Requires all public utilities to maintain a customer service facility within the state to perform services such as addressing customer inquiries and accepting bill payments.
Maddy summaryHB 7373 exempts the real and tangible personal property of the Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center in Pawtucket from local property taxation. The bill directly affects this specific nonprofit organization by removing its property tax obligation for its physical assets. The key provision is a targeted tax exemption for the center's buildings and equipment, not a broad policy change. The bill is currently under review by the House Municipal Government & Housing committee, having been referred for further study after a scheduled hearing.
Empowers the division of motor vehicles to make available special motor vehicle registration plates for the not-for-profit entity, Dominican independence and heritage award committee of RI.
Allows any member of a federally recognized Indian tribe located in Rhode Island to receive recreational freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses free of charge.
Maddy summaryThis bill (HR 7579) formally rescinds Rhode Island's 1861 ratification of the Corwin Amendment, a proposed constitutional amendment from the Civil War era. The Corwin Amendment aimed to protect slavery by prohibiting future constitutional amendments that could interfere with "domestic institutions" like slavery in states. Rhode Island's ratification is being repealed because the amendment was never adopted by enough states, became obsolete after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery, and has no current legal effect. The resolution is purely procedural, correcting a historical record without changing any existing law or constitutional provisions.
Allows for the electronic filing of domestic violence/sexual assault reporting forms by law enforcement agencies, enhances the information to be included on the reporting forms, and clarifies that the reporting forms should be submitted monthly.
Requires that reimbursement rates for licensed mobile response and stabilization services be equal to or greater than the prevailing integrated state Medicaid rate for mobile response and stabilizations services as established by EOHHS.
Maddy summaryHB 7538 requires healthcare providers and facilities to inform patients when artificial intelligence (AI) is used to document their in-person or telehealth visits. It directly affects patients receiving care and all licensed healthcare professionals (including doctors, nurses, and dentists) and healthcare facilities covered under the law. The bill mandates clear notification about AI’s specific role in recording visit details, defining AI broadly to include technologies like natural language processing and machine learning. This law focuses solely on transparency about documentation practices, not on regulating AI's medical decision-making or other uses.
Maddy summaryHB 7198 clarifies the legal definitions of criminal offense categories in Rhode Island law. It specifies that a felony involves imprisonment over one year or fines over $1,000, a misdemeanor involves 6 months to one year imprisonment (or fines up to $1,000), and a petty misdemeanor involves up to six months imprisonment or fines up to $500. The bill also changes how "one year" is interpreted in sentencing to mean 364 days instead of 365 days. This technical adjustment affects all criminal cases classified under these terms in Rhode Island’s legal code, ensuring consistent application of sentencing guidelines. The bill takes effect upon passage and does not create new penalties or policies.
Protects people attending Rhode Island court proceedings from civil arrest without a judicial warrant, ensures court access, sets enforcement rules, and provides remedies for violations.
