Rep. Leo Felix

Maddy summaryHB 5714 allows anyone aged 18 or older to request changing the race description on their birth certificate to use culturally sensitive language. It requires the state vital records office to process these requests and directs the Department of Health to create rules or a system for handling all reasonable requests respectfully. The bill does not change other birth certificate details like names or dates, and the process must avoid offensive terminology. This law takes effect immediately upon signing, as it was signed by the Governor on June 30, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 6118 requires most health insurance plans in the state to cover mobile response and stabilization services for children and youth under 18 experiencing acute mental health crises, such as aggression, self-injury, or suicidal thoughts. The bill mandates coverage for certified providers delivering immediate crisis intervention, assessment, and follow-up care, effective for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. It excludes certain policies like accident-only, Medicare supplements, and limited-benefit plans. This policy change directly affects insurers, certified behavioral health providers, and young people enrolled in covered health plans.

Repeals the required HIV testing for an individual convicted under chapter 34.1 of title 11 and allows the option for HIV testing for any person convicted under this chapter.

Authorizes the city of Central Falls, via home rule charter or city ordinance, to create a school board with all powers and duties thereto, to govern the Central Falls school district.

Provides an exemption for certain incarcerated persons from the payment of fees for a first request for vital statistics from the department of health.

Maddy summaryHB 5357 repeals a provision that required women in the community corrections program for women offenders to pay additional fees for prostitution-related offenses. Specifically, it removes mandatory assessments of $500 for felony convictions or $350 for misdemeanor convictions, which were previously added to court fines. This change directly affects women sentenced to community correctional programs under the program’s eligibility criteria (those sentenced to two years or less or awaiting trial in women’s correctional facilities). The bill eliminates these financial penalties, ensuring women in the program are no longer subject to these extra costs. The bill became law after being signed by the governor on June 24, 2025.

Requires the department of administration to provide a list of certified minority and women-owned business enterprises to each prospective contractor of a construction project.

Exempts from taxation the real and tangible personal property of Codac, Inc., a Rhode Island nonprofit domestic corporation, located at 45 Royal Little Drive in Providence, Rhode Island.

Maddy summaryHB 6378 allows tenants to have eviction court records sealed under specific conditions, directly affecting individuals involved in dismissed or resolved eviction cases. It permits sealing if a case was dismissed due to a defective complaint, lack of court jurisdiction, resolved by settlement with full payment, or dismissed for inactivity after five years. The bill also requires sealing records involving minors in eviction proceedings, and clarifies that such sealed records do not count toward a tenant's one-sealing-per-five-year limit. This policy change aims to provide relief for tenants with certain cleared eviction histories.

Maddy summaryHB 5441 reduces the waiting period for expunging criminal records in Rhode Island. It shortens the timeframe to three years after completing a sentence for a single misdemeanor, and five years for felonies or multiple misdemeanors (two to five offenses). The bill applies to eligible first-time offenders who have paid all court fees and fines, excluding those convicted of violent crimes or specific offenses under Chapter 29 of Title 12. Expungement remains unavailable for violent offenses, and records related to decriminalized offenses can still be expunged after conviction.