Requires that the license plates of a vehicle be confiscated by a police officer if the owner was arrested for driving while their license was suspended, revoked or cancelled for refusing to submit to a chemical test or for operating under the influence.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires schools to report the names and reasons for termination of non-teacher employees who are fired for misconduct to the state Department of Education. The department would maintain a confidential list accessible only to hiring authorities for other schools, helping them avoid hiring individuals with documented termination records. The law excludes contract nonrenewals and terminations due to budget cuts or reorganization from this reporting requirement.
Requires employers to provide full-time employees four (4) hours of paid leave once a year to donate blood through and any approved blood donation program.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends state regulations to change the frequency of backflow prevention device inspections from yearly to once every ten years for public water systems. It directly affects community and non-transient non-community public water systems by allowing the state director to set standards for cross-connection control plans and device testing. The legislation maintains requirements for installing specific valves at new and commercial connections while permitting water utilities to cut off service to customers who fail to install required devices. The bill also authorizes the state to establish fees for certifying professionals who perform backflow prevention testing and maintenance.
Requires any public utility company that needs to close any state or municipal roadway for work to provide notice to all residential and business property owners located within 1,000 ft of the closed highway at least 48 hrs before the road closure.
Maddy summaryThis bill changes election deadlines by moving the date for filing candidacy declarations from June to April for state and local elections. It directly affects candidates running for party or independent nomination in primary elections by requiring them to submit their paperwork earlier. The key provision sets a new April deadline for filing declaration forms, which must include personal information, party affiliation, and certifications about criminal history and mental competency. Local election boards will check signatures against voter lists and can reject papers with invalid signatures, while the state board may review cases showing patterns of forgery. This change aims to ensure candidates file their nomination materials earlier in the election cycle.
Maddy summarySB 2490 allows Rhode Island residents applying for or renewing hunting or fishing licenses to be automatically registered to vote, with the option to decline. The Department of Environmental Management will offer voter registration forms simultaneously with license applications, ensuring the same assistance level as for licenses, and protects privacy by keeping declined registrations confidential. Completed forms must be sent electronically to the state voter system within one business day, and applicants must be U.S. citizens to register. This process mirrors existing automatic voter registration at the Division of Motor Vehicles.
Requires state use actual residences of persons in government custody for redistricting purposes. Information would be collected by the department of corrections and forwarded to the division of statewide planning, to be utilized for redistricting.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends Rhode Island's Law Enforcement Officers' Due Process, Accountability, and Transparency Act to modify how legal fees are handled during disciplinary hearings. It allows the chairperson of a hearing committee to appoint legal counsel for the committee upon written request from both the law enforcement agency and the accused officer, with each party responsible for paying 50% of the legal fees unless they agree otherwise. The legislation also clarifies definitions for key terms and specifies the composition of hearing committees, which must include a retired judge, a practicing attorney, and three law enforcement officers selected from a certified pool. These changes apply to permanently employed police officers, state police officers, and certain other law enforcement employees, excluding department chiefs and highest-ranking officers.
Dictates the length a search warrant involving a tracking device would be valid and provide a process to extend the time frame of the tracking device for good cause.
