Rep. Megan Cotter

Eliminates mandated housing densities/density bonuses for public drinking water supply watersheds/groundwater. Requires densities not exceed water availability, introduce pollution, stay within public water or sewer system capacity limits.

Maddy summaryHB 7671 amends Rhode Island's vehicle size, weight, and load regulations to update existing rules for commercial and specialized vehicles. It increases the maximum length for most vehicles from 40 feet to 45 feet, adds specific exemptions for natural gas vehicles (accounting for fuel system weight differences), and clarifies exemptions for articulated public transit buses, farm equipment, and emergency vehicles. The bill also updates penalty structures, including $200 per foot for overlength violations and $125 per 100 pounds overweight for axle or bridge weight limits. These changes directly affect commercial truck drivers, farmers transporting equipment, public transit operators, and emergency services. The amendments maintain existing safety standards while adjusting technical parameters for modern vehicle types.

Maddy summaryHB 7895 proposes the Safe School Technology Act of 2026, which would establish new regulations for technology use in schools. The bill directly affects school districts, educational institutions, and technology vendors by setting standards for implementing surveillance and monitoring systems in educational settings. Key provisions would likely include guidelines for data privacy, requirements for parental notification, and standards for how student information is collected and stored through school technology systems. This legislation aims to create a framework for balancing safety concerns with privacy rights in the digital school environment.

Bans preferential treatment to a public or private university applicant because of the student's familial relationship to a previous university attendee.

Expands council on elementary and secondary education and board of education and makes teacher of year and student advisory chair voting members on each.

Establishes a commission to promulgate rules, regulations and make recommendations to the governor as to petitions for pardons under Article IX, Section 13 of the Constitution of Rhode Island.

Maddy summaryHR 7340 is a non-binding House resolution urging Rhode Island insurers and the Rhode Island Property Insurance Association to pursue subrogation claims against fossil fuel polluters who knowingly misled the public about climate impacts. It directly affects homeowners by seeking to lower insurance costs through reimbursement from polluters, similar to past cases involving tobacco and opioids. The resolution does not create new laws but encourages insurers to use existing legal mechanisms to recover costs from polluters responsible for climate-related damages that drive up premiums. It was introduced to the House Corporations committee on January 28, 2026.

Makes changes to the access to public records act, including clarifying various provisions, increasing the sanctions for knowing and willful violations of the law, and making certain traffic accident data and preferred license plate information public.

Requires the state, and private insurers that cover prescription hormone therapy, to dispense twelve (12) months’ worth of the prescription as a single prescription.

Maddy summaryHB 7627 extends early intervention services under Rhode Island's Part C program for children with special health care needs whose third birthday falls between May 1 and August 31. This change prevents a service gap by allowing these children to remain in early intervention until September 1 after their third birthday, bridging to preschool services. The bill directly affects families of children with developmental disabilities born in this window, ensuring continuity of care without interruption. It aligns with federal law allowing states to extend such services and requires the state to implement this by January 2028, following a 2026 plan development phase.