Maddy summarySB 591 renames the new Sakonnet River Bridge, which carries Route 24 between Portsmouth and Tiverton, Rhode Island. The bill officially designates it as the "Staff Sergeant Christopher Potts Sakonnet River Bridge" to honor Staff Sergeant Christopher Potts for his service and sacrifice.
Adds a provision that allows a tenant to pay the last month's rent or any other prepaid rent. It also increases the amount that a security deposit can be requested from one to two (2) months of rent.
Amends the definition of “dual enrollment” to encompass all Rhode Island public higher education institutions and amends all statutory references regarding the same.
Provides that a hearing required before a judge or magistrate may adjudge a motorist in contempt for failure to comply with the court's orders regarding a conditional hardship license, and defines penalties for violation of a hardship/interlock order.
Maddy summarySB 503, "AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING," seeks to amend existing definitions related to low and moderate-income housing. The bill modifies criteria for what qualifies as "low- or moderate-income housing" and how units are counted towards a municipality's affordable housing inventory. It specifies that certain mobile or manufactured homes can count as one-half of a unit, and rental properties secured with federal assistance vouchers can count as one whole unit, provided specific conditions are met. This legislation aims to refine the framework for establishing and tracking affordable housing in cities and towns.
Requires 10% of all rental fees collected by the water resources board pursuant to a lease with the Coventry Pines Golf Club be paid to the town of Coventry and 10% to the Central Coventry Fire District.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state's sales and use tax laws. It creates a new exemption for the trade-in value of certain pickup trucks. Specifically, the trade-in value of a pickup truck under 6,000 pounds gross weight, used exclusively for personal purposes, would be exempt from sales tax. This means individuals trading in such vehicles would pay sales tax only on the cash difference, rather than the full price of the new vehicle.
Exempts the trade-in value of pickup trucks under eight thousand one hundred pounds (8,100 lbs.) gross weight, used exclusively for personal use, from sales tax.
Maddy summarySB 878 establishes specific caseload limits for workers at the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). These limits apply to various responsibilities, such as active investigations, ongoing in-home services, and children in out-of-home or treatment foster care. The bill also requires DCYF to conduct annual pay rate reviews for its employees. This review aims to ensure competitive compensation by comparing salaries with similar positions in other New England states.
Maddy summarySB 639, known as "The School Libraries Act," establishes new requirements for public schools across the state. It mandates that every public school must have a permanent, dedicated school library equipped with an adequate collection, technology, and budget. The bill also requires all public schools to employ certified school librarians, with specific staffing levels (full-time for schools with 250+ students, half-time for smaller schools) to be phased in by the 2030-2031 school year. This legislation aims to ensure students in all public schools have daily access to these libraries and their resources.
