Sen. Elaine Morgan

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new chapter in Rhode Island law requiring law enforcement, courts, and correctional facilities to identify and verify the veteran status of individuals involved in the criminal justice system. It mandates that agencies use federal databases to confirm veteran status within 24 hours of law enforcement contact, 21 days for parolees, and 7 days for inmates, then share this information with judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. Verified veterans gain access to veterans justice outreach specialists who assist with connecting to VA healthcare, federal benefits, specialty courts, and diversion programs. The bill also requires weekly reporting of verified veterans to relevant state agencies and courts to ensure coordinated support services.

Maddy summarySB 2076 allows Rhode Island cities, towns, school districts, and water/fire districts to jointly create nonprofit insurance corporations. These corporations would pool insurance risks (like property, casualty, and health coverage) for their member local governments, handle claims processing, and operate as public entities without being regulated by the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. The bill specifies that these corporations cannot be treated as standard insurance companies, their bonds won’t count as state debt, and they’ll maintain tax-exempt status for their assets and income. This directly affects local government units seeking cost-effective, shared risk management solutions for their insurance needs.

Mandates that athletic teams that are sponsored by a public school or a private school whose teams compete against a public school, be designated as (1) "males", "men" or "boys"; (2) "females", "women" or "girls"; or (3) "coed" or "mixed".

Redefines what constitutes a farm by reducing the amount of revenue from farm products required to be sold from $10,000 to $2500. It also expands the farm to include all agricultural operations, including forestry.

Maddy summarySB 2293, the "Fairness in Women's Sports Act," requires public schools and colleges to designate athletic teams for students based on biological sex at birth (not gender identity), with teams for females, women, or girls open only to students assigned female at birth. It mandates verification of biological sex through a physician's statement documenting reproductive anatomy, natural testosterone levels, and genetic makeup, and prohibits male-identified students from joining female-designated teams. The bill protects schools from complaints or investigations for maintaining separate sex-based teams and allows students to sue if denied athletic opportunities due to violations. This directly affects public school athletic programs, college sports teams, and transgender student-athletes in the state.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution from Rhode Island formally condemns assaults on police officers in New York during a recent blizzard and expresses support for law enforcement personnel. It urges New York City officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents and pursue accountability for those responsible. The resolution authorizes the Rhode Island Secretary of State to send certified copies of the document to the New York City Mayor and Police Department.

Maddy summarySB 2458 requires the state to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact by July 1, 2026, enabling out-of-state doctors to practice telemedicine in the state. This directly affects patients seeking telemedicine services and healthcare providers licensed in other states who wish to offer remote care. The bill adds a new telemedicine chapter (23-104-1) specifying that patients may receive telemedicine services, including from out-of-state providers, under the compact. It mandates the Department of Health and Insurance Commissioner to create necessary rules for implementation.

Requires agencies preparing economic impact statements for small businesses contain findings that the anticipated compliance costs of a proposed rule scale proportionally with the business size, and do not impose fixed costs that favor larger businesses.

Sets a clear and enforceable standard for reducing the presence of harmful metals in personal care products, prioritizing public health through testing, labeling, and the development of safer alternatives.

Provides that any school teaching sexual education to students shall provide the sexual education curriculum to every parent or guardian of a student, and the parent or legal guardian shall consent to the teaching of such sexual education curriculum.