Allows animal control officers in the cities and towns to lawfully take charge of and provide adequate care to any animal found abandoned or neglected or hazardously accumulated and would increase penalties for malicious injury to or killing of animals.
Requires EOHHS to provide self-measured blood pressure monitoring for eligible pregnant and postpartum individuals, covering home monitors, training, data transmission, and co-interventions, with state funds if federal aid is unavailable.
Creates rodent integrated pest management pilot programs for municipalities. That choose to participate. Reports would be approved by the municipality's mayor or administrator and would be submitted to the department of environmental management.
Maddy summarySR 327 is a proposed constitutional amendment (the "Green Amendment") that would add a new section to Rhode Island's Constitution, granting all residents a fundamental right to clean air, water, healthy soil, a stable climate, and preserved natural environments. It requires the state to act as a trustee for natural resources, protecting these rights for both current and future generations without discrimination. If approved by voters, this amendment would become effective January 1, 2027, and would be submitted to voters at the next statewide general election. The bill passed the Senate on June 3, 2025, and now awaits voter approval.
Caps the total amount that a covered person is required to pay for a covered prescription inhaler, prescription device, or prescription equipment to twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per thirty (30) day supply.
Establishes Medicaid fee-for-service reimbursement rates set by the general assembly as the rate floor for Medicaid managed care by home care, home nursing care and hospice providers licensed by the DOH and continue the EEOHH.
Maddy summarySB 1045 exempts new subchapter S corporations (S corporations) in their first year of operation from paying Rhode Island's minimum corporate tax of $400. This applies to businesses that elect S corporation status under federal tax law and file their first state tax return. The bill specifically removes the requirement for these new entities to pay the minimum tax during their initial taxable year, though they remain subject to the regular 7% income tax on profits. The exemption takes effect immediately upon passage, affecting only first-year S corporations.
Maddy summarySB 1121 modifies net metering rules for solar and renewable energy systems by allowing development on "preferred sites" within protected forest areas without triggering standard capacity caps or rate reductions. This specifically exempts projects on these designated sites from the 10-megawatt (MW) system size limit and other restrictions that apply to typical installations. The bill directly affects property owners and developers installing solar/wind systems on preferred sites in core forests, enabling them to bypass certain regulatory limits. It maintains existing net metering policies while creating a streamlined path for renewable projects on these specific locations.
Maddy summarySB 329 creates a new 3% tax rate on Rhode Island taxable income exceeding $625,000 (adjusted for inflation starting in 2025 dollars). This additional tax applies only to high-income earners - specifically individuals and households with income above that threshold - and takes effect for tax years beginning in 2026 or later, with no retroactive application. The bill amends Rhode Island’s existing personal income tax code to add this rate to the current progressive brackets, which already tax higher incomes at up to 9.9%. It directly affects residents and nonresidents with significant earnings, while leaving lower-income tax brackets unchanged. The measure is currently pending further study after a committee recommended holding it for additional review.
Maddy summarySB 438 provides a property tax exemption for veterans' primary residences, directly affecting veterans who served in specified conflicts (including World War I, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, and others) with an honorable discharge, plus their unmarried surviving spouses. The bill exempts a set dollar amount from property taxes on the veteran's primary home, with the exemption amount varying by municipality (e.g., $1,000 statewide minimum, up to $40,500 in Westerly). Key provisions require veterans to reside in the state, provide proof of service and residency to assessors, and apply the exemption to their primary residence's value. The exemption applies to both real property and, in some towns, personal property, with specific local limits set by town councils. This policy change reduces property tax liability for qualifying veterans without altering broader tax structures.
