Expands the Rhode Island rehabilitation and fire code to include existing one, two, and three-bedroom homes, removing their current exclusion and promoting the continued use and reuse of existing residential buildings.
Mandates all health insurance contracts, plans, or policies provide the same reimbursement to independent healthcare facilities as that of hospital affiliated facilities where the same healthcare service is provided.
Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that commemorates the Feast of Saint Joseph, a religious celebration observed by Italian-Americans and others on March 19th. The resolution acknowledges Saint Joseph's role as a family patriarch and highlights his significance to Italian culture and history, particularly in Rhode Island. It directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the resolution to the Italian American Historical Society of Rhode Island. The measure does not create new laws or policies but serves to recognize and honor the cultural and religious traditions associated with this feast day.
Requires that any costs, tariffs or other mandates related to the state’s renewable energy growth program be reviewed and approved by the general assembly.
Maddy summaryHB 7176 repeals Rhode Island's Renewable Energy Growth Program, which had provided state-financed incentives for renewable energy projects. The program, established to meet climate goals, supported distributed solar and other renewable projects through performance-based incentives over five years, with requirements to protect core forests and prioritize disturbed sites. By eliminating this program, the bill ends the state's specific mechanism for financing and encouraging renewable energy development within electric distribution company load zones. This directly affects electric distribution companies, the Distributed-Generation Board, and future renewable energy developers who would have relied on the program's funding structure.
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.
Maddy summaryHB 7177 places a moratorium on new or renewed net metering contracts (which allow solar power customers to sell excess electricity back to the grid), long-term contracts (over five years) for purchasing solar or wind energy, and state subsidies for heat pump installations. This bill directly affects residential solar customers, utilities, and homeowners seeking heat pump incentives by prohibiting these programs starting January 1, 2027. Key provisions ban state-funded heat pump subsidies, prevent new solar/wind energy procurement contracts exceeding five years, and halt all new net metering agreements under state law. The law suspends these specific energy programs without altering broader renewable energy policies.
Maddy summaryHB 7174 repeals a 0.3 mills per kilowatt-hour charge on electricity that funded renewable energy programs in Rhode Island, ending this specific funding mechanism effective December 31, 2028. The bill directly affects electric distribution companies, which previously collected this fee to support renewable energy initiatives like solar installations and energy efficiency projects. This change removes a dedicated funding source for renewable energy programs without altering separate demand-side management charges for energy efficiency or gas utility programs. The repeal simplifies utility billing by eliminating this specific renewable energy funding stream.
Maddy summaryThis constitutional amendment would grant governors the power to veto specific spending items within state budget and appropriation bills, rather than requiring them to approve or reject entire bills. If approved, it would allow governors to remove individual line items from budget proposals without blocking the entire funding package. The change directly affects the state budget process and the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches during budget negotiations.
Requires effective January 1, 2027, that upon the execution of a lease agreement for a mobile and manufactured homes in a mobile and manufactured home park, a complete copy of the lease be provided to the tenant within 10 days of execution.
