Sen. Lou Raptakis

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution (SR 880) passed by the Rhode Island Senate to mark March 25, 2025, as the 204th anniversary of Greek Independence Day. It symbolically celebrates Greece's historical struggle for democracy and the longstanding US-Greece alliance, referencing shared values like freedom and religious tolerance. The resolution urges Turkey to respect religious freedoms and commends Rhode Island's Greek-American community for its cultural contributions. It does not create new laws or affect specific groups, as it is a ceremonial gesture by the state Senate.

Requires law enforcement agencies to obtain search warrants for electronic information, data, location information and other identifying information of subscribers and customers, except in specified circumstances.

Creates the interchange fee restriction act restricting interchange fees on sales and use tax or excise tax when payment is made with a credit or debit card.

Changes the community service requirements of a sentence related to the violation of § 11-44-21.1 relating to defacing private residences, offices, businesses or commercial property.

Maddy summarySB 565 extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting second-degree sexual assault from the standard three years to ten years. This change directly affects cases involving second-degree sexual assault, allowing prosecutors more time to file charges. The bill amends Section 12-12-17(b) of the General Laws to explicitly include second-degree sexual assault in the list of offenses with a ten-year time limit for prosecution. It does not alter the statute of limitations for other crimes or offenses.

Adds a rebuttable defense if any person shall die or sustain a personal injury while committing robbery of the owner, lessor, or occupant of a motor vehicle and that the owner or occupant of the vehicle acted in self-defense.

Maddy summarySB 872 changes how Rhode Island distributes hotel tax revenue collected after December 2015. It redirects 75% of tax revenue from statewide hotel stays to the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (up from 70%), while reducing local tourism district shares. The bill requires the Commerce Corporation to spend all received funds on promoting Rhode Island as a tourism destination. This directly affects local governments (which receive less) and the Commerce Corporation (which gains significant new funding for tourism marketing). The change applies to tax payments received after December 31, 2015, with specific percentages adjusted for different regions.

Amends several statutes relating to elections and the dates for primaries and dates within which to file nomination papers and object to nomination papers.

Maddy summarySB 90 legalizes the sale of raw milk within Rhode Island by amending the Milk Sanitation Code to remove the requirement that all milk must be pasteurized before sale. This directly affects dairy producers who can now sell raw milk directly to consumers, and consumers who gain access to raw milk products. The bill maintains existing safety standards, such as requiring milk to come from healthy animals and be produced under sanitary conditions, but explicitly allows raw milk sales (with an exception for goat milk requiring a physician's written prescription). It does not change other regulations like bacterial testing requirements for milk plants or labeling rules.

Makes it unnecessary to prove that a person’s transmission of electronic communications be for the sole purpose of harassment before being found guilty of cyberstalking or cyberharassment.