Allows municipalities to enact ordinances that would permit municipalities and water suppliers to enter properties to perform lead service line replacements and permit tenants to request and schedule private side lead service line replacements.
Provides a remedy for any harm caused due to deprivation or violation of rights secured by the Rhode Island Constitution due to acts of the State of Rhode Island.
Establishes a new article in the state building code that provides that certain new housing construction contain at least one floor that meets the requirements for a Type C "ANSI'' Standards for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.
Defines a quorum of the building code standards committee be a majority of the current board members and amends the state building code to require that sections provide that dwelling units from one to four (4) units use the international residential code.
Maddy summarySB 751 amends existing law to explicitly include COVID-19 in the definition of "infectious disease" for first responders. This change ensures that firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who are exposed to COVID-19 while on duty can access the same occupational disability benefits as for other covered diseases like HIV or hepatitis. The bill updates definitions in the law (specifically in sections 23-28.36-1, 23-28.36-2, and 23-28.36-4) to clarify that exposure to COVID-19 qualifies for notification and disability benefits under the existing framework. It does not create new procedures but ensures current protections apply to COVID-19 cases.
Increases the number of state child care licensing inspectors to meet the national recommended average of one inspector for every fifty (50) to sixty (60) child care providers.
Maddy summarySB 827 requires casinos to pay overtime to workers who work on Sundays or designated holidays, such as New Year's Day or Christmas. This bill directly affects casino employees in Rhode Island, as it amends the state's labor law to include them under overtime protections previously excluded. The key change modifies the definition of "employee" to remove casinos from the list of exempt workplaces, ensuring they follow standard overtime rules for holiday and Sunday shifts. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage and does not alter other exemptions, like those for restaurants or healthcare workers.
Creates the Rhode Island Childcare Assistance Program that governs both family eligibility for the state’s childcare subsidy program and expands eligibility for the program to meet the federal eligibility benchmark.
Provides that the school year for all public schools, including traditional public and public charter schools, independent charter schools, and mayoral academies, would start on the same date of each calendar year.
Maddy summarySB 842 prohibits payment networks, banks, and processors from charging interchange fees (fees between banks for card transactions) on the tax or gratuity portion of a customer's payment. It directly affects merchants who process credit/debit card payments, requiring them to report tax and gratuity amounts during transaction authorization or settlement to avoid these fees. If merchants don’t report upfront, they can submit documentation within 180 days to receive refunds for improperly charged fees. Violations carry $1,000 penalties per transaction and require fee refunds to merchants. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.
