Provides extended producer responsibility for packaging and paper, recycling of beverage containers, and provides general provisions for oversight of single-stage producer organizations.
Maddy summaryHB 6126 reduces the Coastal Resources Management Council from 10 to 7 voting members, effective March 1, 2026. It requires six public members appointed by the governor (with Senate approval), including one engineer, one coastal biologist, and one environmental organization representative, while mandating that at least five of these six must come from coastal municipalities. The council’s ex-officio director (from the Department of Environmental Management) remains, and all members must have environmental or coastal management expertise. The bill, signed by the governor on June 30, 2025, updates appointment rules but does not change the council’s policy responsibilities.
Maddy summaryHB 6093 establishes a review process for any changes to parking near coastal shoreline rights-of-way in Rhode Island. It requires cities, towns, private entities, or organizations to submit detailed plans demonstrating ADA compliance, public access preservation, and a 30-day public comment period before restricting parking. The Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and Department of Environmental Management (DEM) must jointly review proposals to ensure they align with public access goals and accessibility standards. Violations - such as modifying parking without following these steps - may result in cease-and-desist orders or daily fines up to $500. The bill does not apply to temporary, safety-related parking restrictions by state/municipal agencies lasting under 20 days.
Authorizes the establishment of a Rhode Island housing champion designation program and makes qualified municipalities eligible to receive preferential access to state resources, including discretionary state infrastructure funds, as available.
Prohibits utility companies from limiting the eligibility of a net metering site based on prior consumption and requires excess energy not consumed under the net metering system to be credited to the consumer.
Requires any state agency that prints more than fifty (50) copies of a contract, publication, brochure, notice, or promotional material to use state-owned or operated print shop capable of processing the material.
Maddy summaryHB 5698 changes how property taxes are calculated for owner-occupied low- and moderate-income housing. It requires assessors to use a property’s most recent sales price - not standard market value - as the tax assessment basis for qualifying housing units. This directly affects homeowners in designated low- and moderate-income housing that serves as owner-occupied residences. The change prevents tax increases tied to rising market values, maintaining affordability for eligible homeowners.
Strikes the words "which is naturally occurring" with regard to any promulgated rules and regulations of the department of environmental management (DEM) relating to the remediation of arsenic.
Authorizes the Rhode Island infrastructure bank to establish a fund to provide financial assistance to local government units for resiliency and stormwater abatement projects.
Amends the definitions of a “pupil transportation vehicle” to a vehicle contrasted to seat not more than ten (10) passengers plus the operator, rather than the existing limit of eight (8) passengers.
