Allows RI to opt out of the provisions of DIDMCA exempting out of state lenders from interest rate limits which apply to RI lenders. Prevents evasion of statutory interest rate limits and lending rules for loans made in RI.
Creates the Rhode Island Student Loan repayment program which would allow eligible individuals who have unpaid student loans, provided said individuals meet specified criteria.
Maddy summarySB 693 proposes to expand eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs, which help low-income seniors and people with disabilities pay for Medicare costs. The bill increases the income limit for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program to 125% of the federal poverty line, enabling more individuals to receive assistance with Medicare Part A and B premiums, deductibles, and co-payments. It also sets an income limit for the Qualified Individual (QI) program between 125% and 168% of the federal poverty line, assisting these individuals with Medicare Part B premiums. Enrollment in these programs automatically provides additional help with prescription drug costs. The Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services is tasked with implementing these changes.
Establishes VICTIM Fund grant program to support nonprofit organizations providing victim services in Rhode Island with the state allocating $30,000,000 per year to fund the program and staffing within the department of public safety.
Authorizes the appropriation of the sum of $500,000 to Sojourner House to support its permanent housing development program that provides safe, secure housing to individuals and families fleeing from dangerous situations.
Maddy summarySB 943 requires landlords of "large multi-family dwellings" (buildings with more than 12 units) to obtain insurance. This insurance must cover temporary housing and storage costs for tenants displaced for at least 30 days due to events like fire, flood, or natural disaster that render the building uninhabitable. The bill outlines tenant rights, including prompt notification and suitable temporary housing, and establishes penalties for non-compliant landlords, with enforcement by the Department of Business Regulation.
Maddy summarySB 727, known as the "Large Capacity Feeding Device Ban of 2022," prohibits most individuals from manufacturing, selling, purchasing, possessing, or controlling large capacity feeding devices. A first violation is classified as a misdemeanor, carrying penalties of up to two years imprisonment or a $1,000 fine, while subsequent offenses are felonies. Individuals who lawfully possessed such devices on June 20, 2022, are given 180 days to modify them to hold ten rounds or less, surrender them, or transfer them out of state to a licensed dealer or person lawfully entitled to possess them. Exemptions are provided for federally licensed firearm dealers, active and retired law enforcement officers, and active duty military personnel.
Provides for a cause of action against an individual or entity that prohibits the possession of firearms on real property, except residences, by an individual that is authorized and licensed to carry a firearm.
Increases sentences for carrying a stolen firearm when committing a crime of violence and for possessing a stolen firearm. Requires that a person convicted of these offenses serve a period of time in which they would not be eligible for parole/ probation.
Maddy summarySB 888 amends the law regarding mayoral academies, which are charter schools created by mayors or town administrators serving students from multiple communities. This bill specifies that only a mayor or, if there is no mayor, a town administrator from each participating city or town can be a voting member on a mayoral academy's board of directors or trustees. Other representatives from these communities may serve on the board in a non-voting, advisory capacity. This change directly affects the governance and decision-making structure of these specific charter schools.
