Establishes, encourages and supports the establishment of family councils and resident councils in managed residential communities providing assisted living services.
Supports the role of independent family council and makes the waiting list transparent by requiring nursing facilities with more than thirty percent (30%) self-pay residents to admit applicants on a first-come-first-served basis for non-private rooms.
Maddy summaryHB 5257 establishes the Rhode Island Nursing Home Workforce Standards Advisory Board to set industry-wide standards for nursing home care. The 13-member board - representing employers, workers, community organizations, and health agencies - will advise state leaders on wages, benefits, working conditions, and training requirements for nursing home staff. It will recommend minimum statewide compensation standards and help ensure nursing home operators follow these guidelines. This bill directly affects nursing home workers, their employers, and residents by aiming to improve care quality through standardized workforce conditions. The board will operate under the Department of Labor and Training and begins work upon the bill's passage.
Creates process for individual to voluntarily be either temporarily or indefinitely added to a list restricting their rights to purchase or possess firearms.
Maddy summaryThis resolution commemorates March 25, 2025, as the 204th anniversary of Greek Independence Day, celebrating Greece's historical ties to democracy and its longstanding partnership with the United States. It includes ceremonial elements like urging Turkey to respect religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and commending Rhode Island's Greek-American community for cultural contributions. The resolution has no binding policy changes or funding provisions; it is purely symbolic, reaffirming shared democratic values through recognition. It directs the Secretary of State to distribute certified copies to Greek Orthodox churches, state officials, and Greek diplomatic representatives in Rhode Island. As a commemorative resolution, it does not directly affect legislation or alter legal obligations.
Makes it easier to vote for people eligible to vote who are incarcerated at the Rhode Island adult correctional institute and creates the position of "voting coordinator," within the department of corrections.
Establishes the Ranked Choice Voting for Rhode Island Presidential Primaries and provides for new sections on ranked choice voting tabulation and results reporting.
Amends the uniform controlled substances act and reclassifies simple possession of 28 grams or less of certain controlled substances as a misdemeanor.
Maddy summaryHB 5416 prohibits Rhode Island auto insurance companies from using race, ethnicity, zip code, credit scores, gender, education level, or occupation to set rates or classify drivers. The bill also bans penalizing drivers solely for being widowed (vs. married) or for being 65+ years old with a clean driving record (no accidents or violations in three years). Additionally, it prevents insurers from refusing policy renewals based solely on age (65+), low-value claims under $3,000, or minor fault (50% or less) in accidents. The law applies to all private passenger auto insurance policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryHB 5245 creates a new income-sensitive energy assistance program to help low-income households afford home energy costs. It establishes a capped annual charge of up to $10 per customer (electric or gas) to fund credits for households enrolled in LIHEAP or Medicaid, targeting those with income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. The program requires electric and gas companies to apply these credits to eligible customers' bills, with discounts designed to limit energy costs to 3-6% of household income based on heating source. Annual funding is restricted to $6.5-$7.5 million, and the Public Utilities Commission must approve the charge rates each year.
