Rep. Lauren Carson

This resolution would condition the distribution of any state funds to Brown University Health on the continued operation of a birthing center in the city of Newport.

Prohibits the closure or significant reduction of services of a birthing center without notice, application, financial disclosure, public hearing, and approval by the department of health.

Maddy summaryHB 7505 ends Rhode Island's Jobs Development Act tax incentive program by July 1, 2026. It stops all new rate reductions for companies after June 30, 2026, and requires existing beneficiaries who qualified before July 1, 2015, to maintain their current tax rate until the program's end date. The bill does not affect companies that already secured benefits before the 2015 cutoff date, but no new companies can qualify for the tax rate reductions after 2026. This is a straightforward sunset provision for the state's job creation tax incentive program.

Maddy summaryHB 7557, the Rhode Island Firearm Industry Accountability Act of 2026, requires firearm manufacturers, distributors, and retailers ("firearm industry members") to implement safety measures preventing sales to prohibited buyers, straw purchasers, or firearm traffickers. It mandates "reasonable controls" to ensure compliance with existing firearm laws, prohibits advertising that promotes illegal use, and bans sales to entities violating these rules. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $10,000 per offense, injunctions, or loss of business permits. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies to civil cases filed after that date.

Requires that any covered entity that develops/provides online services, products, or features that children are reasonably likely to access shall consider the best interest of children when designing/developing such online service, product, or feature.

Deletes the provision permitting out of state residents to obtain concealed carry permits in this state solely based on their rights in other states. It also corrects a minor typographical error.

Requires individuals who own firearms to obtain and continuously maintain a policy of liability insurance in an amount of not less than $1,000,000 dollars and exempts active duty law enforcement and military from this requirement.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires background checks for all ammunition purchases and transfers, prohibiting sales or transfers without a successful check. It directly affects individuals buying or receiving ammunition in the state. The law would implement this background check as a mandatory condition for every ammunition transaction.

Allows for trucks with a gross vehicle weight of eight thousand five hundred pounds (8,500 lbs.) or less to have passenger registration license plates.

Maddy summaryHB 7675 establishes a $2-per-ton surcharge on solid waste disposal (paid by waste haulers and landfill operators) to fund composting initiatives. The revenue flows into a dedicated "Compost Fund," which supports three grant programs: competitive grants for composting projects, municipal waste diversion grants (available only to towns that opt-in), and infrastructure development. The bill directly affects waste disposal entities and municipalities, aiming to reduce landfill use by incentivizing organic waste diversion. Key provisions include quarterly surcharge collection starting in 2027, annual adjustments tied to inflation or a 20% increase, and requiring funds to stay within the Compost Fund rather than returning to the general state budget.