Rep. George Nardone

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 6200) formally designates April 2025 as "National Child Abuse Prevention Month" in Rhode Island. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but serves as a symbolic proclamation urging Rhode Island residents, organizations, and government entities to recognize the month and support child abuse prevention efforts. The resolution emphasizes community collaboration, economic supports for families, and primary prevention strategies to address childhood trauma. It directly affects Rhode Island citizens and local child welfare stakeholders by encouraging awareness and partnership-building during April 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 6199 is a symbolic resolution designating April 2025 as "Child Sexual Assault Awareness Month" in Rhode Island. It urges all residents to support prevention through education and advocacy, but does not create new laws, funding, or requirements. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to share certified copies with the Department of Children, Youth & Families and the Children's Advocacy Center. This is a commemorative measure focused on raising awareness, not implementing policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 5589 prohibits individuals under age 16 from using rideshare services (like Uber or Lyft) alone. The bill requires law enforcement to remove underage riders from vehicles and hold them until a parent or guardian can take custody, with no fines or records kept for violations. It applies to all online ride-hailing platforms and takes effect upon passage. This policy directly affects minors under 16 traveling without an adult in rideshare vehicles.

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.

Expands the duties of the small business ombudsman, by also having the ombudsman serve as the Rhode Island commerce corporation's small business advocate.

Defines multi-family housing project as over 60 units in municipality with less than 35k residents, also provides for pre-approval conference with local board for review of plan.

Specifies that low and moderate income housing exists when a city or town has adopted an inclusionary zoning ordinance requiring that all housing developments include at least fifty percent (50%) low or moderate income housing units.

Maddy summaryHB 5690 would repeal Chapter 45-53 of Rhode Island's General Laws, titled "Low and Moderate Income Housing." This repeal would eliminate the existing legal framework requiring cities and towns to plan for and provide affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents. The law previously mandated municipalities to adopt housing plans meeting specific affordability targets and included detailed definitions for terms like "affordable housing" and "local review board." This bill directly affects all Rhode Island cities and towns that previously operated under this housing chapter.

Provides that water utility companies be responsible for all costs associated with maintenance, operation and delivery of water pumping stations to individual parcels of land and schools with no pumping stations on the property.

Maddy summaryHB 5583 restricts utility-scale solar projects (10 MW or larger) to locations on developed urban land, commercial properties, rooftops, or parking lots - banning development on forested land, farmland, or rural areas over one acre. It directly affects solar developers and landowners seeking to build large solar installations on undeveloped rural properties. The bill amends zoning laws to require that such projects serve existing developed areas rather than open rural landscapes. The law would take effect immediately upon passage.