Requires the Rhode Island housing authority to verify and document the count of affordable housing stock in the town of Coventry two (2) times per year.
Sets timelines for Coventry's new construction, including one year for final approval, two (2) years for building permits, and temporary inclusion of units in the town's count until completion or three (3) years, whichever comes first.
Prohibits applications for a comprehensive permit under the Rhode Island comprehensive planning and land use regulation act in any watershed overlay protection district located in the town of Coventry.
Establishes the office of inspector general to investigate the management and operation of agencies in an effort to prevent and deter fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.
Maddy summaryThis bill designates May 2026 as Motorcycle Awareness Month in Rhode Island to promote road safety and educate the public about sharing the road with motorcyclists. The resolution highlights statistics on motorcycle accidents and encourages all drivers to avoid distracted driving and give motorcycles ample space. It does not change any laws or regulations but serves as a symbolic proclamation to raise awareness among motorists and riders.
Maddy summaryHB 7807 exempts meals served in licensed childcare centers from Rhode Island's sales and use taxes. This bill amends the state tax code to explicitly include licensed childcare centers alongside schools and educational institutions in the existing exemption for meals served to students or teachers. The change directly affects licensed childcare centers by removing a sales tax burden on meals provided to their enrolled children or staff. This policy update clarifies and expands current tax exemptions without altering tax rates or creating new administrative requirements.
Maddy summaryHB 7392 caps the maximum application fee for healthcare facilities seeking approval to build new or expand tertiary or specialty care services under Rhode Island's certificate of need program at $25,000. The fee is calculated as $10,000 plus 0.25% of the project's total capital costs, but the total cannot exceed $25,000 regardless of project size. This change affects facilities planning high-level care expansions, ensuring predictable costs without exceeding the cap. The bill does not alter fee structures for other healthcare facility applications, such as those for general services.
Maddy summaryHB 8149 specifies how fines collected from overweight vehicle violations are distributed to state and local governments. It does not change weight limits or enforcement rules but establishes a mechanism for allocating penalty payments. The key provision directs that these funds be distributed to state and local governments, affecting their budgets. This bill, introduced in February 2026, focuses solely on the financial handling of existing penalties.
Maddy summaryHB 7312 would increase Rhode Island's estate tax exemption to $15 million for estates of people who die on or after January 1, 2027. This means estates valued below $15 million would not owe state estate tax, directly affecting high-value estates (over $15 million) of decedents after 2026. The bill sets the new exemption threshold and requires annual inflation adjustments starting January 1, 2028, using the Consumer Price Index. It does not change tax rates but raises the point at which state estate tax applies.
Provides local agencies with a mechanism to opt-out of statewide transportation upon a showing of a cost-effective alternative to the current fee-for-service model.
