Rep. Justine Caldwell

Maddy summaryHB 5504 amends Rhode Island's Fair Housing Practices Act to explicitly protect tenants with disabilities who request to keep emotional support animals in their housing. The bill adds emotional support animals to the list of accommodations that landlords cannot deny based on disability. This change clarifies that landlords must allow such requests as a reasonable accommodation under the state law, directly affecting tenants with disabilities seeking housing. The amendment updates existing protections to specifically include emotional support animals, reinforcing that discrimination based on disability - such as refusing housing for this accommodation - is prohibited.

Maddy summaryHB 5616 prohibits public health advertisements and regulations from stating or implying that there is a safe way to use illegal drugs. The bill directly affects state health departments and public health campaigns by requiring all official health communications to avoid this specific claim. It adds a new policy section to the Department of Health chapter, making it state policy that such statements cannot appear in any public health materials. The bill was introduced in February 2025 and is currently pending further study after committee review.

Amends the definition of the ”practice of pharmacy” to include the administration of immunizations vaccines for persons three years of age and older.

Requires a person selling real property to provide disclosures as it relates to flooding on the property which occurred either through natural events or mechanical failures.

Maddy summaryHB 5331 removes an existing exemption that allowed lenders to operate without a license if they originated fewer than six loans in a year. This change directly affects small lenders or loan brokers who previously did not need a license for low-volume lending activity. The key provision requires these lenders to obtain a license under Rhode Island’s financial regulations, aligning their requirements with other lenders. The bill does not create new licensing standards but eliminates the exemption for the specified low-volume activity. This change applies to all lenders meeting the threshold, regardless of loan purpose or amount.

Maddy summaryHB 5937 adopts the Uniform Partition of Heirs' Property Act to establish clear court procedures for dividing property owned by multiple family members (called "heirs' property"). It directly affects individuals holding real estate in tenancy in common where at least 20% of interests are held by relatives or acquired through family lines. Key provisions require courts to determine property value through appraisal (or agreed valuation), offer cotenants the chance to buy out others who want to sell, and allow partition by sale or in kind. The law applies to partition cases filed after January 1, 2026, and supplements existing property law for these specific cases.

Maddy summaryHB 5646 adds individuals aged 70 or older to the list of people eligible to request exemption from jury service in Rhode Island. It directly affects residents of Rhode Island who are 70 years or older and receive a jury summons. The bill amends existing law to allow these individuals to formally decline jury duty by claiming the exemption, rather than being automatically exempt. This change applies to all Rhode Island courts and civil procedures involving jury selection.

Requires developer who proposes to develop a project shall submit a comprehensive assessment of the project to each municipality where the project shall be physically located.

Caps the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription inhaler, prescription device, or prescription equipment to twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per thirty (30) day supply.

Allows on and after September 1, 2025, an owner of motor vehicle(s) to transfer ownership and registration of said vehicle on their death, by a certificate of title designation and requires DMV to amend title forms, to include transfer-on-death language.