Sen. Tiara Mack

Maddy summarySB 1088 amends Rhode Island's definitions and approval procedures for low- and moderate-income housing, directly affecting cities and towns required to meet housing quotas. Key provisions include clarifying how housing units count toward municipal requirements: federal rental assistance voucher units now count as full units (not half) starting July 2024, and mobile homes without subsidies count as half-units if monitored. The bill also defines "affordable housing plan" and refines terms like "infeasible" development conditions for subsidized projects. These changes streamline compliance for local governments while expanding eligibility for housing units counted toward state-mandated affordable housing targets.

Maddy summarySB 1092 requires Rhode Island towns and cities to allow residential options beyond single-family homes in areas with available public water and sewer capacity, specifically within designated urban service boundaries on state planning maps. The bill amends zoning ordinance standards to explicitly include "non-single-family residential use" as a required consideration for municipalities. This change applies only to neighborhoods meeting infrastructure conditions, aiming to expand housing diversity without mandating new construction. Municipalities must integrate this requirement into their zoning plans for eligible areas.

Restricts audits of pharmacists conducted by insurers and their intermediaries, limiting audits to one per year unless fraud or misrepresentation is reasonably suspected. The RI attorney general has the authority to impose sanctions for violations.

Maddy summarySB 476 removes a 3-month supply limit for initial contraceptive prescriptions dispensed by pharmacists in Rhode Island. This change directly affects patients seeking first-time hormonal contraceptive access through pharmacies, allowing pharmacists to prescribe longer initial supplies. The bill also requires pharmacists to complete specific training, provide patient risk assessments, and notify primary care providers, while maintaining insurance coverage requirements for these contraceptives. The law took effect on June 30, 2025, after being signed by the governor.

Amends the composition of the building code standards committee and would make several technical amendments relative to the building code office and would establish a state building code office within the office of state fire marshal.

Maddy summarySB 716 establishes a formal process for local governments and private entities to modify parking near public shoreline access areas in Rhode Island. It requires detailed plans showing how changes won’t reduce access, especially for people with disabilities (meeting ADA standards), and mandates a 30-day public comment period before approval. Entities that skip these steps face fines up to $5,000 per day, with penalty funds going to a new "shoreline access improvement fund" for public access projects. The bill directly affects towns, businesses, and organizations managing coastal parking while ensuring compliance with state laws and accessibility requirements.

Establishes a program operated by the Rhode Island housing and mortgage finance corporation called the "housing land bank" to create affordable housing in RI with the authority to buy, receive, and hold real property for housing development.

Requires every college in RI to train staff members in the student residential department, including RAs, to administer of opioid antagonists with protection from liability and prosecution.

Maddy summarySB 497 exempts the real and tangible personal property of the Center for Southeast Asians from local property taxes. This bill amends Rhode Island's tax code to add the Center specifically to the list of exempt properties under Section 44-3-3. The exemption applies directly to the Center's buildings, land, and other physical assets used for its operations. No other properties or organizations are affected by this change, and the bill does not alter existing tax rates or broader exemption rules. The legislation was signed into law on June 26, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 721 repeals the law that established the Capital Center Commission, a special development district commission for downtown Providence, Rhode Island. This bill removes the legal framework that allowed the commission to manage development, levy special assessments on property owners, and oversee projects like parking, streetscapes, and public services in the downtown area. The repeal directly affects the commission itself, ending its authority to operate under the existing statute. The bill does not create new policy but formally dissolves the commission's governing structure.