Rep. Katie Kazarian

Reinstates, for all teachers and state employees who retired after July 1, 2012, their annual cost of living adjustment for retirement plan year 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House resolution that expresses condolences and honors the life of Raymond A. Choiniere, who passed away on April 8, 2026. It recognizes his contributions as an athlete, educator, community volunteer, and public servant, including his time as a policy analyst in the Rhode Island Speaker of the House office. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy to the Choiniere family.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House resolution that honors Leanne Barrett for her twenty-one years of work advancing early childhood policies in Rhode Island. It recognizes her specific contributions to programs like prekindergarten education, child care assistance, and infant mental health initiatives. The resolution formally congratulates her on her new role as Executive Director of the Rhode Island Association for Infant Mental Health and directs the Secretary of State to send her a certified copy of the document.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House resolution honoring the life and legacy of baseball player Davey Lopes, who passed away after complications from Parkinson's disease. It recognizes his distinguished 45-year career in professional baseball, highlighting his achievements as a second baseman, base stealer, coach, and manager. The resolution expresses the House's condolences and directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the document to Lopes's family.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $150,000 in state funding for the second year of the Main Street Rhode Island Program, which supports local downtown revitalization efforts across the state. The money will be managed by Grow Smart Rhode Island and distributed through the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation to help existing and new district cohorts implement community improvement projects. The funding is specifically designated for fiscal year 2027 and must be disbursed by December 31, 2026, to support the program's administration and execution. This appropriation continues the initiative that launched in 2025 with 11 district cohorts representing 10 cities and towns.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $40,000 from the state treasury to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) for participation in the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact (NFFPC). The NFFPC is a mutual aid agreement among seven New England states, New York, and five Canadian provinces that allows states to share firefighting resources during large wildfires. Rhode Island uses this compact to access specialized equipment and personnel from other jurisdictions when local resources are overwhelmed, and this funding covers the state's share of costs for wages, transportation, and maintenance when requesting assistance. The bill does not change the compact's rules but ensures Rhode Island meets its financial obligations under the existing agreement.

Amends chapter 80 of the public laws of 1965 with respect to the composition of the regional district school building committee, apportionment of construction and operating costs and amendments to the agreement.

Adds to those persons exempt from payment of parking fees at any recreational facility owned and operated by the state those individuals determined by the executive office of HHS, or its designee, to be disabled for purposes of Medicaid eligibility.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution designates April 9, 2026, as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day in Rhode Island to honor the 1.5 million Armenians killed between 1915 and 1923. The bill also requests that the U.S. President and Congress urge the Turkish government to acknowledge the historical events as genocide and provide restitution for the victims. Additionally, the resolution expresses sympathy to the Armenian-American community in Rhode Island and directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the document to relevant state and national officials.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution expressing condolences on the passing of Honorable Joseph A. Abbate, a former Rhode Island judge and public servant. The resolution acknowledges his distinguished career in law and public service, including his roles as a municipal judge and Director of the Law Revision Office. It directs the Secretary of State to send certified copies of the resolution to Abbate's family as a formal gesture of sympathy.