Prohibits the declawing of cats by any surgical procedure to amputate or modify a portion of a cat's paw in order to remove the cat's claws. Does not apply to any procedure performed for a therapeutic purpose.
Allows for the enactment of the dietitian licensure compact permitting a licensed dietitian from another state to become licensed within the state, and also permitting a dietitian licensed by the state to become licensed in another compact state.
Maddy summarySB 359, the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025, prohibits the sale, manufacture, and purchase of specific firearms defined as "prohibited" under the bill. It directly affects residents and businesses in Rhode Island who handle or own firearms meeting the defined criteria, such as semi-automatic rifles with folding stocks, pistol grips, or magazines holding more than 10 rounds. Key provisions ban weapons with features like detachable magazines, grenade launchers, or threaded barrels, while allowing limited exceptions for current owners selling to dealers or law enforcement. The ban takes effect July 1, 2026, with violations punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine.
Maddy summarySB 172 caps interest rates on medical debt at a maximum of 4% annually (and minimum of 1.5%), based on the weekly average Treasury yield published by the Federal Reserve. It directly affects consumers who owe healthcare providers for services, limiting interest charges on new medical debt incurred after the law takes effect. The bill sets the interest rate using the Federal Reserve's weekly Treasury yield data from the week before the consumer received their bill. This policy change applies only to new medical debt, not existing balances.
Maddy summarySB 123 allows municipalities to hold tax amnesty events once every three years, where taxpayers can request waivers for interest and penalties on overdue property and vehicle taxes. Municipalities must create ordinances authorizing two separate 60-day periods (within 2024-2025) for these waivers, requiring written taxpayer requests dated during those periods. The bill prohibits waiving penalties for taxes owed in the same year as the amnesty period and requires written decisions from tax officials with appeal options to local councils. This directly affects local governments and taxpayers with delinquent property or vehicle tax payments.
Provides that original power wheelchair equipment manufacturers would be required to provide to independent service providers repair information and tools to maintain and repair original power wheelchair equipment.
Adds a provision in the statute relating to one way highways, providing an increased penalty when a motorist travels the wrong way on an interstate highway or an entrance or exit ramp connected to an interstate highway.
Maddy summarySB 938 authorizes anyone to take green crabs (an invasive species) and creates a $10 annual commercial license for Rhode Island residents who wish to harvest them commercially. The bill establishes a $10 fee per season for commercial licenses and allows the state director to create additional regulations for this license. It directly affects Rhode Island residents seeking to commercially harvest green crabs as part of invasive species management. The law takes effect on January 1, 2026.
Maddy summarySB 125 sets the state's minimum wage at $16 per hour starting January 1, 2026, and increases it to $17 per hour starting January 1, 2027. This bill directly affects all covered employers and hourly workers in the state who are subject to minimum wage laws. The legislation amends the existing minimum wage schedule by adding these specific future rates, building on previous annual increases. The change takes effect immediately upon the governor's signature, as confirmed by the bill's recent passage and signing on June 24, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 499 changes how property taxes are calculated for owner-occupied low- and moderate-income housing in Rhode Island. It requires tax assessors to use the property's most recent sales price as its assessed value, rather than the standard full cash value assessment. This directly affects homeowners in qualifying low- and moderate-income housing units who own their homes. The policy aims to provide tax relief by aligning assessments with actual market transactions for these properties.
