Rep. Megan Cotter

Maddy summaryHB 8181 exempts waste management collection vehicles operating at Rhode Island's central landfill from tolls charged by the R.I. Turnpike and Bridge Authority. This directly affects waste management companies that transport trash to the central landfill, removing a toll cost for their vehicles. The bill creates a specific exemption for these vehicles on turnpike and bridge tolls, streamlining their operations. It does not change general toll policies for other vehicles or alter the authority's toll collection system. The bill is currently in the House Finance Committee following its introduction on February 27, 2026.

Adds to those persons exempt from payment of parking fees at any recreational facility owned and operated by the state those individuals determined by the executive office of HHS, or its designee, to be disabled for purposes of Medicaid eligibility.

Directs the general assembly to fund ten full time equivalent positions in FY 2027 to support DEM's efforts in the areas of forestry and forestry projects.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution congratulates students and instructors from the Warwick Area and Chariho Career and Technical Centers for winning the 2026 Rhode Island ProStart High School Competition. The bill formally recognizes their achievements in culinary arts, foodservice management, and hospitality tourism categories and authorizes the Secretary of State to send certified copies of the resolution to the winning schools. It does not change any laws or policies but serves as an official acknowledgment of the teams' success in the state competition.

Maddy summaryHB 7937 prohibits hospitals and health systems from charging facility fees for healthcare services provided off-campus (outside the defined campus area or via telemedicine). It requires all off-campus locations to use unique identification numbers (NPIs) starting January 1, 2027, to ensure claims accurately reflect where services were delivered. The bill mandates that providers submit separate professional fee claims (using forms like CMS-1500) instead of institutional claims for off-site care, with reimbursement limited to professional fees only. This directly affects hospitals, health systems, and patients receiving care at off-campus locations like urgent care centers or telehealth services.

Removes the requirement that 5% of the hotel tax generated from regional tourism districts be paid to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, and adds that 5% of the hotel tax to the existing tax paid to the RI commerce corporation.

Maddy summaryHB 7505 ends Rhode Island's Jobs Development Act tax incentive program by July 1, 2026. It stops all new rate reductions for companies after June 30, 2026, and requires existing beneficiaries who qualified before July 1, 2015, to maintain their current tax rate until the program's end date. The bill does not affect companies that already secured benefits before the 2015 cutoff date, but no new companies can qualify for the tax rate reductions after 2026. This is a straightforward sunset provision for the state's job creation tax incentive program.

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.

Provides protections to children using online platforms by requiring platforms to turn off open chats by default for young users, and requires parent to approve children's financial transactions on gaming and social media sites.

Maddy summaryHB 8153 requires the state to reimburse Exeter Fire and Rescue for 75% of the costs incurred during fire calls made to state property. This bill directly affects Exeter Fire and Rescue by covering a portion of their expenses for emergency responses on state-owned land. The key provision establishes a fixed 75% reimbursement rate for all such calls, shifting a portion of the financial burden from the fire department to the state. The policy change specifically targets costs associated with state property responses, not general firefighting operations.