Rep. June Speakman

Maddy summaryThis bill grants the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation (RIHMFC) exclusive authority to manage federal funds for low-income housing projects across the state. It designates RIHMFC as the sole public agency permitted to administer these specific rental subsidy allocations, though it allows for agreements with other authorized entities or related organizations. The legislation also expands RIHMFC's legal powers to enter into contracts, form partnerships, and operate businesses necessary to carry out these housing assistance programs. By centralizing this responsibility, the law ensures that all such federal housing funds within Rhode Island are administered through a single designated body.

Maddy summaryThis bill requests HealthSource RI to form a working group that studies how to make health insurance more affordable for Rhode Islanders in the individual market. The group will examine options to lower monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs, particularly as federal financial support is set to expire in 2025. Members of the working group will include government officials, insurance companies, healthcare providers, and consumer advocates. The group must submit its recommendations and proposed funding sources to state leaders by January 31, 2025.

Establishes the renewable ready program and fund to promotes the responsible siting/development of renewable energy generating resources in locations where it would be an ancillary beneficial use to the redevelopment of previously contaminated property.

Provides amendments to the membership provisions of planning boards or commissions and would enable municipalities to establish "combined review boards" to replace separate planning and zoning boards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires every town and city in the state to switch to electronic permitting for all development applications related to zoning, land subdivision, and low-income housing by October 1, 2025. To fund the necessary digital systems and staff, the law mandates that applicants pay an additional fee equal to one-tenth of one percent of their total application cost, which goes to a state office to build a uniform online platform. The legislation also allows the state building commissioner to create specific rules for how these digital tools must be implemented and ensures that local governments can be reimbursed for their compliance costs. Ultimately, the act moves the entire process of submitting plans, reviewing documents, and calculating fees online to streamline how communities handle construction and development projects.

Outlines the requirements and process for LEAs to get written parental consent before conducting an evaluation, reevaluation, making an initial placement/changes in placement/the individual education program of a student in a special education program.

Requires landlords of residential properties give tenants notice of rent increase at least 90 days prior to increase and requires notice requirement for rent increases for month to month tenants who are over the age of 62 years, to 120 days.

Amends various sections of law relating to elections, nomination papers and the process of obtaining signatures for nomination papers and would provide a notification procedure for the reporting of consistent patterns of forgery on nomination papers.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Rhode Island Representative Allan W. Fung to legally marry James Donahue and Lamont Gordon on June 23, 2024, in Cranston. It grants the representative the specific power to perform the wedding ceremony under existing state marriage laws for this particular event. The legislation applies only to these three individuals and does not change any broader rules about who can get married in the state.

Requires the department of health to amend its rules and regulations that allow for DEA-registered pharmacies to transfer electronic prescriptions at a patient's request (21 CFR Part 1306