Rep. Earl Read

Maddy summaryHB 7568 allows cities or towns to waive interest on overdue property tax payments for commercial or residential properties, but only under strict conditions. To qualify, property owners must have owned the property for five years, made all tax payments on time for five years, submit a written request, and have the overdue bill issued within two years. The waiver covers interest only (not the tax amount itself), with a maximum reduction of $500 per request. Local governments must create ordinances to implement this, and decisions must be documented with a notice to the city council. The bill does not change tax rates or obligations but provides limited relief for late payments meeting specific criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 7507 requires judgment creditors to send written notice to property owners within 10 business days of recording a lien on real property. The notice must include the creditor's contact details, judgment amount, property description, and instructions for resolving or disputing the lien, sent by certified mail to the owner's last known address. Failure to provide this notice does not invalidate the lien but may delay enforcement deadlines until the notice is sent. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, and directly affects property owners who may face liens on their real estate.

Maddy summaryHB 7513 requires radon testing for most residential real estate transactions starting on June 1, 2027, to ensure buyers are informed about radioactive gas levels in homes. The law mandates that a certified professional conduct the test no earlier than one year before closing and share the results with both the buyer and seller. If the test shows unsafe radon levels, the seller must install a mitigation system before the sale is finalized, or the cost must be held in escrow until the work is done. Certain situations, such as foreclosures, sales of non-residential property, or homes with a recent mitigation system, are exempt from these testing requirements.

Amends the current law on low-income housing to include moderate-income housing and eliminates the income percentages used to determine qualifications for low or moderate income housing.

Makes it a felony for any person to remove or attempt to remove any firearm or other weapon or any communication device from any peace officer or investigator of the department of attorney general.

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.

Places limits on the number of self-service checkout stations a grocery store can have and on the workload of employees assigned to monitor those checkout stations.

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.

Prohibits health insurance companies or other payors from including in physician participation agreements any provisions that restrict or prevent a physician from charging patients reasonable administrative or operational fees to support overhead.