Allows the towns of Burrillville and Glocester to publish notices in any newspaper located within their municipalities and would also allow publication in other designated digital or print platforms selected by their town councils.
Maddy summaryHB 7337 establishes Rhode Island's Biotechnology Regulatory Sandbox Program under the Department of Business Regulation. The program allows biotech companies, research institutions, or entities to test new products or services with limited exemptions from state licensing and regulatory requirements during a controlled trial period. Applicants must submit detailed applications demonstrating safety, consumer benefits, financial stability, and a plan for handling test failures, while coordinating with state and federal agencies like the FDA. The sandbox directly affects biotech innovators seeking market access and consumers who may use the tested products under temporary regulatory flexibility. It requires participants to maintain liability coverage and ensures consumer protection throughout the testing phase.
Requires health insurance plans to cover services provided by licensed certified professional midwives. Insurers would be required to report utilization and cost data annually and certain limited benefit policies would be exempt.
Maddy summaryHB 7150 prevents cities and towns from banning or restricting landscape equipment like leaf blowers, lawn mowers, or trimmers solely based on whether they use gasoline, electricity, batteries, or other power sources. It directly affects municipalities (which cannot enforce such bans) and property owners or businesses using this equipment. The bill allows local governments to still set general noise limits, operating hours for all equipment, or safety rules - but not rules targeting specific fuel types. Existing fuel-based bans in place before the law's effective date remain valid until amended.
Permits a member or members of a limited-liability company to avoid dissolution by buying the membership interest owned by the other member or members seeking dissolution.
Creates a council to supervise, manage and regulate special depository institutions. The act also allows for the controlled issuance of limited waivers of regulatory requirements for the creators of innovative financial products.
Maddy summaryHB 7459 would change the retirement eligibility rule for public school teachers from a "Rule of 95" to a "Rule of 93." Under the current rule, teachers must reach an age plus years of service totaling 95 to retire early; this bill lowers that threshold to 93. The change would allow eligible teachers to retire sooner if their age plus years of service equals 93 instead of 95. This directly affects teachers covered under the state's existing retirement statutes for public education employees.
Maddy summaryHB 7283 allows appointed estate administrators or executors to access a decedent's bank funds without fees by requesting them directly from financial institutions. To do this, they must provide proof of their appointment and personal identification, and the funds must be released the same day. The bill directly affects estate representatives managing decedent assets and financial institutions holding those funds. It removes the previous cost barrier for accessing these funds, streamlining the estate settlement process. The bill takes effect upon passage.
Caps damages at $100,000 in tort actions against Rhode Island, cities, towns, or fire districts, except for willful misconduct or extreme recklessness. It also exempts them from § 9-21-10.
Limits the recovery for personal injuries actions against any town to $3,000 retroactive to all causes of action arising after January 1, 2026, and prohibits the use of subsequent remedial measures in roadway/highway defect cases.
