or funding.

Maddy summaryThis House resolution commemorates the 250th anniversary of Irish American contributions to the American Revolutionary War and the founding of the United States. It specifically honors General John Sullivan, eight Irish American signatories of the Declaration of Independence, and other Irish Americans who played significant roles in the conflict. The resolution authorizes the Secretary of State to send a certified copy to the Chair of the Senate of Ireland, fostering diplomatic recognition of this shared historical heritage.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House resolution expressing condolences for the passing of James M. Donelan, a former Rhode Island State Senator and attorney from Warwick. It formally acknowledges his public service career, including his 14 years in the state Senate where he sponsored the Good Driving Statute, and honors his personal life and family. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send certified copies to Donelan's family, serving as an official gesture of respect rather than a policy change.

Prohibits unauthorized placement of merchants on advertising platform order interfaces, and would prohibit third-party restaurant reservation services.

Maddy summaryHB 7943 prohibits health insurers from requiring preauthorization for in-network mental health or substance use disorder services, directly affecting insured patients seeking these treatments within their plan's network. The bill mandates that coverage for mental health and substance use disorders must meet the same terms as medical care, eliminating annual/lifetime dollar limits and ensuring cost-sharing parity with primary care visits. Key provisions include banning non-quantitative treatment restrictions that are stricter than those for medical conditions and requiring insurers to use American Society of Addiction Medicine criteria for substance use disorder coverage. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and applies specifically to in-network services as defined in the bill.