Rep. Matthew Dawson

Maddy summaryHB 5801 updates definitions and procedures for low- and moderate-income housing in Rhode Island municipalities. It clarifies how housing units count toward municipal requirements, specifying that federal rental assistance vouchers now count as whole units (not half-units) for compliance, and mobile homes meeting certain criteria count as half-units if monitored. The bill also refines terms like "affordable housing plan" and "consistent with local needs" to align with housing planning standards. These changes directly affect cities and towns developing housing plans and developers seeking approval for subsidized housing projects.

Maddy summaryHB 5803 creates a standardized online permitting platform for all state and local building permits, zoning applications, and related services (including environmental and transportation permits) across Rhode Island. It requires local municipalities and state agencies to use this electronic system for processing applications, plan reviews, inspections, and fee collection by December 2013. The bill establishes new fees: 0.1% of construction costs for commercial permits and 0.2% for residential permits (capped at $100), with 50% of residential fees funding contractor training programs for minority businesses. These fees will fund the platform’s development and maintenance, replacing paper-based processes with a uniform statewide system.

Grants the director of the department of health the authority to approve or deny any applications for professional licensure pending before certain boards of licensure that have been unable to establish a quorum for 30 business days.

Maddy summaryHB 6126 reduces the Coastal Resources Management Council from 10 to 7 voting members, effective March 1, 2026. It requires six public members appointed by the governor (with Senate approval), including one engineer, one coastal biologist, and one environmental organization representative, while mandating that at least five of these six must come from coastal municipalities. The council’s ex-officio director (from the Department of Environmental Management) remains, and all members must have environmental or coastal management expertise. The bill, signed by the governor on June 30, 2025, updates appointment rules but does not change the council’s policy responsibilities.

Amends the definition of “hobby breeder” to limit the sale or offering for sale to no more than two (2) litters of dogs or cats, or a combination thereof, in a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period.

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.

Amends the composition of the building code standards committee and would make several technical amendments relative to the building code office and would establish a state building code office within the office of state fire marshal.

Increases the imprisonment penalty for animal fighting from 2 to 5 yrs for a subsequent conviction under § 4-1-9 and would also require mandatory community service

Adds the process of permitting the construction of attached single-family dwellings in identified zoning districts as a factor that zoning ordinances must address.

Protects the personal information of judicial officers and their immediate family members who serve or have served the RI unified judicial system, as well as judicial officers who reside in RI and who serve or have served in the federal courts.