Rep. Greg Costantino

Maddy summaryHB 7435 creates a new legal framework to regulate pet insurance policies sold to residents of the state. The bill requires insurers to clearly define key terms like preexisting conditions and chronic illnesses within their policies and make these definitions easily accessible online. It mandates that companies disclose specific details about coverage limits, exclusions, and how premiums or benefits might change based on a pet's history or age. Additionally, the law grants consumers a fifteen-day "free look" period to review and return a policy for a full refund if they are not satisfied, provided no claims have been filed. This legislation applies to any pet insurance offered or delivered in the state, superseding general insurance laws with these specific consumer protections.

Maddy summaryHB 7111 authorizes the town of Johnston to offer a tax credit to residents aged 65 or older. This provision allows the town council to create an ordinance that reduces property taxes for eligible homeowners, with the specific credit amount and rules to be set locally. The bill applies only to real estate owned and occupied by qualifying residents and is designed to be applied uniformly without considering individual ability to pay. By amending state law, the measure gives Johnston the same flexibility as other municipalities like Bristol and Cranston to provide targeted financial relief to senior citizens.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase the standard funeral and burial allowance provided by the state Department of Human Services from $900 to $1,500. It directly affects deceased residents of the state whose families or legally liable relatives are eligible for public assistance benefits. The legislation amends existing laws to raise the maximum amount the department can pay for reasonable funeral and burial expenses while maintaining current rules regarding income exclusions and contributions from friends or relatives. Additionally, the bill clarifies procedures for handling unclaimed bodies and authorizes the director to arrange burials even if the deceased's assets technically disqualify them from the standard payment.

Requires that present and former employees, active and retired members, and beneficiaries receiving any retirement, disability or death allowance receive a $2,000 increase per year.

Allows any peace officer working in a Rhode Island school as a full or part-time resource officer to work in excess of the seventy-five (75) working days in a calendar year, and not have an interruption in their benefits.

Provides a 3% pension increase and annual COLAs.

Permits Smithfield to enact ordinances that would allow the animal control officer to issue citations which could be paid my mail and to prescribe penalties for violations of the town's ordinances regulating dogs.

Reduces the corporate minimum tax to three hundred fifty dollars ($350).

Repeals the corporation minimum tax.

Prohibits driver privilege cards and state identification cards from containing any bar codes on the card that can be scanned and used for voting purposes.