Rep. Matthew Dawson

Maddy summaryHB 5737 amends the laws regarding additional benefits, specifically cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), for retired Workers' Compensation Court judges and their surviving spouses or domestic partners. The bill establishes different rules for calculating these adjustments based on the judge's retirement date. Some COLAs are a fixed percentage of the original allowance, while others are tied to the Consumer Price Index or the retirement system's investment returns. It also introduces conditions for adjustments based on the retirement system's funding level and includes a one-time benefit adjustment for certain retirees.

Increases monthly minimum benefit for a spouse, domestic partner, former spouse. Grant a 2.89% COLA for eligible retirees. Provided a modification reducing federal AGI for public pension benefits from the RI employees retirement system.

Amends the definition of public record to exempt from public disclosure the city or town of residence of the justices, judges, and magistrates of the unified judicial system.

Makes it a misdemeanor to harass another person by following them and using an electronic device to record their movements in any public or private place.

Effective January 1, 2025, an annual cost-of-living increase, based upon the yearly Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U), to the retirement allowance for all state employees and all beneficiaries to be reinstated.

Authorizes the tax administrator to waive interest and penalties on delinquent taxes paid in full during a one week amnesty period. Also reinstates a suspended driver’s license upon payment in full.

Maddy summaryHB 6058 updates the "Dual Enrollment Equal Opportunity Act" by replacing the term "postsecondary institution" with "public higher education institution" throughout the law. This clarifies that the dual enrollment program - allowing high school students to take college courses at the same time - applies directly to all Rhode Island public colleges and universities, including community colleges. The bill does not change existing policies or funding rules but ensures the law explicitly covers all public higher education institutions. It affects high school students seeking college credit and public colleges/universities offering dual enrollment courses.

Maddy summaryHB 6059 creates an exemption for consumer products containing PFAS that have been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe for food contact, such as certain cookware. It applies directly to manufacturers and sellers of these FDA-approved products, allowing them to continue selling items with PFAS without violating the Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024. The exemption takes effect immediately upon the bill's passage and does not alter the main ban on PFAS in other products, which prohibits manufacturing, selling, or distributing PFAS-containing items starting in 2027 (or 2029 for specific products like artificial turf). This provision ensures FDA-approved food-contact products remain exempt from the ban.

Caps delinquent tax interest rate at 12%. Prohibits audits beyond 3 years from date of tax filing, 7 years for fraudulent filings, and in no event beyond 10 years from date of filing or required filing date, whichever is later.

Maddy summaryHB 5680 would allow workers to receive unemployment benefits if they are on strike or locked out due to a labor dispute, directly affecting employees involved in workplace conflicts. The bill modifies eligibility rules so workers aren’t automatically disqualified for benefits during strikes (if not responsible for the dispute) or lockouts (unless the employer offers a 3-day wage extension that’s refused or the lockout responds to a strike at another company in a multi-employer group). It also ensures benefits continue for more than a week after a dispute ends. The law would take effect immediately upon passage, changing current rules that typically deny benefits during labor disputes.