Rep. Evan Shanley

Maddy summaryHB 7725 requires commercial carriers operating vehicles in intrastate commerce (those meeting specific weight or passenger thresholds) to permanently display a U.S. DOT number on their vehicles by April 1, 2027. This applies to most commercial vehicles but exempts state/municipal vehicles, transit buses, school buses, and driving school vehicles. The law mandates compliance with federal DOT marking standards (49 CFR 390.21T) and includes fines for non-compliance. It aims to standardize safety enforcement by ensuring vehicles can be reliably identified during inspections.

Maddy summaryHB 7841 requires veterinarians to discuss treatment options with pet owners when prescribing and dispensing drugs for an animal's annual veterinary care. This applies specifically to routine prescriptions during standard annual check-ups, not one-time treatments. The bill directly affects veterinarians who dispense medications and the pet owners receiving those prescriptions. It creates a new requirement for veterinarians to provide this consultation as part of the prescription process, aiming to improve communication about medication use. (Note: The bill is currently under review by the House Corporations committee as of March 2026.)

Maddy summaryHB 7418 would establish medical and dental schools at the University of Rhode Island, authorizing the conferral of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degrees. The bill requires the schools to seek accreditation from medical (LCME) and dental (CODA) bodies and mandates clinical training partnerships with hospitals and health centers. It also allows the university to retain revenue from faculty practice plans to support educational, clinical, and research activities. The legislation directly affects Rhode Island residents by aiming to expand healthcare workforce capacity and improve access to care, particularly for underserved communities.

Imposes a tax equal to four percent (4%) on net investment income, such as interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, capital gains and rental income, of high-income households, estates and trusts, based upon federal guidelines.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution honoring former Warwick City Councilwoman Helen Stasia Taylor, who passed away. The resolution expresses the House's condolences to her family and recognizes her legacy as a public servant, entrepreneur (owner of businesses like Pizza Villa and Lily’s + Lace), and community advocate. It directs the Secretary of State to send certified copies of the resolution to her children, Sheri Conley and Kelly Taylor. As a commemorative measure with no policy changes, it does not affect legislation or create new obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 7750 would allow plaintiffs in civil lawsuits to seek punitive damages when defendants acted with "willful or wanton conduct" or showed "reckless disregard" for health, safety, or welfare. This applies to cases like wrongful death claims (under Title 10, Chapter 7) and requires evidence proving the defendant knew or should have known their actions were dangerous. The bill defines "willful or wanton conduct" as heedless, reckless behavior ignoring consequences or others' safety. It directly affects plaintiffs pursuing civil claims against parties whose actions caused foreseeable harm through intentional or grossly negligent behavior. The law would take effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryHB 7749 repeals the collateral source rule in medical malpractice cases, meaning defendants would no longer be allowed to introduce evidence of insurance or workers' compensation benefits the plaintiff received to reduce the damage award. This directly affects plaintiffs and defendants in medical malpractice lawsuits, as it would prevent courts from lowering awarded damages based on payments already received by the plaintiff from third parties (like health insurance or disability programs). The bill removes the current mechanism where defendants could show such benefits to reduce damages, and plaintiffs could counter with their own contributions to secure those benefits. If enacted, plaintiffs would receive full damage awards without deductions for pre-existing insurance benefits, while defendants could not offset payments through collateral sources.

Changes the definition of owner to exclude the state and municipalities for the purposes of liability limitations relating to public use of private lands.

Provides that a certificate be provided for every contract for the purchase and sale of real estate certifying that the property has a functioning on-site wastewater treatment system or a sewer connection and not a cesspool.

Maddy summaryHB 7422, the Rhode Island Clean Air Preservation Act, bans specific atmospheric experiments including solar radiation modification (SRM), cloud seeding, and other weather engineering activities that release pollutants like PFAS ("forever chemicals"). The bill prohibits entities - such as government agencies, corporations, or research organizations - from conducting these experiments, citing risks of harmful pollutants, drought, and increased wildfire hazards. Key provisions define "atmospheric activity" broadly to cover AI-driven or machine-learning systems involved in such experiments, and list banned methods like stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening. The law directly affects any organization conducting atmospheric interventions in Rhode Island, requiring compliance with the new prohibition.