Amends the administration requirements a zoning ordinance must provide and/or designate and would require that zoning certificates be issued within 20 days of the written request.
Authorizes the establishment of a RI housing champion designation program. This program would make qualified municipalities eligible to receive preferential access to state resources, including discretionary state infrastructure funds, as available.
Amends the composition of the building code standards committee and would make several technical amendments relative to the building code office and would establish a state building code office within the office of state fire marshal.
Adds "providing for residential development in all or some of the areas encompassing commercial districts" as a purpose a zoning ordinance must address.
Maddy summarySB 716 establishes a formal process for local governments and private entities to modify parking near public shoreline access areas in Rhode Island. It requires detailed plans showing how changes won’t reduce access, especially for people with disabilities (meeting ADA standards), and mandates a 30-day public comment period before approval. Entities that skip these steps face fines up to $5,000 per day, with penalty funds going to a new "shoreline access improvement fund" for public access projects. The bill directly affects towns, businesses, and organizations managing coastal parking while ensuring compliance with state laws and accessibility requirements.
Maddy summarySB 483 (Pharmacy Refill Bill) allows pharmacists to dispense a one-time refill of essential medications for up to 100 days under specific conditions. It directly affects patients who cannot reach their prescriber for a refill and pharmacists managing medication continuity. The bill permits refills only for non-controlled substances (excluding Schedule II-V drugs) needed for life-sustaining or chronic conditions, where stopping treatment could cause health risks, and requires pharmacists to notify the prescriber within seven business days. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and aims to prevent treatment interruptions without prescriber authorization.
Adds the process of permitting the construction of attached single-family dwellings in identified zoning districts as a factor that zoning ordinances must address.
Maddy summarySB 263 requires most health insurance plans in the state to cover mobile mental health crisis response and stabilization services for children and teens under 18. These services, delivered by certified providers, address acute issues like self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or severe anxiety through immediate on-site support and follow-up care. The coverage mandate applies to individual/group health, hospital, and medical expense insurance policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, but excludes policies like accident-only, Medicare supplements, or limited-benefit plans. Insurers must cover these services without delaying access through utilization review processes.
Maddy summarySB 559 increases penalties for animal fighting offenses under § 4-1-9. For a second or subsequent conviction, imprisonment increases from up to two years to up to five years, and fines rise to a maximum of $5,000. The bill also mandates mandatory community service: 20 hours for a first offense and 50 hours for repeat offenses, with no option to suspend or defer this requirement. This law directly affects individuals convicted of organizing, hosting, or betting on animal fights, applying to all such cases under the existing cruelty to animals statute.
Establishes a program operated by the Rhode Island housing and mortgage finance corporation called the "housing land bank" to create affordable housing in RI with the authority to buy, receive, and hold real property for housing development.
