Creates the Rhode Island baby bond trust to provide investment funds to children born to families with public health insurance or no insurance living in Rhode Island.
Permits every municipality in the state to offer a homestead tax exemption of up to 20% of assessed value on residential properties, and also provides that municipalities that grant greater exemptions not be limited by this section.
Restructures RI Housing and Conservation Trust Fund, increase its membership to 15 members, 11 of whom are to be from the general public and reallocate the percentage of the funds for housing, conservation and other goals.
Exempts battery energy storage system equipment, solar thermal collectors for commercial applications and solar storage tanks that are part of a commercial solar hot water system from the state sales tax.
Repeals the exemption granted to pari mutual facilities and casinos from the smoke free workplace requirement contained in the Public Health and Workplace Safety Act.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes allocating $180,000 to the Rhode Island State Conservation Committee and its three regional districts to support their conservation programs. The funding would be divided among the state committee and the Northern, Southern, and Eastern districts to help maintain services like farmland viability, water quality protection, and environmental education. This appropriation aims to restore a budget level that had not been provided since 2006, ensuring these agencies can continue their technical assistance and land preservation efforts.
Directs the department of transportation to prepare a monthly "Washington Bridge snapshot report" containing information on the progress of repairs and other actions pertaining to the Washington Bridge.
Maddy summarySB 2486 would repeal the existing laws that regulate retail promotions involving games of chance, such as contests where customers can win prizes based on luck. Currently, businesses offering these promotions must file detailed statements with the secretary of state, post rules and prize information in their stores, and keep records of winners to ensure fairness and transparency. The bill also removes criminal penalties for failing to follow these rules or for manipulating, rigging, or coercing participation in such schemes. By eliminating these statutes, the legislation would remove the legal framework governing how retail establishments conduct prize-based marketing campaigns.
Prohibits colleges and universities from withholding a student's transcript due to the student failing to pay any expenses owed to the college or university but permits the withholding of a student's academic credits and grades or diploma or degree.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the city of Newport to collect a 9% amusement tax on tickets for specific events held within its borders. The tax applies only to events selling more than 100,000 tickets in the previous year and excludes movie theaters and smaller gatherings. Collected funds must be used exclusively for public infrastructure and public safety projects. The city council will be responsible for creating the necessary rules to implement this new tax.
