Rep. Julie Casimiro

Maddy summaryHB 7020 establishes the Transparency in Arts Education Access and Proficiency Act to increase reporting on arts education at Rhode Island's public middle and high schools. Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, schools must include data on student enrollment percentages and the number of available courses in dance, music, theater, and visual arts on their annual report cards. The bill also allows the state education department to hire arts curriculum coordinators to assist schools with these requirements and mandates that high schools start submitting student portfolios demonstrating arts proficiency by the 2026-27 school year.

Requires an electric distribution company to develop and act pursuant to a vegetation management plan approved by the DPUC to carry out vegetation management activities on and around utility infrastructure along public and private rights of way.

Maddy summaryHB 7291 establishes the Rhode Island Early Care and Education Workforce Data Act to create a statewide registry for staff working in licensed child care and early learning programs. This system is designed to collect and maintain data on educator demographics, qualifications, and annual turnover rates while also connecting workers with professional development opportunities. The bill requires the Department of Human Services to implement this registry by July 1, 2025, and to publish annual reports on workforce characteristics starting in January 2026. By codifying a previously funded initiative into state law, the measure ensures consistency in data collection to support policy decisions and strategic investments in the early education sector.

Requires the chief resilience officer (CRO) be charged with creation/maintenance/updating of the state's resiliency/recovery program along with climate change resiliency plan with ocean/riverine coasts resilience advisory board.

Allows for the licensing of certified surgical first assistants to assist in surgeries through the department of health and a seven (7) member board of licensure.

Authorizes town of North Kingstown to issue not more than $137,200,000 bonds and notes for construction, improvement, renovation, demolition, remediation, furnishing and equipping and other capital improvements of school facilities throughout the town.

Enables cities and towns to enact enabling legislation authorizing a partner program to assist students with an IEP for specially designed physical education classes.

Makes several amendments relative to manufactured homes, including adding a definition for manufactured home and a provision allowing for certain manufactured homes to be considered a single-family home if on a lot zone for such use.

Mandates, as of 1/1/27, all recovery housing facilities register with department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals adhere to the National Alliance for Recovery Residences process.

Makes care recipients eligible for temporary caregiver benefits and increase the maximum temporary caregiver benefit weeks from six (6) to eight (8) weeks over of period of two years.