Allows any city, town, state and/or agency of a municipality or the state to report unpaid fines of two hundred dollars ($200) or more to the division of motor vehicles as grounds for refusal of registration.
Mandates insurance coverage for scalp cooling treatments for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatments.
Requires that a conspicuous display be a visual illustration showing each component of the utility bill and the cost associated with each component of said bill, subject to the approval of the division of public utilities (DPUC).
Makes students in workforce-ready certificate programs at the community college of Rhode Island eligible to receive the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship.
Allows members of the retirement system who served in the national guard or reserves and qualify as veterans, to purchase retirement service credits based on their years of service in the National guard or reserves.
Raises the amount of life insurance the state provides at no charge to Rhode Island National Guard members called up for federal duty to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
Funds the state crime victim compensation program through an additional one dollar ($1.00) fine on traffic violations, exclusive of violations related to the parking of vehicles.
Maddy summarySB 2457, the Rhode Island Kratom Act, requires retailers to store all kratom products behind a locked case until sold, directly affecting businesses selling kratom. The bill prohibits sales to anyone under 21, mandating valid photo ID (like a driver's license or passport) to verify age at purchase. These rules take effect April 1, 2026, applying to all kratom product transactions in Rhode Island. The law focuses on physical storage and age verification as its core mechanisms.
Maddy summarySB 2186 allows individuals with disabilities to obtain up to two motor vehicle disability parking placards instead of the current limit of one. This directly affects people with disabilities who own multiple vehicles or require parking access for different vehicles. The bill amends existing law to increase the number of placards permitted per person, simplifying access to disability parking privileges. It does not change eligibility requirements or add new administrative processes. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 16, 2026, and referred to committee.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution asks the Rhode Island Governor to order an analysis of why the state's Veterans Home in Bristol cannot hire enough staff to operate at full capacity. The requested study will examine specific issues such as wages, shift pay, housing, and career opportunities to understand the root causes of the staffing shortage. Based on the findings, the Governor must create a plan to reach full occupancy and include those recommendations in the upcoming state budget. This measure directly affects the Veterans Home, the state's Department of Administration, and the budget process for the 2027-2028 fiscal year.
