Amends 4 sections relating to the workers' compensation benefits dealing with increasing the amount of dependent benefits payable to a totally disabled employee comprising this year's annual omnibus bill.
Amends the current law on workers' compensation to require any person who is considered an independent contractor to file annually with the director of labor and training and removes the requirement that the form be in writing.
Directs the governor to select a day and annually order the lowering of flags to half-mast on any state buildings to honor the passing of first responders.
Requires radon testing within one year of any residential real estate transaction and the installation of a radon mitigation system if unsafe radon levels are present, at the seller's expense.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Rhode Island DMV to create a voluntary "Blue Envelope Program" designed to improve communication between police officers and drivers with autism spectrum disorder. The program will be developed in consultation with the Rhode Island Police Chiefs' Association and the Governor's Commission on Disabilities, using best practices from similar initiatives in other states. Participation in the program is optional for all drivers, and the law takes effect on January 1, 2025.
Amends the provision of notice to be provided for the release of any hazardous gas or liquid as determined by the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Maddy summaryHB 7517 updates the procedures for handling unclaimed human remains in Rhode Island by establishing specific timelines for families to claim bodies after a death. The bill requires the Office of State Medical Examiners to release a deceased person's body to relatives or domestic partners within fourteen days of notice, with the state covering transport costs if an autopsy was performed. If the body is not claimed or removed from the morgue within thirty days, or if no family members are known, the remains are classified as unclaimed and buried according to existing state laws. Additionally, the legislation formally defines "domestic partner" for these purposes, requiring a relationship of at least one year and evidence of financial interdependence. The law also specifies that the state treasurer has priority in recovering burial expenses from the deceased person's estate.
Increases insurance coverage for hearing aids from one thousand five hundred dollars to one thousand seven hundred fifty dollars, per ear, for all people regardless of age.
Increases the maximum state and municipal small purchase limits from $10,000 to $25,000 for construction projects and from $5,000 to $10,000 for all other state and municipal purchases.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Rhode Island's Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights by renaming it the Law Enforcement Officers' Due Process, Accountability, and Transparency Act. It directly affects permanently employed police officers, state troopers, and other sworn law enforcement personnel, excluding department heads. The law establishes a five-member hearing committee to review complaints against officers and mandates that both the agency and the officer share the cost of legal counsel for these hearings. Additionally, the bill requires that investigations be conducted at reasonable hours, allows officers to have an attorney present during interrogations, and prohibits threatening officers with disciplinary action during the inquiry process.
