Establishes concurrent jurisdiction between the Rhode Island Family Court and the Federal Government for the purposes of adjudicating minors who have allegedly committed a crime while residing on a military installation located in Rhode Island.
Creates a special license plate for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc. that would support the Blackstone River Valley Environmental Clean-up and Education Fund.
Maddy summaryHB 5695 allows municipalities to hold local tax amnesty events once every three years, enabling residents to avoid late fees on overdue real estate, property, and vehicle taxes. The bill permits cities to create two separate 60-day periods annually (during 2024-2025) where taxpayers can submit written requests to waive interest and penalties. It excludes taxes owed for the current tax year during amnesty periods and requires tax officials to provide written decisions, with appeals to city councils within 10 days if denied. This directly affects taxpayers with overdue local tax payments and gives municipalities a structured process to encourage payment without penalties.
Authorizes the city of Woonsocket to levy a tax for its fiscal year at a rate of five and one-half percent (5.5%) in excess of the amount levied and certified by the city for the prior year.
Makes technical amendments to the RI life science hub regarding the terms of the directors, advisory committees, powers, disposition of hub assets upon termination, and tax status as a governmental unit which is a separate legal entity from the state.
Ensures that RI DOH is able to access the full calendar year worth of housing choice voucher data by moving the report submission deadline to align with availability of federal data.
Creates process for condominium associations to give notice to and obtain approval from unit mortgage holders for certain association actions by mailing a written request for approval to the unit mortgagees via regular and certified mail.
Requires associations to provide unit owners within thirty (30) days notice of any increase in the deductible application to the association’s policy.
Maddy summaryHB 5946 requires construction sites to keep at least one access point open during work hours, allowing workers to freely enter and exit without obstruction. It applies to all construction site owners, operators, or managers on public or private property. Violating this rule results in written warnings for first offenses, followed by $1,000 daily fines and immediate work stoppages for repeat violations. The bill prohibits locking gates, fences, or other barriers that restrict access while construction is ongoing.
Maddy summaryHB 5575 amends Rhode Island's energy procurement rules to allow public utilities to include nuclear power in regional competitive solicitations alongside renewable sources like offshore wind. It directly affects electric and gas utilities, which can now bid on projects transmitting nuclear power or renewable energy to New England, with costs shared among ratepayers. Key provisions require the state energy office and utilities to jointly evaluate projects for reliability, security, and cost impacts before seeking public utility commission approval. The bill does not mandate nuclear use but establishes a framework for considering it as part of Rhode Island's energy planning.
