Sen. Jonathon Acosta

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new age and mileage limits for taxicabs in the state, directly affecting taxi operators and vehicle owners. It prohibits putting any vehicle into service as a taxi if it is older than eight model years and bans operating a taxi once it reaches either 300,000 miles or ten model years, whichever happens first. The law includes a provision allowing the public utilities administrator to grant exemptions for older vehicles that are in exceptional condition and appear nearly new. Once signed, these rules will apply to all taxicabs used to transport passengers.

Eliminates requirement of signing with an "X" for voters who cannot sign their name due to blindness, disability, or inability to read/write and establishes a timeframe for local boards to accept mail ballot applications delivered via the postal service.

Maddy summaryThis law allows residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities to install cameras, audio recorders, or video recorders in their private rooms or living units. To use these devices, a resident must provide written consent, and if they live with a roommate, the roommate must also agree to the monitoring. Facilities must try to move a resident to a private room if their current roommate refuses to consent, though the resident may have to pay a higher fee for that room. The rules also require that anyone monitoring a resident explain the device's capabilities and conditions before consent is given, and residents can turn off the recording at any time.

Maddy summaryThis bill mandates the creation of a voluntary "Blue Envelope Program" for drivers with autism spectrum disorder in Rhode Island. The Department of Motor Vehicles must develop this initiative in partnership with law enforcement leaders and disability advocates to improve communication between police officers and these drivers during traffic stops. Participation in the program is entirely optional, and the DMV will look at successful models from other states when designing the system. The law is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the rules for agreements involving the recovery of unclaimed property, such as forgotten bank accounts or safe deposit box contents. It makes contracts that promise to find this property unenforceable if they are signed within 24 months of the property being reported to the state. For agreements signed after that 24-month window, the law requires that fees be capped at 10% of the property's value, the contract be in writing, and the owner be clearly informed that they can claim the property for free from the general treasurer. Additionally, the agreement must detail the property's value and the owner's final share after any fees are deducted, while also allowing owners to challenge fees they consider excessive. These changes directly affect individuals hired to locate unclaimed assets and the owners of those assets.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands a tax exemption for redevelopment properties to include the city of Central Falls, joining Providence and Pawtucket in this policy. Under the new rule, real property acquired by redevelopment agencies in Central Falls would not be taxed unless the city council specifically passes an ordinance to impose taxes on it. The legislation directly affects redevelopment projects in Central Falls by potentially reducing the financial burden on properties used for community revitalization efforts.

Maddy summarySB 2677 expands the ability of individuals to have their criminal records expunged by allowing multiple non-violent felony convictions to be cleared ten years after the sentence is completed. The bill also permits the expungement of multiple misdemeanor convictions after five years and includes provisions for deferred sentences and decriminalized offenses. Eligible applicants must demonstrate good moral character, show no new arrests or convictions in the relevant time period, and have paid all associated court fees and fines. Courts retain the discretion to grant or deny these motions based on whether the applicant's rehabilitation aligns with the public interest.

Changes the name of The College Crusade Scholarship to the Onward We Learn Scholarship and provide that those scholarships would not be considered federal or financial aid with regard to the Promise Scholarship or Hope Scholarship Pilot Program.

Maddy summarySB 2172 proposes to increase the minimum property tax exemption for veterans in Rhode Island from $1,000 to $6,000. This change would apply to individuals who served honorably in various U.S. military conflicts, as well as their unmarried widows or widowers. The bill allows local towns to set their own exemption amounts, which often exceed the state minimum, and it clarifies how the exemption is applied to a veteran's real and personal property.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the specific makeup of the housing authority for the city of Central Falls, requiring that one of its five members be a resident of public housing or a recipient of a Housing Choice Voucher. The resident member must be appointed by the mayor from a list of at least three nominees provided by the housing authority's executive director and must remain a resident of the city throughout their five-year term. Additionally, the bill updates rules for town housing authorities in Lincoln and North Providence, mandating that at least one commissioner be a public housing resident selected through an open election or application process. These provisions aim to ensure that residents directly affected by housing programs have a voice in the governance of their local housing authorities.