Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross-Smith

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House resolution that formally honors and congratulates R.J. Heim on his retirement from WJAR-TV NBC 10 in Providence. It recognizes his decades of service as a meteorologist and reporter, highlighting his Emmy awards and coverage of significant local events. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the document to Mr. Heim as an official acknowledgment of his contributions to Rhode Island journalism.

Maddy summaryThis bill formally recognizes April 2026 as "Out-of-School Time Month" in Rhode Island to honor the value of after-school and summer programs for children. The resolution aims to raise awareness about how these programs support youth development, mental health, and academic success while acknowledging the hard work of the professionals who run them. It does not change laws or allocate funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to celebrate the importance of these services for the state's youth. The Secretary of State is instructed to send copies of the resolution to the Rhode Island Afterschool Network and the National Afterschool Association.

Maddy summaryHB 7503 establishes a scholarship program to address Rhode Island's primary care provider shortage by offering financial support to medical students, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The program provides up to $70,000 annually for medical students (over four years) and $47,000 annually for nurse practitioners/physician assistants (over two years), contingent on recipients signing contracts to work in Rhode Island primary care after graduation. Scholarships are administered by the commissioner of postsecondary education in coordination with the Department of Health, targeting applicants with strong academic records and a commitment to serve Rhode Island's population. Recipients must maintain academic standing and fulfill their service obligation in the state to receive funding.

Appropriates two million seven hundred thousand dollars ($2,700,000) to fund the primary care training sites program to provide training for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants within the department of health.

Provides that services provided by graduate student interns who work under a supervisory protocol would be eligible to be paid from Medicaid reimbursement.

Provides that adjunct faculty members at any state college or university who teach at least 50% of the hours regularly worked by full-time faculty in a semester would be eligible for the same medical benefits as other state employees.

Creates the Rhode Island Student Loan repayment program which would allow eligible individuals who have unpaid student loans, provided said individuals meet specified criteria.

Funds the state crime victim compensation program through an additional one dollar ($1.00) fine on traffic violations, exclusive of violations related to the parking of vehicles.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes a $200,000 funding allocation to the Housing Network of Rhode Island, a nonprofit organization that supports housing developers across the state. It directly provides financial resources to help the Housing Network carry out its work assisting nonprofit housing developers in Rhode Island. The resolution is a straightforward budgetary action, not a policy change, and would be used to support the organization's existing programs. It was introduced to the House Finance committee on February 27, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 7244 requires the state to pay 50% of relocation costs for private utility companies (like electricity or gas providers) when highway projects necessitate moving their facilities. For public entities (such as cities, counties, or state agencies), the state covers 100% of these relocation costs. The bill applies specifically to highway projects on federal aid systems (like interstate highways) where the state receives federal funding. This change ensures that both private and public utility owners are compensated for relocation expenses tied to state highway construction, with no reimbursement for improvements ("betterment").