Criminalizes the knowing and intentional failure of a physician, nurse, or other licensed medical person to provide reasonable medical care and treatment to an infant born alive as a felony.
Requires verification of an applicant's date of birth and either a Rhode Island driver's license number or state identification number on all applications seeking mail ballots and emergency mail ballots.
Permits students at failing schools to enroll in any public school and also established the Rhode Island education revitalization fund to provide funding to the school choice program.
Maddy summarySB 2485, the Parents' Bill of Rights Act, requires written parental consent for most healthcare services provided to minors in Rhode Island, including medical procedures and prescriptions, with exceptions for abortions and certain clinical lab services. It mandates that schools and healthcare providers notify parents about their children's health and well-being information, grant parents access to school and medical records (except in limited circumstances like ongoing investigations), and prohibit institutions from withholding such information without justification. The bill also establishes parental rights to direct education, moral training, school enrollment choices, and consent for biometric data, DNA collection, or recordings of minors. It applies directly to parents, public and private schools, healthcare providers, and government entities handling minors' affairs. The legislation does not override court orders in child welfare cases or permit unlawful parental conduct.
Establishes the E-Verify compliance program which would require all non-governmental employers within the state with 3 or more employees to apply to participate in the federal E-Verify program and to agree to participate in the program, if accepted.
Provides equal Medicare for infants born-alive as a result of abortion procedure/natural delivery with violations subject to criminal penalties for medical personnel/loss of license/civil action for damages.
Enables parents to review public school learning materials/object if the parent decides that the material is harmful. Also a parent may withdraw their student from the activity or class where the material is used and request an alternative assignment.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution formally recognizes January 25-31, 2026, as "National School Choice Week" in Rhode Island. It acknowledges the national observance as a nonpartisan effort to highlight diverse educational options - including public schools, charter schools, private schools, online learning, and homeschooling - for families and students. The resolution has no new policy requirements; it simply expresses the state’s support through ceremonial recognition and directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy to the National School Choice Week organizer. It does not affect any laws, funding, or educational choices.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment granting the governor a line item veto specifically on budget and money-related bills. It would allow the governor to reduce or disapprove individual spending items within appropriations while approving the rest of the bill, rather than vetoing entire bills. The legislature would then need to separately reconsider each rejected item to override the veto, with specific rules preventing the governor from altering wording or creating new sentences through partial vetoes. If approved by voters, this change would replace the current constitutional language governing gubernatorial vetoes.
Exempts from the sales tax eligible school supplies, costing less than $30.00, purchased within one week prior to the commencement of the academic year.
