Rep. Tina Spears

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Rhode Island Housing Resources Act to officially include mobile and manufactured homes as a form of affordable housing under specific conditions. To qualify, these homes must serve as a primary residence, be located on land owned by the resident or a community they own, have been built after June 15, 1976, and meet federal safety standards. The legislation also updates the state's definition of affordable housing to ensure it covers various types of year-round living arrangements, including those accepting rental vouchers. By making this change, the law expands the scope of housing inventory that local communities can count toward their affordable housing goals.

Provides that effective July 1, 2025, any attorney who self-certifies that they have successfully completed a specialized domestic violence prosecution training course shall have the authority to prosecute any violation of a protective order.

Adopts a counseling compact for the interstate practice of licensed professional counselors by providing for the mutual recognition of other member state licenses governed and administrated by commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests HealthSource RI to form a working group that studies how to make health insurance more affordable for Rhode Islanders in the individual market. The group will examine options to lower monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs, particularly as federal financial support is set to expire in 2025. Members of the working group will include government officials, insurance companies, healthcare providers, and consumer advocates. The group must submit its recommendations and proposed funding sources to state leaders by January 31, 2025.

Allows law enforcement to utilize mufflers, silencers, or other devices for deadening or muffling the sound of a firearm while acting within the scope of their official duties under the supervision of the police chief or colonel of the state police.

Provides amendments to the membership provisions of planning boards or commissions and would enable municipalities to establish "combined review boards" to replace separate planning and zoning boards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires every town and city in the state to switch to electronic permitting for all development applications related to zoning, land subdivision, and low-income housing by October 1, 2025. To fund the necessary digital systems and staff, the law mandates that applicants pay an additional fee equal to one-tenth of one percent of their total application cost, which goes to a state office to build a uniform online platform. The legislation also allows the state building commissioner to create specific rules for how these digital tools must be implemented and ensures that local governments can be reimbursed for their compliance costs. Ultimately, the act moves the entire process of submitting plans, reviewing documents, and calculating fees online to streamline how communities handle construction and development projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the state's minimum wage law to include workers employed in domestic service or within private homes, who were previously excluded from these protections. By amending the legal definition of "employee," the legislation ensures that individuals working in these settings are now covered by the same wage standards as other workers. Once signed into law, the change directly affects private employers and domestic workers by bringing them under the jurisdiction of existing minimum wage regulations.

Extends injured-on-duty (IOD) benefits to police officers and firefighters that suffer from diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorders, except under certain conditions.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Chariho Regional School District to issue up to $15 million in bonds to fund improvements and equipment replacements at its Switch Road Campus. The funds can be used for various projects including roofing, playgrounds, landscaping, paving, and necessary health and safety upgrades. The legislation includes specific financial conditions, such as requiring state housing aid to cover at least 61% of the costs, and outlines how the district can manage temporary financing and bond repayment.