Sen. Meghan Kallman

Maddy summarySB 2705 requires towns and cities to mandate that affordable housing units be included in certain new residential developments. It directly affects local governments, which must update zoning ordinances, and developers building qualifying projects. The key provision is that developers must provide a specified percentage of affordable units in eligible new construction, without requiring additional subsidies. The bill is still in early stages, having been introduced to the Senate Housing and Municipal Government committee on February 27, 2026.

Requires that an independent efficiency and performance audit of the department of transportation be commissioned by the department of administration.

Prohibits an educational institution or school district from accessing or using location data for tracking a student's institutional device or personal device, except in limited circumstances.

Maddy summarySB 2526 terminates the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's extension of the Providence Public Schools (PPSD) turnaround plan, which had been set to continue until October 2027. This bill directly affects Providence Public Schools by ending their current oversight structure under the state's student investment initiative. The key provision nullifies the specific administrative extension issued on August 29, 2024, making it "null and void and terminated." The change takes effect on July 1, 2026, ending the extended oversight period for PPSD. This is a procedural bill that modifies an existing administrative action rather than creating new educational policy.

Maddy summarySB 2629 changes the name of the second Monday in August from "Victory Day" to "Peace and Remembrance Day" in Rhode Island's state holiday schedule. This affects state employees who observe the holiday, as the bill amends the official list of holidays in the General Laws. The bill repeals a prior section that prohibited referring to this day by any name other than "Victory Day." It takes effect upon passage and makes no other changes to holiday observances or policies. The change is purely semantic, updating the holiday's name without altering its date or associated observances.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution designates April 2026 as the "Month of the Military Child" in Rhode Island to honor children of service members. The measure highlights the sacrifices these families make and encourages the public to show support during this time. It directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the resolution to the American Legion Post 85 Women's Auxiliary.

Prohibits public utilities, serving greater 100,000 customers from recovering through rates any direct or indirect cost associated with, amongst other costs, advertising, marketing, communications.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows local municipalities in the state to adopt ranked choice voting for their elections once voters approve a charter amendment. Under this system, voters rank candidates in order of preference on their ballots, and votes are counted in rounds where eliminated candidates' votes transfer to voters' next choices. The bill defines specific rules for how ballots are counted in both single-winner and multi-winner elections, including how to handle surplus votes and invalid ballots. It applies only to local elections within jurisdictions that have officially adopted the method through voter approval, and it would eliminate separate primary elections in those areas.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Rhode Island Voting Rights Act to establish state-level procedures that prevent discrimination and vote suppression in elections. It directly affects political subdivisions across Rhode Island, including cities, towns, and state agencies, by prohibiting election policies that create disparities in voter participation or ability to participate in the political process. The law defines protected classes based on race, color, language-minority status, and other characteristics, and sets standards for identifying voter suppression and vote dilution without requiring proof of intentional discrimination. Key provisions include protections for individuals with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and early voting access, while allowing political subdivisions to adopt alternative election methods if they can show a compelling governmental interest.

Maddy summarySB 2464 requires Rhode Island's health insurance commissioner to produce annual reports on insurer practices, including fee schedules, provider credentialing processes, and data disclosure methods for healthcare facilities. The bill mandates that a professional-provider-health-plan work group (part of an advisory council) compile specific data to help consumers compare quality and costs of care. These reports, due by January 1, 2027, will cover topics like insurance dispute resolution, real-time enrollment verification, and the impact of "silent PPOs" on providers. The legislation directly affects health insurers, medical providers, and consumers by increasing transparency in health insurance operations and pricing.