Sen. Jonathon Acosta

Maddy summarySB 21 modifies teacher certification processes in Rhode Island. It automatically extends existing teacher certifications for three or five years, without fees, for those certified by July 1, 2025. To promote recruitment, the bill waives initial teacher certification application and Praxis examination fees for a three-year period starting July 1, 2025. It also allows teachers with at least three years of experience to acquire additional certifications and directs the Department of Education to create more flexible pathways for obtaining teacher and administrator certifications, including recognizing non-traditional experience.

Amends Rhode Island’s existing healthcare services funding plan act by adding an account relating to a new psychiatry resource network to fund Rhode Island’s present PediPRN and MomsPRN.

Directs the commissioner of postsecondary education to prepare a strategic plan for public higher education which is aligned with the goals of the board of education's strategic plan.

Maddy summarySB 129 amends the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act to expand protections against discrimination in housing. The bill adds "housing status," "lawful source of income," and "military status" (for veterans and servicemembers) as protected characteristics. It also clarifies the definition of "domestic abuse" within the act and defines "assistance animal" and "service animal." This means housing owners and agents are prohibited from inquiring about or discriminating against individuals based on these expanded categories when selling, renting, or leasing housing accommodations.

Maddy summaryThis bill, SB 111, proposes to discontinue the tax rate reductions provided under the "Jobs Development Act." It would sunset all existing rate reductions from this program by July 1, 2025. Companies that qualified for a rate reduction before July 1, 2015, would be allowed to maintain their existing reduction until the 2025 deadline, provided they continue to meet their obligations. No new credits or additional rate reductions would be authorized under the Jobs Development Act after June 30, 2025.

Increases the Rhode Island earned-income credit to twenty percent (20%) on January 1, 2026. Such credit would not exceed the amount of state income tax.

Limits rent increases to no more than 4% annually unless the landlord is granted exemption by the secretary of housing. Provides tenants with a civil action to recover damages, including award of attorneys' fees and punitive damages, for any violations.

Would provide children up to age three (3) with continuous coverage eligibility for RIte Track/RIte Care so that they are not at risk of losing coverage at the yearly redetermination due solely to administrative barriers.

Creates the division of civil representation within the department of housing and require civil representation by a Designated Legal Organization to provide legal representation to all tenants who qualify in eviction proceedings.

Includes municipal detention facility corporations as exempt from taxation, and requires that an amount equal to 27% of all tax that would have been collected if the property was taxable be paid to the municipality annually.