Amends the 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.
Maddy summaryHB 5493 establishes a mandatory energy benchmarking program for large buildings in Rhode Island. It requires owners of commercial and residential buildings over 25,000 square feet (with larger buildings starting in 2027 and smaller ones in 2029) to annually report energy use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions through the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. The collected data will be publicly posted to increase transparency about building energy performance. Exemptions apply for unoccupied properties, those undergoing demolition, or properties without energy services during the reporting year. The law focuses solely on data collection and reporting, not on requiring energy upgrades.
Advances the interests of older Rhode Islanders by adding a representative of an aging adult organization and a permanent committee on aging to the state planning council and creates a permanent legislative commission on aging adults.
Restructures the Rhode Island Housing and Conservation Trust Fund, increases its membership to 15 members, 11 of whom are to be from the general public and reallocates the percentage of the funds for housing, conservation and other goals.
Requires quarterly testing of biosolids for PFAS contaminants by those seeking to apply biosolids to lands, with subsequent reports to the department of environmental management.
Permits a certified foot care nurse or a certified foot care specialist, to provide certain at-home foot care, including routine foot and nail care including nail clipping.
Prohibits the use of service agreements that are unfair to an owner of residential real estate who enters into such an agreement or to persons who may become owners of that real estate in the future.
Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 6412) is a symbolic gesture celebrating Ida Lewis, a historic lighthouse keeper from Newport, Rhode Island, and her lifesaving legacy. It formally recognizes the National Lighthouse Museum’s awarding of the "Past Light Keeper Award" to honor Lewis’s heroic rescues (credited with saving 18 lives) and her role as the first woman to receive the U.S. Gold Lifesaving Medal. The resolution, passed by the Rhode Island House on June 12, 2025, has no binding policy effects - it merely expresses legislative support for the museum’s commemoration. It directly honors Lewis’s historical contributions to Rhode Island’s maritime heritage, not specific individuals or communities.
Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 6372 is a formal request from the Rhode Island House of Representatives to the U.S. Coast Guard. It urges the Coast Guard to retain and maintain 38 buoys currently considered for removal from Rhode Island waters. The resolution aims to ensure the safety of recreational boaters and commercial traffic, emphasizing the importance of physical aids to navigation alongside modern electronic systems.
Maddy summaryHB 5731 allows Rhode Island driver education schools to offer required driver training courses both in-person and through instructor-led virtual formats for a two-year trial period (October 2025-October 2027). This applies to applicants under 18 seeking their first license, while maintaining existing curriculum standards (including 33 hours of instruction covering Rhode Island traffic laws and alcohol/drug education). The state board of education must analyze virtual vs. in-person training effectiveness and report findings to lawmakers by December 2027. Exemptions apply to applicants over 18 or those with a valid out-of-state license held for at least one year.
