Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Family Caregivers Support Act of 2013, aims to protect employees who care for family members from discrimination in the workplace. It makes it illegal for employers to refuse to hire someone, fire them, or penalize them in any way because of their caregiving duties. The law also requires employers to consider requests for flexible schedules or remote work to handle medical appointments and therapy, unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense for the business. Small businesses with fewer than 25 employees have some flexibility if they can prove that meeting these requests would be too burdensome. If a caregiver believes their rights were violated, the Human Rights Commission is authorized to investigate and order remedies such as reinstatement, back pay, and compensation.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 8531 amends Rhode Island's compulsory attendance laws to give school committees the authority to deny or defer approval of homeschooling plans under specific circumstances. The bill requires schools to implement due diligence interventions, such as consulting with parents and support teams, before referring truant students to family court. It also establishes a formal process for approving alternative learning plans and extended withdrawals, which allow students to take breaks or reduce their coursework while remaining enrolled, particularly considering pandemic-related disruptions. Additionally, the legislation prohibits schools from using truancy as the sole reason for out-of-school suspensions and mandates that private schools and at-home instruction meet specific attendance and curriculum standards.
Establishes a fund and the operations necessary for a hotline for suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis management. Also instates a monthly surcharge on telephone lines to fund the 988 call center.
Proposes a bond measure to authorize the State of Rhode Island to issue up to $36,000,000 in bonds, subject to voter approval, to support the Boys and Girls Clubs.
Entitles correctional officers with twenty-five (25) years of service and who are at least fifty-five (55) years of age to a non-Medicare-eligible retiree health care insurance benefit.
Allows a modification to federal adjusted gross income for personal income tax for qualified tips and overtime income consistent with the federal tax treatment.
Exempts from sales tax the amount paid for a parking space to a patron for one hour or less, in or on a parking facility on which a commercial establishment is located.
Maddy summaryHB 7058 exempts scalp hair prostheses and wigs necessary due to medical conditions from the state's sales tax. This directly affects individuals experiencing hair loss from medical issues, such as cancer treatment or alopecia, who purchase these items. The bill amends tax code sections to explicitly include these prosthetic devices under existing medical exemptions, removing the sales tax burden. This is a concrete policy change that simplifies access to medically necessary hair replacement products without altering broader tax structures.
Establishes a fund to support children’s community-based providers’ infrastructure changes necessary and related to the state’s Medicaid transformation initiative.
Raises the per diem rate by thirteen percent (13%) for Medicaid reimbursement for Tier C services provide by assisted living residence beginning January 1, 2027.