Sen. Alana DiMario

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution expresses condolences for the passing of Jeannette D. Alyward, a longtime resident of North Kingstown who served as the town's Clerk. The bill formally acknowledges her life and career, noting her decades of public service and her role as a devoted family member. It authorizes the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the resolution to her family as a gesture of respect.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution officially designates May 11-17, 2026, as "Period Poverty Awareness Week" in Rhode Island to highlight the challenges faced by individuals who cannot afford menstrual products. The bill acknowledges that despite existing tax exemptions on period supplies, many women and girls, particularly those living in poverty, still struggle to access these essential items. It directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the resolution to local organizations like Amenity Aid and the Rhode Island Foundation to support ongoing efforts to raise awareness and advocate for expanded assistance programs.

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.

Repeals 42-56-38.1 and requires the department of corrections to provide free communication services to inmates and juveniles held in residential placement or detention centers and requires that those facilities provide in-person contact visits.

Establishes the restrictive housing oversight committee ("committee") for the purpose of monitoring the use of restrictive housing ("solitary confinement"), as well as disciplinary and administrative confinement at the department of corrections.

Creates new tax on gains from sale or exchange of real property held for short periods of time, 6 years or less, establishes a comprehensive framework to calculate and implement enforcement and provides imprisonment and/or fines for those who evade taxes.

Requires one elector of the parole board to be a person directly impacted by the criminal justice system who has completed the probation/parole process three (3) or more years prior to selection with a professional background in certain enumerated areas.

Maddy summarySB 2303 amends Rhode Island's 2015 Comprehensive Community-Police Relationship Act to require all state and municipal police departments to collect detailed data on every routine traffic stop and vehicle search, including the officer's perception of the driver's race/ethnicity, reason for the stop, and outcome (e.g., citation, arrest, or search). This data must be submitted monthly to the Department of Transportation's Office of Highway Safety for a 48-month period starting in 2027. An independent outside agency chosen by the Department will then conduct an annual statistical study analyzing the data for racial disparities in policing, with findings and quarterly summary reports made public. The bill also mandates police agencies to review data monthly for compliance and annually to address any identified disparities.

Allows a municipality to set its own conveyance tax rate for residential properties sold in excess of $900,000.00 at $10 per $500. Provides collected taxes to be in a restricted account and distributed within 2 years for affordable housing.

Increases number of members of state crime laboratory commission to 9, changes makeup of commission to include individuals with expertise in law enforcement, criminal defense, scientific research, makes chair of department of physics executive secretary.