Sen. Jonathon Acosta

Primary SB 339

Passed · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THUNDERMIST FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Appropriates the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) to fund the Thundermist family medicine residency program during fiscal year 2026 and every fiscal year thereafter.

Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $500k for medical residency program, directly increasing state funding for public health services.95% confidence HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds Thundermist family medicine residency program with $500k annually, directly supporting healthcare workforce development and training medical professionals.95% confidence

Passed Jun 20, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 674

Signed into law · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, IMPROVEMENT, ALTERATION, REPAIR, FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING OF SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL FACILITIES IN THE CITY BY THE ISSUANCE OF NOT MORE THAN $15,000,000 BONDS, NOTES AND/OR OTHER EVIDENCES OF INDEBTEDNESS THEREFOR

Authorizes the City of Central Falls to issue bonds and notes in an amount not exceeding $15,000,000 to finance the construction, renovation, improvement, alteration, repair furnishing and equipping of schools and school facilities in the city.

EducationSupports EducationAuthorizes $15M in bonds for school construction/renovation, directly funding physical infrastructure to improve educational facilities and access.95% confidence

Signed into law Jun 18, 2025 0 co-sponsors

Primary SB 650

Signed into law · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- WATER POLLUTION

Effective September 1, 2025, requires quarterly testing of biosolids for PFAS contaminants by those seeking to apply biosolids to lands, with subsequent reports to the department of environmental management.

EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates quarterly PFAS testing in biosolids for land application, strengthening pollution control and preventing environmental contamination from a known toxic chemical.95% confidence

Signed into law Jun 13, 2025 0 co-sponsors

Primary SB 22

Passed · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION -- STUDENT SUCCESS ACT

Reduces the time, from three (3) years to one year, required for a nonimmigrant foreign national student, who has resided in Rhode Island, to be eligible to pay the same in-state tuition as any other Rhode Island student.

EducationSupports EducationReduces residency requirement for in-state tuition, expanding access to higher education for foreign students by lowering financial barriers.95% confidence ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationReduces residency requirement for foreign students to access in-state tuition, a state service benefiting immigrant students.95% confidence

Passed Jun 12, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 1042

Passed · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP

Makes students in workforce-ready certificate programs at the Community College of Rhode Island eligible to receive the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship.

EducationSupports EducationExpands scholarship access for workforce certificate students at CCRI, increasing higher education funding and access through Rhode Island Promise program expansion.95% confidence

Passed Jun 10, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 336

Passed · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY AND TOWN LIMITS

Allows an individual school district that can utilize its own buses or vendors at a lower cost than the statewide system, to obtain reimbursement for these costs from state funds.

EducationSupports EducationAllows school districts to receive state reimbursement for transportation costs, providing direct funding support for educational operations and accessibility.95% confidence TransportationSupports TransportationBill provides state funding for school bus transportation, a transportation service, aligning with 'funds transportation projects' indicator.90% confidence

Passed Jun 10, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 246

Passed · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- 2021 ACT ON CLIMATE

Raises the minimum fee per barrel of petroleum products or crude oil from five cents ($0.05) to ten cents ($0.10) per barrel as part of the uniform oil spill response and prevention fee.

EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRaises oil spill prevention fees, directly funding environmental protection related to climate and pollution control as stated in bill title and summary.95% confidence

Passed Jun 10, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 13

Passed · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE USE BY HEALTH INSURERS TO MANAGE COVERAGE AND CLAIMS ACT

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurers in Rhode Island to disclose how they use artificial intelligence for managing coverage and claims. Insurers must report details like AI models used, training data, decision-making processes, and maintain 5-year records of AI-influenced decisions - including denials of medically necessary care. All AI-driven adverse benefit determinations must be reviewed and approved by a healthcare professional before finalizing, with their rationale documented. The law mandates annual reports to state regulators on AI usage, including performance metrics like denial rates and appeal outcomes, taking effect June 2026.

HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer transparency in AI use and requires healthcare professional review/approval of AI-driven claim denials, protecting patient rights from unfair coverage decisions.95% confidence TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires insurers to disclose AI use, decision processes, and mandates healthcare review for AI-driven denials, advancing consumer protection and transparency in AI deployment.90% confidence

Passed Jun 10, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 67

Passed · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS -- WORKERS' COOPERATIVES

Clarifies the role of a corporation electing to be governed as a workers' cooperative to allow it to operate as a hiring hall under certain circumstances.

Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies workers' cooperative operation as hiring halls, enabling worker-led employment management and strengthening collective bargaining structures.90% confidence

Passed Jun 4, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track

Primary SB 988

Passed · Rhode Island Senate · Lead sponsor

AN ACT RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE -- WORK ON HOLIDAYS AND SUNDAYS

Maddy summarySB 988 adds Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday and Washington's Birthday to the list of recognized holidays under state labor law for purposes of work regulations on holidays and Sundays. This means employers must follow the same rules for these two holidays as they do for other designated holidays, such as requiring overtime pay or time off for eligible employees. The bill specifically amends the definition of "Holidays" in the labor code to include these days, affecting all employers covered by the state's work-on-holidays and Sundays provisions. It does not change existing exemptions for certain industries or employees. The bill passed the Senate and takes effect upon passage.

Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds MLK Jr. and Washington's Birthday to recognized holidays, requiring overtime pay/time off for eligible employees under labor law, strengthening worker benefits.90% confidence

Passed Jun 4, 2025 0 co-sponsors Track