Amends the certain provisions relative to school waste recycling and refuse disposal and requires reports of waste audits by educational entities and reports of program participation by vendors.
Maddy summaryHB 5493 establishes a mandatory energy benchmarking program for large buildings in Rhode Island. It requires owners of commercial and residential buildings over 25,000 square feet (with larger buildings starting in 2027 and smaller ones in 2029) to annually report energy use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions through the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. The collected data will be publicly posted to increase transparency about building energy performance. Exemptions apply for unoccupied properties, those undergoing demolition, or properties without energy services during the reporting year. The law focuses solely on data collection and reporting, not on requiring energy upgrades.
Maddy summaryHB 5622 requires the state to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact by July 1, 2025, enabling out-of-state medical providers to practice telemedicine in the state more easily. It directly affects patients seeking telehealth services and out-of-state doctors who want to provide care across state lines. The bill creates new rules allowing patients to access telemedicine from out-of-state providers under the compact and directs health agencies to develop implementing regulations. This changes how medical licensure is handled for telehealth, removing barriers for providers from participating states.
Exempts certain urban and small farmers from sales taxes, real, tangible and personal property taxes and income taxes. This act would also define urban and small farmers and urban farmland.
Maddy summaryHB 5436, the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025, prohibits the manufacture, sale, possession, or transfer of specific semi-automatic firearms after July 1, 2026. It bans weapons defined as "assault weapons" based on features like detachable magazines, folding stocks, pistol grips, or threaded barrels (e.g., rifles with >10-round fixed magazines or shotguns with detachable magazines and certain features). Current owners of qualifying firearms legally possessed before July 1, 2026, may keep them under a grandfather clause, but new ownership or transfers after that date are prohibited. Exceptions include .22 caliber rimfire rifles with tubular magazines and Olympic target pistols. Violations carry fines up to $10,000 or up to 10 years in prison.
Waives the fees for vehicle identification number inspections for veterans, including active duty military personnel and members of the National Guard and military reserves.
Restructures the Rhode Island Housing and Conservation Trust Fund, increases its membership to 15 members, 11 of whom are to be from the general public and reallocates the percentage of the funds for housing, conservation and other goals.
Allows providers of services under this section to visit the houses of individuals with special needs or sensory-related disorders or differences in order to provide haircuts or hairdressing services.
Permits a certified foot care nurse or a certified foot care specialist, to provide certain at-home foot care, including routine foot and nail care including nail clipping.
Provides a duty upon midwives, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to obtain a blood specimen of pregnant women within thirty (30) days after the first professional visit.
