Rep. Terri Cortvriend

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 6300 proclaims the first full week of May, 2025, as "Composting Awareness Week" in the State of Rhode Island. It urges the Governor and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to observe the week with appropriate activities and programs, and encourages all Rhode Islanders to participate in composting.

Requires the state investment commission to create a capital access initiative to expand potential investment opportunities for the state’s pension fund and engage qualified but traditionally underrepresented investment managers.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 6301 recognizes May 2025 as "Mental Health Awareness Month" in the State of Rhode Island. It calls upon citizens, organizations, healthcare providers, and schools to raise mental health awareness and provide education.

Establish a moratorium on changes to the state energy conservation code from the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code until January 1, 2030, unless approved by the legislature and made effective by the governor.

Allows for a qualified abandonment of public town roads which grants a public easement over said road allowing it to be converted to walking, biking, and hiking trails and access to parks, nature preserves and other recreational facilities.

Maddy summaryHR 6297 is a House Resolution that officially commemorates April 30, 2025, as "National Therapy Animal Day" in the State of Rhode Island. The resolution recognizes the comfort and healing therapy animals provide and urges the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services and all Rhode Island citizens to appreciate and promote the benefits of the human-animal bond.

Maddy summaryHB 5747 establishes a new Board of Trustees for the University of Rhode Island (URI), making it a public corporation with legal title to URI property. This Board assumes powers and duties for URI previously held by the Council on Postsecondary Education, becoming the employer of record for university faculty and staff. The bill grants the Board authority to manage its own procurement processes and requires it to define and implement performance-based measures for the university. Additionally, it mandates the Board to develop transfer pathways for students from community colleges and ensure URI accepts Advanced Placement scores of 3 or better for course credit.

Maddy summaryHB 5280, the "Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disabilities Act," aims to provide inclusive educational opportunities at state colleges and universities for students aged 18-21 with severe intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, or other severe developmental disabilities who receive special education services. The bill allows these students to participate in credit or non-credit courses, internships, and campus life without requiring a high school diploma or college entrance exams. Their participation is considered an approved special education service and a form of secondary school education, covered if addressed in their Individualized Education Program. While state institutions can set selection guidelines, they cannot deny opportunities solely based on disability, and they are not required to fund individual supports beyond typical provisions.

Prohibits the state from seeking reimbursement for expenditures made on behalf of disabled Rhode Islanders from an ABLE account after death of the designated beneficiary.

Maddy summaryHB 5529 aims to expand eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs, which assist low-income seniors and people with disabilities with their Medicare costs. It raises the income limit for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program to 138% of the federal poverty line, allowing more individuals to receive state assistance for Medicare Part A and B premiums and cost-sharing. Additionally, the bill establishes a "Qualified Individual" category for those with incomes between 138% and 186% of the federal poverty line, for whom the state would cover Medicare Part B premiums, contingent on full federal funding. This expansion seeks to improve access to medical services and enhance financial security for eligible Medicare enrollees.