Sen. Jake Bissaillon

Maddy summaryThis resolution authorizes $200,000 in state funding for the Rhode Island Black Business Association (RIBBA) to support its programs assisting entrepreneurs and business owners in Rhode Island. The funds, to be drawn from the 2026-2027 state treasury, will help RIBBA provide business development, training, advocacy, and access to capital services. The association serves all Rhode Islanders regardless of background, with its services open to businesses of all sizes. This is a funding allocation, not a policy change.

Maddy summarySB 2719 prohibits life imprisonment without parole for individuals aged 21 or younger convicted of homicide. It directly affects young adults (21 and under) sentenced for homicide crimes, requiring courts to consider alternative sentencing options instead. The bill mandates that any homicide conviction involving a defendant under 21 cannot result in a life sentence without parole. This pending legislation, introduced on February 27, 2026, is currently under review in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Includes municipal detention facility corporations as exempt from taxation, and requires that an amount equal to 27% of all tax that would have been collected if the property was taxable be paid to the municipality annually.

Maddy summarySB 2303 amends Rhode Island's 2015 Comprehensive Community-Police Relationship Act to require all state and municipal police departments to collect detailed data on every routine traffic stop and vehicle search, including the officer's perception of the driver's race/ethnicity, reason for the stop, and outcome (e.g., citation, arrest, or search). This data must be submitted monthly to the Department of Transportation's Office of Highway Safety for a 48-month period starting in 2027. An independent outside agency chosen by the Department will then conduct an annual statistical study analyzing the data for racial disparities in policing, with findings and quarterly summary reports made public. The bill also mandates police agencies to review data monthly for compliance and annually to address any identified disparities.

Provides that prisoners who committed offenses prior to age 18 and were sentenced as adults be eligible for parole after completing 15 yrs of their sentence. Would not lengthen parole eligibility should prisoner be eligible for parole earlier than 15 yrs.

Enlarges definitions of prohibited acts that constitute hazing, make principals, coaches, athletic directors and others responsible for knowingly failing to take reasonable measures to prevent hazing and punishes serious injury.

Removes the requirement that 5% of the hotel tax generated from the South County tourism district be paid to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Provides for warming center and cooling center alerts to trigger certain procedures municipalities shall follow during extreme heat or cold to help at-risk individuals with resources including, but not limited to, warming and cooling centers.

Maddy summarySB 2212 automatically extends teaching licenses for 3 or 5 years without fees or penalties for all teachers certified as of July 1, 2026. It also waives all application and Praxis exam fees for new teacher certifications through June 30, 2029, to support recruitment. The bill requires the Rhode Island Department of Education to revise certification rules to create flexible pathways, including credit for work experience or competency demonstrations, for both initial and additional teaching credentials.

Maddy summarySB 2208 establishes a board of trustees to govern the urban collaborative, which includes Providence and other participating Rhode Island school districts. The board will be appointed by member districts (one member plus one additional for every 30 students attending the collaborative), and it will manage collaborative programs for students needing alternative education services. The bill ensures the collaborative receives state education funding directly and prevents Providence from being removed from the collaborative without its school board's approval during state oversight of Providence schools. It also clarifies that the collaborative qualifies for all state and federal education funding as a school district.