Sen. Frank Ciccone

Maddy summaryThis bill allows local municipalities in the state to adopt ranked choice voting for their elections once voters approve a charter amendment. Under this system, voters rank candidates in order of preference on their ballots, and votes are counted in rounds where eliminated candidates' votes transfer to voters' next choices. The bill defines specific rules for how ballots are counted in both single-winner and multi-winner elections, including how to handle surplus votes and invalid ballots. It applies only to local elections within jurisdictions that have officially adopted the method through voter approval, and it would eliminate separate primary elections in those areas.

Maddy summarySB 2464 requires Rhode Island's health insurance commissioner to produce annual reports on insurer practices, including fee schedules, provider credentialing processes, and data disclosure methods for healthcare facilities. The bill mandates that a professional-provider-health-plan work group (part of an advisory council) compile specific data to help consumers compare quality and costs of care. These reports, due by January 1, 2027, will cover topics like insurance dispute resolution, real-time enrollment verification, and the impact of "silent PPOs" on providers. The legislation directly affects health insurers, medical providers, and consumers by increasing transparency in health insurance operations and pricing.

Requires electric and gas utilities to provide a detailed breakdown of supply, delivery, and public policy costs on electric and gas bills, including specific costs for renewable energy sources, and mandate public comment and PUC approval.

Directs the public utilities commission to establish a standardized framework for determining authorized common equity ratios and authorized rates of returns on equity for public utilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Rhode Island's Law Enforcement Officers' Due Process, Accountability, and Transparency Act to modify how legal fees are handled during disciplinary hearings. It allows the chairperson of a hearing committee to appoint legal counsel for the committee upon written request from both the law enforcement agency and the accused officer, with each party responsible for paying 50% of the legal fees unless they agree otherwise. The legislation also clarifies definitions for key terms and specifies the composition of hearing committees, which must include a retired judge, a practicing attorney, and three law enforcement officers selected from a certified pool. These changes apply to permanently employed police officers, state police officers, and certain other law enforcement employees, excluding department chiefs and highest-ranking officers.

Adds school superintendents, central office officials, school principals, and all other school employees, to the definition of a “public official” for purposes of the criminal prohibition against making threats to public officials.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows judges to issue search warrants electronically for specific driving under the influence offenses, including those resulting in death or serious bodily injury. It permits law enforcement officers to submit complaints and affidavits via electronic means, with judicial officers required to sign and transmit the warrant documents electronically. The law maintains that electronic warrants can only be issued for the listed DUI-related crimes and must still follow standard procedures for oath administration and documentation. Additionally, the bill requires that all warrants, whether executed or not, be returned to the district court within 14 days of issuance.

Maddy summarySB 2712 authorizes state police to enforce local city or town rules (municipal ordinances) that only impose civil penalties, such as fines. This directly affects municipalities, which can now have state police handle enforcement of their civil-level rules, and state police, who gain this new enforcement authority. The key provision limits this authority to ordinances without criminal penalties - meaning no jail time or criminal charges would be involved. The bill does not change existing criminal enforcement powers or create new penalties. (Bill number: SB 2712; Introduced: 2026-02-27)

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.

Changes the residential limit for any substantial multi-family housing project not to exceed forty thousand (40,000) residents according to the United States Census Bureau.