Rep. Rebecca Kislak

Maddy summaryHB 7917 requires all Rhode Island state agencies and state-funded organizations (like public authorities) to integrate the state’s December 2025 climate strategy report into their annual budgets, capital plans, and strategic documents starting in fiscal year 2027. It mandates that each budget or project submission include a specific emissions impact assessment (showing if it reduces, maintains, or increases emissions) and a certification signed by the agency head confirming compliance. Non-compliant submissions will be rejected by the Office of Management and Budget, and agencies must publicly post their assessments and certifications. This law directly affects how state funds are allocated, ensuring all major spending aligns with Rhode Island’s legally binding climate targets.

Prohibits the use of heating systems utilizing fossil fuels as well as air or water heating systems in any state or municipal building open to the public constructed, altered or renovated on or after January 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryHB 7069 amends Rhode Island's Energy Facility Siting Act to remove "clean coal technology" from the list of energy sources that receive priority consideration for new projects. This change directly affects energy developers and state regulators evaluating facility siting applications, as it eliminates a specific criterion favoring clean coal projects. The bill does not ban clean coal but removes it from the priority list that previously gave it favor over other energy sources like renewables or natural gas. Key provisions now require the siting board to prioritize projects based on criteria including renewable fuels, efficiency, and low emissions, without the clean coal designation. The policy change takes effect upon passage.

Limits the use by insurers of step therapy, a protocol that establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs for a specified medical condition are covered by an insurer, by allowing medical providers to request step therapy exceptions.

Maddy summaryHB 7950 regulates prescription drug price increases in Rhode Island by imposing a penalty on manufacturers who raise prices without new clinical evidence. It targets "identified drugs" with "unsupported price increases" as determined by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). Manufacturers face an 80% penalty on the revenue difference between actual sales and what they would have earned at the prior year's wholesale cost (adjusted for inflation), but only if their annual sales exceed $250,000 in the state. The penalty applies for two years after a drug appears on ICER's annual report of unsupported increases. This directly affects drug manufacturers selling in Rhode Island who implement such price hikes.

Provides for fair pharmacy reimbursement from a pharmacy benefit manager, and also provides anti-discrimination prohibitions in regard to non-affiliated pharmacies or pharmacists.

Requires a natural gas and electric utility company to read the meters of all ratepayers on a quarterly basis. The utility would be required to provide a formula, used to create estimated bills, to the PUC in order to send estimated bills.

Requires a nursing and assisted living facility to allow its residents to connect their electronic monitoring devices to its internet service without incurring any extra cost or charges.

Limits the facility's ability to charge rent and fees for a maximum of seven (7) days or until removal of the personal property from the room, whichever occurs first. A violation would constitute a deceptive trade practice.

Amends the constitution to guarantee Rhode Island residents with equal opportunity to receive an education that is adequate, equitable and meaningful and provides judicial enforcement of this provision.