Rep. Greg Costantino

Maddy summaryHB 7699 eliminates Rhode Island's estate tax by repealing Chapter 44-22 of the General Laws, which previously imposed a progressive tax on inherited property. This affects heirs who would have paid taxes on estates valued above $25,000, removing a state-level tax on property transferred after a person's death. The bill removes all tax rates (ranging from 2% to 9% depending on estate size) and related deductions described in the repealed chapter. As a result, estates passing to heirs in Rhode Island will no longer be subject to this specific state tax.

Maddy summaryHB 7701 removes state-owned property from the list of assets exempt from local property taxes. This change directly affects state government buildings, offices, and land previously excluded from local tax assessments. The bill amends Section 44-3-3 of Rhode Island's tax code by deleting the exemption for "property belonging to the state" from the list of tax-exempt properties. As a result, state-owned properties will now be subject to local property tax payments, aligning them with other non-exempt properties in the community. This is a direct policy change to tax treatment, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Maddy summaryHB 7545 allows owners of dogs or cats (defined as "pets" kept in households) to seek financial compensation if their pet is intentionally or negligently injured or killed under specific conditions. It sets minimum damages at $500 for injury and $750 for death, with a maximum of $7,500 for noneconomic losses like emotional harm, but only if the incident occurred on the owner's property or during their supervision. The law excludes government entities or their employees acting in public welfare roles from liability under this provision. It does not cover veterinary costs or other economic damages, focusing solely on emotional loss.

Maddy summaryHB 7194 expands the definition of domestic violence to include animal cruelty committed by a family or household member against another household member. It specifically adds three offenses to the list: unnecessary cruelty to an animal (§ 4-1-3), malicious injury or killing of an animal (§ 4-1-5), and abandonment of an animal (§ 4-1-26). This change directly affects victims who share household animals with an abuser and allows courts to address animal cruelty as part of domestic violence cases. The bill amends the Domestic Violence Prevention Act to explicitly include these animal-related offenses under the same legal framework as other domestic violence crimes.

Allows social gaming in private residences and in public taverns or private clubs as long as the gambling is incidental to a bona fide social relationship between the participants and no person other than the participants receive anything of value.

Maddy summaryHB 7022 requires businesses to clearly inform customers when they charge a credit card surcharge or fee. Starting January 1, 2027, businesses must post conspicuous notices at the point of sale (or on restaurant menus) stating the surcharge amount or percentage. Failure to provide this notice would be considered an unfair or deceptive trade practice under existing law. The bill directly affects businesses that impose credit card payment fees, ensuring customers are aware of these costs before completing transactions.

Maddy summaryHB 5768 requires the DMV to provide pro-rata refunds for unused portions of vehicle registrations when owners voluntarily cancel their registration early. This directly affects vehicle owners who cancel registrations before expiration, such as those selling or retiring vehicles mid-cycle. The bill amends registration fee rules to allow refunds for unused time, calculated based on the remaining registration period. It does not change standard registration fees but adds a mechanism for credit when registrations are canceled voluntarily. The bill was passed by the legislature but vetoed by the governor on July 2, 2025.

Provides that when a registrant voluntarily cancels the registrant's motor vehicle registration, that person receives a credit for the time remaining on the original registration to be applied to a future registration.

Maddy summaryHB 6408 authorizes the town of Smithfield to establish a juvenile hearing board, bypassing local regulations, charters, or ordinances that might otherwise prevent this. The bill amends family court procedures to explicitly allow Smithfield to create such a board under specific statutory provisions. This directly affects Smithfield's local government by expanding its authority to handle juvenile cases through a dedicated board. The bill became effective without the governor's signature on July 1, 2025, following passage by both legislative chambers.

Authorizes the town of Smithfield to set rates that more closely relate to the changes in values and ensure that the tax classification system creates fair and equitable taxation between residential and commercial property.