Caps damages at $100,000 in tort actions against Rhode Island, cities, towns, or fire districts, except for willful misconduct or extreme recklessness. It also exempts them from § 9-21-10.
Maddy summaryHB 5912 modifies evidence rules in civil injury and wrongful death cases involving medical care. It states that the amount billed by a licensed health care provider is presumed to be the fair and reasonable charge, and payments received by that provider from insurers, government programs, or workers' compensation cannot be used as evidence to challenge that billed amount. This directly affects medical providers, insurers, and parties in malpractice or injury lawsuits by preventing defendants from using lower insurance payments to dispute the full billed cost. The bill takes effect upon passage and aims to simplify evidence standards for medical billing in court.
Maddy summaryHB 5937 adopts the Uniform Partition of Heirs' Property Act to establish clear court procedures for dividing property owned by multiple family members (called "heirs' property"). It directly affects individuals holding real estate in tenancy in common where at least 20% of interests are held by relatives or acquired through family lines. Key provisions require courts to determine property value through appraisal (or agreed valuation), offer cotenants the chance to buy out others who want to sell, and allow partition by sale or in kind. The law applies to partition cases filed after January 1, 2026, and supplements existing property law for these specific cases.
Maddy summaryHB 5646 adds individuals aged 70 or older to the list of people eligible to request exemption from jury service in Rhode Island. It directly affects residents of Rhode Island who are 70 years or older and receive a jury summons. The bill amends existing law to allow these individuals to formally decline jury duty by claiming the exemption, rather than being automatically exempt. This change applies to all Rhode Island courts and civil procedures involving jury selection.
Maddy summaryHB 5952 creates a Home Ownership Assistance Account within Rhode Island's Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation to expand homeownership opportunities for low-income residents. The account, funded by 25% of monies from a specific state revenue source, directly assists households at or below the area median income, with priority for seniors, veterans, people of color, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, and agricultural workers. Funds will provide down payment grants, support homeownership programs, and offer technical assistance to organizations focused on increasing homeownership - especially for people of color - while requiring long-term affordability measures like shared equity. The Corporation must distribute funds statewide but prioritize areas with the greatest need, aiming to reverse declining homeownership rates among marginalized groups.
Maddy summaryHB 5636 requires virtual currency kiosk operators in the state to provide customers with a choice of paper or electronic receipts for every transaction, starting January 1, 2026. The receipts must include specific details like the customer's wallet address, account owner's full name, unique transaction ID, and the company's fraud refund policy statement. Operators must also send an electronic copy of each transaction to the customer's email or record on file. This law directly affects businesses operating virtual currency kiosks within the state, mandating clear transaction documentation to enhance transparency and consumer protection.
Requires health plans that provide prescription benefits to cover at least one type of glucagon auto-injector, nasal spray, or formulation that does not require reconstitution to treat hypoglycemia. No copayment or deductible would be required.
Caps amount payable for 30 day supply of equipment/supplies for insulin administration/glucose monitoring at $25 or equipment designed to last more than 30 days with no deductible commencing January 1, 2026.
Maddy summaryHB 5507 gradually increases the minimum cash wage for employees in tipped occupations (like restaurants and hotels) who rely on gratuities. Starting from $3.89 per hour in 2017, it raises this rate by $0.50 annually until 2026, then increases by $2.00 each year through 2030 to reach $14.95 per hour. By January 1, 2031, these workers will receive the same minimum wage as non-tipped employees, eliminating the tip credit. The bill directly affects tipped workers in qualifying industries and requires employers to pay at least the stated cash wage without deducting gratuities below the specified thresholds.
Allows Ryan Kenny and Brenna Sorkin to join Simran Bhajan Nebhnani and Louis Charles Miyara in marriage on April 26, 2025, within the City of Newport, Rhode Island.
