Sen. Lou Raptakis

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies retirement benefits for Rhode Island State Police members, affecting both current and former officers. It establishes new rules for calculating retirement pay based on years of service and defines how "whole salary" is determined for different retirement periods, including provisions for overtime pay starting in 2026. The legislation also creates a guaranteed annual benefit adjustment of $1,500 for eligible retirees beginning July 1, 2026, and allows certain members to purchase credit for military service at a 10% cost.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution congratulates students and faculty at Thompson Middle School for their participation in the 2026 Rhode Island Civics Day event. It specifically recognizes the school's first-year involvement in the program and celebrates a student team that won the Top Middle School Award for their community project. The bill also directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the resolution to the school's teacher and principal.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution honors Thrive Behavioral Health, Inc. on its 50th anniversary and recognizes its long-standing contributions to mental health care in Rhode Island. The bill acknowledges the organization's growth from its founding as the Kent County Mental Health Center to its current role as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic that provides comprehensive, affordable services. It highlights Thrive's holistic approach, which combines clinical treatment with support for housing and employment to help individuals achieve stability. The resolution expresses gratitude for the organization's work and directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the document to the organization's president and CEO.

Establishes sales and use tax exemptions for commercial forest product operations and creates a new motor vehicle registration for "forestry vehicles".

Clarifies and updates language in the office of state medical examiners statute to address outdated or ambiguous language, outdated practices, outdated position titles/qualifications, and ensure compliance with federal HIPAA requirements.

Requires that before any fire fighter or police officer is eligible to receive benefits for illness or injury sustained off duty, they prove they had reasonable grounds to believe that an emergency existed that required immediate need of their assistance.

Applies to electric generating facilities generating electricity on/after 1/1/25 regarding sale/transmission of electricity/facility restructuring/last-resort service.

Maddy summarySB 2034 requires all health insurance plans sold in the state to cover at least one type of buprenorphine (used for opioid use disorder treatment) without any copayment or deductible for every 12-month plan year. It applies directly to insured individuals in the state who use these insurance plans, starting January 1, 2027. The bill mandates that plans provide this coverage for all forms of buprenorphine administration, eliminating out-of-pocket costs for this medication. Plans may still apply deductibles for health savings account (HSA) pairs, but early implementation before 2027 is permitted.

Amends the definition of "distributor" under the chapter relating to taxation--cigarette, other tobacco products, and electronic nicotine-delivery system products.

Maddy summarySR 2657 is a non-binding joint resolution urging the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to study and potentially regulate the impact of wake boats on public waterways. It directly affects DEM, which would be required to conduct this study, and indirectly affects wake boat operators and public waterway users by potentially leading to future regulations. The resolution does not create new law but requests DEM investigate how wake boats affect water quality, safety, and ecosystems before considering regulatory action. This is a procedural step focused on gathering data, not implementing immediate changes.