Rep. Joshua Giraldo

Maddy summaryHB 7352, the Rhode Island Civil Rights Enforcement Act, creates a legal remedy for individuals whose constitutional rights are violated by state or local government entities (including cities, counties, or state agencies). It allows residents or individuals within Rhode Island to sue the government directly for compensation when rights are deprived under color of law, without needing to first sue individual employees. Key provisions include a $500,000 cap on compensatory damages for most claims (adjustable annually for inflation), no punitive damages against the state, and the attorney general’s authority to enforce the law. The law applies immediately upon passage, with claims needing to be filed within three years of the violation.

Prohibits state and municipal officials or body from entering into and renewing any agreements that will be used to detain individuals for federal civil immigration violations.

Caps the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription inhaler, prescription device, or prescription equipment to twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per thirty (30) day supply.

Maddy summaryHB 7934 amends pharmacy laws to require parental consent for all immunizations given by pharmacists to individuals between the ages of three and eighteen. The bill also mandates that pharmacists electronically report these vaccinations to the Department of Health within seven days and notify the patient's primary care provider within fourteen days. Additionally, pharmacists must make a good-faith effort to identify a patient's primary care provider to facilitate this notification. This legislation directly affects pharmacies, pharmacists, patients, and their parents or guardians.

Maddy summaryHB 7534 allows licensed pharmacists to prescribe and dispense FDA-approved tobacco cessation drugs under specific conditions. Pharmacists must complete state-approved education, verify patients meet criteria (age 18+, participation in a structured program, and nicotine safety education), and refer high-risk cases to primary care providers. The bill also mandates that health insurance plans cover these pharmacist-provided cessation services starting January 1, 2027, without requiring supervision or referrals from other providers. This policy directly affects pharmacists, patients seeking smoking cessation support, and health insurers by expanding access to tobacco cessation care through pharmacists' existing scope of practice.

Maddy summaryThis is a non-binding House resolution (not a bill) introduced by the Rhode Island House of Representatives. It expresses concerns about Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, which are private insurance options replacing traditional Medicare, noting issues like higher costs for patients during serious illness, narrower provider networks, and practices that allegedly prioritize insurer profits over patient care. The resolution urges federal lawmakers and agencies to take specific actions, including increasing transparency, auditing MA plans, regulating marketing, and prohibiting profit-driven practices like "cherry-picking" healthy enrollees. It does not create new laws but calls for administrative changes to protect Medicare beneficiaries.

Amends current law on controlled substances to permit psilocybin to be cultivated within a person's residence for personal use and contingent on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) program, mandates that RI DOH establishes rules regulations.

Updates the Homeless Bill of Rights law to add rules governing the interaction with encampments and includes the right to access clean and sanitary conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 7054 establishes guidelines to expand and sustain public prekindergarten programs for all Rhode Island children aged 3 and 4. It requires the state to ensure at least 70% of these children enroll in high-quality programs through a mixed delivery system including public schools, Head Start, and licensed child care. The bill mandates research-based quality standards covering teacher qualifications, class sizes, curriculum, and support for children with special needs or who are learning English. It also requires competitive wages for prekindergarten teachers (comparable to K teachers) and directs 30% of new prekindergarten funding to expand infant and toddler care programs. The law directly affects children, early educators, and child care providers across Rhode Island.

Maddy summaryHB 7688 establishes the Rhode Island Child Care for All Act, creating a new Office for Early Learning by June 2028 to centralize and improve the state’s child care system. It directly affects families with young children (by reducing costs to under 7% of income), child care providers (through annual funding to cover costs beyond family fees), and early educators (by requiring wage supplements to match K-12 standards). Key provisions include consolidating child care administration from other agencies, funding providers to expand affordability and quality, and developing a statewide system offering free pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds alongside accessible care for children from birth to age 12. The bill aims to address current market failures by treating child care as a public good, similar to K-12 education.