Rep. June Speakman

Maddy summaryHB 5637 updates the state's Credit Card Crime Act to explicitly include "debit cards" under the definition of cards covered by fraud statutes. This change means individuals who fraudulently use, forge, or obtain goods/services with stolen or expired debit cards will now face the same criminal penalties as those committing credit card fraud. The law expands the scope of existing penalties (including a $100 six-month threshold for misdemeanor charges) to cover debit card fraud, which was previously not explicitly addressed. This directly affects individuals committing debit card fraud and ensures consistent legal treatment for both debit and credit card fraud.

Prohibits a manufacturer from manufacturing, knowingly selling, offering for sale, distributing for sale or distributing for use in the state any firefighting personal protective equipment containing intentionally-added PFAS as of January 1, 2027.

Limits the facility's ability to charge rent and fees for a maximum of seven (7) days or until removal of the personal property from the room, whichever occurs first. A violation would constitute a deceptive trade practice.

Maddy summaryHB 6369 allows the state Health Care Advocate to request a superior court appoint a temporary manager (receiver) for hospitals facing specific crises. It directly affects hospitals mismanaging assets, in severe financial distress, or operating in ways that risk patient safety or care quality. The bill requires the court to approve such a receiver if it helps manage the hospital, protects patients, or ensures compliance with hospital conversion laws. This provision streamlines the process by eliminating the need to prove irreparable harm, making it easier for the Advocate to intervene swiftly.

Maddy summaryHB 6368 prohibits insurance discrimination in Rhode Island health plans by expanding protections to cover race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnancy), age, disability, and other categories. It bans insurers from denying coverage, limiting benefits, or imposing extra costs for specific services like gender-affirming care or reproductive health based on these protected characteristics. The law requires coverage decisions to be based on medical necessity, not discrimination, and applies to all health-benefit plans offered by insurance companies, hospitals, and healthcare entities in the state. This directly affects both insurance consumers and healthcare providers who must comply with these non-discrimination standards.

Requires the executive office of health and human services to increase Medicaid payment rates for primary care services furnished by primary care providers to be commensurate with Medicare rates.

Allows school committees to add item(s) not appearing in published notice to their agendas for purposes of discussion only if the revised agenda is filed with the secretary of state and posted on district website at least 48 hrs in advance of the meeting.

Authorizes municipalities to impose a ticket tax on ticket sales for venues large enough to hold at least eight hundred (800) patrons, seated, of two dollars ($2) per ticket. The tax shall be redistributed to the locality where the venue is located.

Maddy summaryHB 6365 imposes a 50-cent fee per transaction on retailers (including marketplace facilitators) delivering taxable tangible goods to Rhode Island customers, effective October 1, 2025. It exempts retailers with under $500,000 in annual delivery sales in the state and all food-related deliveries (including prepared food and food service establishments). The fee is charged per transaction regardless of shipment size, must be listed separately from sales price on receipts, and is nonrefundable for returned items. Retailers may choose to collect the fee from customers but are not required to do so.

Increases the membership from eighteen (18) to twenty-one (21), and extend the reporting and expiration dates of the Commission to Study Housing Affordability from June 7, 2025, to June 5, 2027, and would expire on June 26, 2027.