Requires that any covered entity that develops/provides online services, products, or features that children are reasonably likely to access shall consider the best interest of children when designing/developing such online service, product, or feature.
Affords an option for police and firefighters to receive retirement allowances, without reduction, who seek retirement after twenty (20) years of service upon reaching age fifty-seven (57).
Creates process for individual to voluntarily be either temporarily or indefinitely added to a list restricting their rights to purchase or possess firearms.
Precludes a person who pled nolo contendere or convicted of a misdemeanor offense and sentenced in accordance with the hate crime sentencing enhancement act for such misdemeanor, from purchasing, owning, carrying, transporting or having possession firearm
Maddy summaryHB 5651 allows state agencies to access juvenile criminal records for firearm background checks until the individual turns 21. This affects people who were juveniles (under 18) at the time of an offense and are now under 21 when seeking to purchase a firearm. The bill amends existing law to create a specific exception to the usual sealing of juvenile records, permitting their use in National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) checks for firearms. It maintains standard confidentiality protections for juvenile records in all other contexts, including public access and other legal proceedings.
Maddy summaryHB 5890 prohibits anyone under 18 from possessing a firearm in Rhode Island, except in specific supervised situations. It allows minors to use firearms only at approved camps or ranges with a parent, guardian, or "qualified adult" (21+ with legal firearm rights), during supervised hunting, ROTC, competitive shooting, or firearms education programs. The bill also permits minors to carry unloaded firearms in a case to/from these approved locations when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or qualified adult. These provisions take effect upon passage and directly affect minors under 18 seeking to possess or transport firearms.
Maddy summaryHB 5275 would implement ranked choice voting (RCV) in primary elections for state representative and state senator when three or more candidates run. Voters would rank candidates in order of preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) instead of choosing just one candidate. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated in rounds, with their votes transferred to the next-ranked candidate on each ballot until one candidate achieves a majority. This change applies only to general assembly primary elections, not general elections, and takes effect January 1, 2026.
Makes it unnecessary to prove that a person’s transmission of electronic communications be for the sole purpose of harassment before being found guilty of cyberstalking or cyberharrassment.
Requires the state building commissioner to implement electronic permitting for any category of state or local permit authorized under state law to significantly impact the expediency of construction and development.
Maddy summaryHB 5813 prevents utility companies (like electricity and gas providers) from raising transmission and distribution fees on consumer bills for two years, starting July 1, 2025. This freeze applies to all utilities with 7,500 or more accounts, requiring legislative approval for any fee increase during this period. Smaller utilities (under 7,500 accounts) are exempt from this cap. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage and directly affects residential and business consumers paying utility bills.
