Provides standards for developing, implementing, and maintaining reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of customer information.
Under certain circumstances, provides immunity from arrest and prosecution for prostitution, procurement of sexual conduct for a fee, loitering for prostitution and soliciting from motor vehicles for indecent purposes.
This act would repeal the exemption granted to pari mutual facilities and casinos from the smoke free workplace requirement contained in the Public Health and Workplace Safety Act.
Maddy summarySB 887 ensures continued protection against disability discrimination in Rhode Island state programs and federally funded activities, even if federal law changes. It requires the state to maintain all existing disability protections under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 if that federal law is repealed or invalidated by a court or federal action. The law automatically reverts to the state’s prior legal standards for disability rights as of the day before any federal change takes effect. This directly affects all state agencies, schools, and organizations receiving state funding or operating under state regulation.
Provides extended producer responsibility for packaging and paper, recycling of beverage containers, and provides general provisions for oversight of single-stage producer organizations.
Maddy summarySB 945 establishes Rhode Island's Anti-Bid-Rigging Act to prevent collusion in public procurement. It prohibits coordinated schemes like identical bids, rotating winners, or price fixing among bidders or government officials influencing contract awards. Violations carry felony penalties of up to three years in prison, fines up to $1 million or three times the contract value, and debarment from state contracts for up to five years. The law specifically excludes simultaneous bids as prime and subcontractor, and standard public disclosures of contract details. This act applies to all state and local government contracts governed by Rhode Island's procurement laws.
Amends the definition of affordable housing to create separate categories for housing using private or state financing as opposed to financing from the federal government.
Maddy summarySB 1086 clarifies and updates procedures for local planning boards and commissions in Rhode Island towns and cities regarding land use planning. It requires planning board members to complete floodplain and sea-level rise training biennially, mandates that public access requests be filed simultaneously with project documents, and specifies how comprehensive plans must be adopted and reviewed. The bill directly affects municipal planning boards, their staff, and developers submitting land development or subdivision projects, ensuring consistent processes for plan adoption, public input, and compliance with state review requirements.
Maddy summarySB 716 establishes a formal process for local governments and private entities to modify parking near public shoreline access areas in Rhode Island. It requires detailed plans showing how changes won’t reduce access, especially for people with disabilities (meeting ADA standards), and mandates a 30-day public comment period before approval. Entities that skip these steps face fines up to $5,000 per day, with penalty funds going to a new "shoreline access improvement fund" for public access projects. The bill directly affects towns, businesses, and organizations managing coastal parking while ensuring compliance with state laws and accessibility requirements.
Repeals the required HIV testing for an individual convicted under chapter 34.1 of title 11 and allows the option for HIV testing for any person convicted under this chapter.
