Allows the town council of Coventry to make exemptions from taxation on real and personal property that has undergone environmental remediation. This act is subject to conditions as provided in this section.
Increases insurance coverage for hearing aids from one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) to one thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($1,750), per ear, for all people regardless of age effective January 1, 2026.
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 “hobby breeder” to limit the sale or offering for sale to no more than two (2) litters of dogs or cats, or a combination thereof, in a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day period.
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.
Maddy summarySB 568 requires all school buses in the state to be equipped with video monitoring systems starting in 2027 for new buses and 2032 for all buses. These systems must capture live video, license plates, time, date, and location of traffic violations involving school buses. The law mandates that the systems produce recorded evidence meeting specific standards for use in issuing traffic citations. Violations are processed through traffic tribunals with fines allocated 75% to the vendor, 40% to the state general fund, and 30% to the local municipality. This directly affects school bus operators, municipalities, and vehicle owners who violate school bus stop laws.
Prohibits casualty insurers from assessing any premium surcharge or penalty against an insured solely for inquiring about the terms of the insured's policy.
Eliminates the "until June 30, 2025" sunset on the increase in the total amount of earnings a partial-unemployment insurance claimant can receive before being entirely disqualified for unemployment insurance benefits.
Empowers the division of motor vehicles to make available special motor vehicle registration plates for the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.
