Sen. Sam Zurier

Maddy summarySB 2076 allows Rhode Island cities, towns, school districts, and water/fire districts to jointly create nonprofit insurance corporations. These corporations would pool insurance risks (like property, casualty, and health coverage) for their member local governments, handle claims processing, and operate as public entities without being regulated by the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. The bill specifies that these corporations cannot be treated as standard insurance companies, their bonds won’t count as state debt, and they’ll maintain tax-exempt status for their assets and income. This directly affects local government units seeking cost-effective, shared risk management solutions for their insurance needs.

Requires the courts to consider the parental status of the defendant at the time of sentencing and allows the defendant to present a family impact statement, including testimony, videos and documents relative to their parental status.

Maddy summarySB 2299 allows individuals with multiple non-violent felony convictions to clear their court records after completing their sentences. It specifically applies to people convicted of more than one felony (excluding violent crimes or certain offenses under Chapter 29), provided they have paid all fees and fines and maintained a clean record for 10 years prior to filing. The bill amends existing expungement rules to extend the eligibility period from 5 to 10 years for multiple felony convictions and requires courts to verify no new offenses occurred during that time. It does not apply to violent felony convictions or certain drug-related offenses under Chapter 29. The bill is currently in the introduction stage, having been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summarySB 2290 requires courts to release most people arrested for misdemeanors without financial conditions (like cash bail), unless the case involves domestic violence or the court finds a risk the person will skip court or threaten witnesses. It mandates the Department of Corrections to gather background information - including employment, community ties, and criminal history - to help courts decide on non-financial release conditions. Courts may then impose conditions like regular check-ins or community supervision to ensure court appearances and public safety. The bill applies only to misdemeanor cases and does not affect felony charges or existing procedures for those exceptions.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution asks the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to fully implement all parts of the state's education funding formula as required by law. The bill specifically targets areas where the department has not yet fully applied statutory funding rules, particularly for students with the greatest needs, multilingual learners, and poverty index calculations. It directs the department to review and ensure complete compliance with existing funding statutes, including how permanent foundation aid is distributed and how local and state shares are calculated. The resolution formally requests this action and authorizes the Secretary of State to send copies to key education officials and the Governor.

Removes the sunset provision of the Rhode Island hope pilot scholarship program, making it a permanent scholarship program and renames the program as the Rhode Island hope scholarship program.

Requires the producer of artificial turf and turf infill sold or distributed in RI to report its chain of custody, from installation to use, repurposing, recycling and disposal to the department of environmental management.

Provides that the school year for all public schools, including traditional public and public charter schools, independent charter schools, and mayoral academies, would start on the same date of each calendar year.

Commencing July 1, 2026, this act eliminates the provision of this section that requires new applicants for employment under this section to pay the expense for their criminal background checks.

Establishes the commuter transportation benefit chapter. Employers with five hundred (500) or more employees required to establish a pre-tax commuter transportation fringe benefit program.