Amends the certain provisions relative to school waste recycling and refuse disposal and requires reports of waste audits by educational entities and reports of program participation by vendors.
Maddy summaryHB 5493 establishes a mandatory energy benchmarking program for large buildings in Rhode Island. It requires owners of commercial and residential buildings over 25,000 square feet (with larger buildings starting in 2027 and smaller ones in 2029) to annually report energy use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions through the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. The collected data will be publicly posted to increase transparency about building energy performance. Exemptions apply for unoccupied properties, those undergoing demolition, or properties without energy services during the reporting year. The law focuses solely on data collection and reporting, not on requiring energy upgrades.
Prohibits any questioning of a juvenile who is suspected of delinquent or criminal behavior, unless the parent of guardian of the juvenile is present, or unless an attorney is present or the juvenile and their parents have waived their presence.
Forbids a motor vehicle liability insurance carrier from considering the zip code of where an insured lives for purposes of calculating their policy premium.
Provides that licensed independent clinical social workers be able to enroll and bill Medicaid directly for covered services provided to adults with Medicaid fee-for-service coverage.
Requires quarterly testing of biosolids for PFAS contaminants by those seeking to apply biosolids to lands, with subsequent reports to the department of environmental management.
Provides for the operation and duties of natural organic reduction for the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil. Disposition facilities would be used for either cremation or natural organic reduction.
Maddy summaryHB 5838 ensures schools provide appropriate support for English language learners (ELLs) and English as a second language (ESL) students during individualized education plan (IEP) processes. It requires evaluations to be conducted in a student’s primary language, mandates IEP teams to include experts in second-language acquisition, and prohibits school districts from pressuring families to decline language services. The bill also requires schools to use trained bilingual interpreters for parent communication and ensures IEPs address both language learning and disability needs. These changes directly affect ELL/ESL students, their families, and school districts in Rhode Island.
Prohibits a manufacturer from manufacturing, knowingly selling, offering for sale, distributing for sale or distributing for use in the state any firefighting personal protective equipment containing intentionally-added PFAS as of January 1, 2027.
Allows the Honorable Thomas J. Paolino to join Mariah Marie Paolino and Conner Joseph Gerlach in marriage on or about June 13, 2025, within the Town of Lincoln, Rhode Island.
