Sen. Jonathon Acosta

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the ability for retired state employees to work part-time at state colleges and universities without losing their retirement benefits. It specifically allows retired teachers, nurses, and other eligible staff to provide classroom instruction, academic advising, coaching, or professional nursing services at these institutions. The law sets strict limits on how much these individuals can earn from such work, capping annual pay at $18,000 for general faculty roles and $15,000 for driver education, while ensuring their pension payments remain intact. Additionally, the legislation clarifies rules for other specific roles, such as elected officials and judges, who may continue to serve in those capacities after retirement without forfeiting their allowances.

Raises the amount of life insurance the state would provide at no charge to Rhode Island National Guard members called up for federal duty to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).

Establishes the office of inspector general as an independent administrative agency charged with the responsibility to investigate, detect, and prevent fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.

Requires a review by the department of elementary and secondary education of the formula components used to compute the aid needed to support high need students.

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

Creates an additional Rhode Island personal income surtax of 3% on taxable income over $1,000,000, with the existing three-bracket personal income tax structure remaining in place.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Rhode Island New Qualified Jobs Incentive Act 2015, sets a final end date for tax rate reductions provided under the state's Jobs Development Act. Specifically, it mandates that no new tax credits will be reserved for companies after June 30, 2024, and all existing rate reductions must stop by July 1, 2024. While the bill stops future incentives, it allows companies that qualified for these tax breaks before July 1, 2015, to keep their current rates as long as they continue to meet the original requirements. Essentially, the legislation ensures that the special tax benefits for job creation in Rhode Island will not extend beyond the year 2024.

Creates new tax on gains from sale or exchange of real property held for short periods of time, 6 years or less, establishes a comprehensive framework to calculate and implement enforcement and provides imprisonment and/or fines for those who evade taxes.

Maddy summarySB 2366 establishes a new subsidy program designed to help low-income households afford their home energy bills. The law requires large electric and gas utilities to create a tiered payment plan that caps utility costs at a specific percentage of a customer's income, with discounts applied to both monthly bills and past owed amounts. Eligible households are defined as those earning up to 150% of the federal poverty level, and the program's cost will be covered by rate adjustments for all other customers. The Public Utilities Commission will oversee the creation and approval of these plans, ensuring they balance affordability for low-income families with reasonable administrative expenses.

Maddy summarySB 2061 amends Rhode Island's personal income tax law to allow residents to exclude all Social Security income from their state taxable starting in 2025. The bill also updates how the state calculates income by adjusting federal figures, including specific rules for tuition savings program withdrawals and the treatment of forgiven Paycheck Protection Program loans over $250,000. These changes directly affect Rhode Island residents who receive Social Security benefits or have participated in state tuition savings accounts and loan forgiveness programs.