Rep. Jon Brien

Maddy summaryHB 7841 requires veterinarians to discuss treatment options with pet owners when prescribing and dispensing drugs for an animal's annual veterinary care. This applies specifically to routine prescriptions during standard annual check-ups, not one-time treatments. The bill directly affects veterinarians who dispense medications and the pet owners receiving those prescriptions. It creates a new requirement for veterinarians to provide this consultation as part of the prescription process, aiming to improve communication about medication use. (Note: The bill is currently under review by the House Corporations committee as of March 2026.)

Maddy summaryHB 7418 would establish medical and dental schools at the University of Rhode Island, authorizing the conferral of Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degrees. The bill requires the schools to seek accreditation from medical (LCME) and dental (CODA) bodies and mandates clinical training partnerships with hospitals and health centers. It also allows the university to retain revenue from faculty practice plans to support educational, clinical, and research activities. The legislation directly affects Rhode Island residents by aiming to expand healthcare workforce capacity and improve access to care, particularly for underserved communities.

Maddy summaryHB 7426 allows nurse anesthetists with two or more years of supervised experience to practice independently without physician oversight for anesthesia care. It defines "non-supervised CRNAs" and grants them authority to administer anesthesia, manage patient care, and issue medication orders (with written guidelines for certain actions), while requiring hospitals to permit this independent practice. The bill also mandates the state health department to seek a Medicaid waiver by September 2026 to update reimbursement policies for CRNAs under Medicaid. The changes will take effect on January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 8158, titled "The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act," requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to review how funding formulas calculate aid for high-need students. This review focuses on the specific components used to determine support levels, aiming to ensure equitable resource allocation. The bill directly affects the state education department and the students designated as high-need under current funding formulas. As referenced in its title, the bill connects to broader education equity efforts, though its core mechanism is the mandated formula review process. The bill was introduced on February 27, 2026, and referred to the House Finance Committee.

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.

Establishes an office of inspector general as an independent administrative agency, charged with preventing and detecting fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial House resolution (HR 7715) passed by the Rhode Island House of Representatives on February 11, 2026. It formally congratulates Detective Lieutenant Douglas Cerce of the Smithfield Police Department for being named the 2025 Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association Detective of the Year. The resolution highlights his 25+ years of service, expertise in solving complex cyber fraud cases that helped recover stolen assets and secure jail sentences for criminals, and his leadership in mentoring officers and improving police record systems. As a non-binding resolution, it has no policy impact and solely serves to publicly recognize his professional achievements.

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.

Adds school superintendents, central office officials, school principals, and all other school employees, to the definition of a “public official” for purposes of the criminal prohibition against making threats to public officials.

Maddy summaryHB 7408 authorizes Rhode Island to set aside up to $18 million in a debt service reserve fund to support financing for the sale of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital to CharterCARE Health of Rhode Island, Inc. The bill creates a financial backup fund to enhance the creditworthiness of bonds used to purchase the hospitals, ensuring the sale process can proceed without state debt obligations. This funding mechanism directly supports the transfer of ownership to CharterCARE while preserving hospital services and approximately 2,700 jobs. The state’s contribution is limited to the reserve fund, with no obligation to replenish it, and any remaining funds would revert to the state budget. The bill focuses on enabling the hospital sale through bond financing, not altering hospital operations or patient care.