Requires owners or landlords who rent shoreline property to provide their tenants, before the start of the tenancy, with a detailed, written disclosure regarding public shoreline access rights.
Prohibits participation in federal school voucher tax credit for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations unless both the general assembly and the governor approve such participation.
Amends 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.
Hospital Conversions act amended to authorize AG and DOH to permit expedited review application for hospital insolvency proceedings. Sunsets in one year.
Creates rodent integrated pest management pilot programs for municipalities that choose to participate. Reports to be approved by the municipality's mayor or administrator and submitted to the department of environmental management.
Amends what is considered sexual abuse for purposes of limitations on actions based on sexual abuse or exploitation of a child and would amend the provisions for when a cause of action may be brought.
Maddy summaryHB 7357 creates the "Reproductive Health and Gender-Affirming Healthcare Data Privacy Act" to protect sensitive health information in Rhode Island. It directly affects residents whose data relates to gender-affirming care or reproductive health, and the healthcare providers or businesses handling that data. The law requires explicit, opt-in consent for collecting such data, prohibits deceptive practices for obtaining consent, and defines protected data to include not only direct health information but also derived data (like location patterns or algorithmic inferences) tied to these services. It explicitly excludes publicly available or de-identified research data from coverage.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a special legislative commission to study how Rhode Island school districts can share services to address funding and operational challenges. The commission will consist of thirteen members, including legislators, state officials, education leaders, business representatives, and a student, who will meet without pay to investigate potential shared service models. State agencies are required to provide necessary information to the commission, which must submit its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives by April 30, 2027, before the group expires.
Maddy summaryHB 7726, the Solar Cost Reduction Act, streamlines permitting for residential solar installations by creating a statewide automated platform. It requires municipalities to adopt a "smart solar permitting platform" that instantly issues permits for compliant applications (like rooftop solar systems under 25 kW) without manual review, while banning additional engineering documentation for eligible projects. Homeowners and installers benefit from faster permits, electronic submissions, and remote inspection options by 2027, while municipalities retain authority over local fees and retain all permit revenue. The bill also establishes a public repository of all local solar ordinances to standardize requirements across the state.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates a special legislative commission to study how Rhode Island school districts could share services to address funding and operational challenges. The commission will consist of fourteen members, including legislators, state officials, union leaders, business representatives, and a student, who will meet without pay to investigate potential shared service models. The group is required to submit its findings and recommendations to the House of Representatives by April 30, 2027, after which the commission will expire.
