Rep. Dick Fascia

Maddy summaryHB 5583 restricts utility-scale solar projects (10 MW or larger) to locations on developed urban land, commercial properties, rooftops, or parking lots - banning development on forested land, farmland, or rural areas over one acre. It directly affects solar developers and landowners seeking to build large solar installations on undeveloped rural properties. The bill amends zoning laws to require that such projects serve existing developed areas rather than open rural landscapes. The law would take effect immediately upon passage.

Requires the public utilities commission to produce a report each January containing an analysis of the electric grid and its ability to supply the electricity needs to power cars, buildings and heat homes within the state.

Requires a municipality or quasi-public agency to file a report with the department of municipal finance if it has not made its payment to its other post-employment benefits trust fund or if it is less than thirty-five percent (35%) funded.

Maddy summaryHB 5702 increases the maximum number of days retired municipal employees can work in a calendar year without losing pension benefits from 75 to 90 days. This change directly affects retired city or town employees who return to part-time work for their former employers. The bill allows them to earn income while keeping their pension intact for up to 90 days annually, with pension payments resuming if they exceed this limit. Exceptions include police officers working private details for non-government entities and retired employees serving as elected council or school committee members, who retain full pension benefits regardless of service time.

Expands firearm rights to recognize out of state carry permits, authorizes weapons carried during emergency evacuation and establishes an appeal process for permit denied.

Maddy summaryHB 5708 automatically registers Rhode Islanders to vote when they apply for or renew a hunting or fishing license, offering the option to register or update their voting address at the same time. The Department of Environmental Management must provide voter registration forms alongside license applications, with applicants able to decline registration (which remains confidential). Completed forms are transmitted electronically to the state voter system within one business day, and the bill includes privacy protections for those who opt out. This expands automatic voter registration to license applications, mirroring existing procedures for driver's license renewals.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment granting the governor a line-item veto specifically on state budget and appropriation bills. If passed, the governor could reject individual budget items (like specific funding amounts or program conditions) while approving the rest of the bill, rather than vetoing the entire budget. The legislature would then need to separately reconsider each rejected item with a three-fifths vote to override. This change would shift budget approval power between the governor and legislature, directly affecting how state spending bills are processed. The amendment requires voter approval at the next statewide election before taking effect.

Repeals authorizing Rhode Island to join an interstate compact, which would allow Presidents and Vice Presidents to be elected by a national popular vote rather than the electoral college.

Maddy summaryHB 5673 creates a certification program at municipal police academies to recognize candidates who have worked full-time as sworn law enforcement officers for at least one year. To qualify, candidates must have training comparable to state standards and no more than an eight-year gap since their last sworn law enforcement position. The program allows municipal academies to certify these candidates without requiring full retraining. This directly affects municipal police departments and officers seeking certification through their local academy. The bill establishes clear criteria for eligibility but does not change existing hiring or training requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5681 allows Rhode Island's personnel administrator to waive competitive testing for temporary or emergency state jobs, directly affecting hiring for these roles. It requires the state to provide exam study materials to all test takers and make competitive exams available in Spanish and Portuguese. The bill also mandates streamlining the processing of personnel action requests to reduce delays. These changes apply to state government hiring under the merit system and take effect upon passage.