Rep. Jenni Furtado

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.

Provides the tax administration may prescribe regulations requiring returns of information to be made and filed on or before Feb 28 of each year consistent with applicable thresholds for information filings under the federal Internal Revenue Code.

Makes a series of amendments and adds new provisions of law to address business identity theft and deceptive solicitations sent to businesses and the unauthorized formation of entities.

Maddy summaryHB 7547 expands the state's crime victim compensation program to allow victims of stalking to recover costs for relocation or home modifications (like security upgrades) as emergency expenses. It directly affects stalking victims who need immediate safety measures after an incident. The bill amends existing law to explicitly include these expenses under Section 12-25-21(7), while removing larceny and certain other offenses from compensable categories. This change takes effect upon passage, making these specific costs eligible for reimbursement through the existing program.

Creates a special joint legislative commission to make a comprehensive study of Rhode Island's education funding formula and education finance system.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 7683 increases the minimum monthly death benefits for spouses, domestic partners, and former spouses of deceased teachers. The bill raises the lowest benefit tier from $825 to $1,025 per month for those with a deceased member's salary of $17,000 or less, with proportional increases across all salary brackets. It applies to individuals who were living with the deceased teacher at death or receiving support, and who meet age and remarriage requirements. Benefits will adjust annually based on Social Security cost-of-living changes. The bill takes effect upon passage.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows disabled veterans who meet specific injury or disability criteria to receive special "Disabled Veteran" license plates for their vehicles. It also permits these plates to be transferred to a veteran's spouse if the veteran can no longer drive, or if the veteran passes away, allowing the spouse to keep them for life or until remarriage. Additionally, the law enables the issuance of these plates directly to a veteran's spouse under certain conditions, provided official certification of eligibility is submitted. The changes apply to eligible individuals and their spouses regarding vehicle registration and the use of designated license plates.

Maddy summaryHB 7096 expands eligibility for disabled veterans license plates to include veterans aged 75 or older with a 70% combined service-connected disability rating. This change directly affects qualifying veterans who previously did not meet the existing 100% rating requirement. The bill amends existing law to add this group to the list of veterans exempt from annual vehicle registration fees and eligible for "Disabled Veteran" plates. The key mechanism is updating the eligibility criteria in the statute to include this specific age/disability threshold, without altering other existing provisions.