Provides that gift certificates issued by state-chartered institutions of higher education would be exempt from the provisions of the gift certificate statute relating to expiration, escheatment, reissuance and refund.
Provides an exemption for certain incarcerated persons from the payment of fees for a first request for vital statistics from the department of health.
Maddy summarySB 2986 increases the real property tax exemptions available to veterans and their unmarried widows or widowers residing in the Town of West Warwick. The bill amends state laws to allow the West Warwick City Council to establish a specific exemption amount of up to $30,000 for eligible veterans and survivors, which is higher than the standard state minimum. This change directly affects military service members who served in various conflicts and were honorably discharged, as well as their surviving spouses, by reducing the amount of their home value subject to local taxes. The legislation becomes effective immediately upon the governor's inaction, providing a permanent tax relief measure for qualifying residents of that specific municipality.
Maddy summarySB 2571 amends Rhode Island's real estate tax laws to limit assessments for low- and moderate-income housing units to the last sales price within a five-year period. For properties that have not sold in that timeframe, the bill allows assessors to use a calculated maximum sales price determined by a monitoring agent instead of current market estimates. The legislation also includes specific tax exemptions for new construction on vacant homes and certain improvements in the cities of Warwick and Central Falls. Additionally, it ensures that renewable energy resources on a property do not trigger a reassessment of the underlying land value. These changes aim to provide stability in property tax calculations for affordable housing and specific residential development scenarios.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state's criminal injuries compensation program to include victims of hit-and-run incidents who suffer serious bodily injury. Currently, the program covers compensation for various violent crimes, but this legislation specifically adds failure to stop after a collision causing significant harm to the list of eligible offenses. By making this change, the law allows these victims to apply for financial assistance from the crime victim compensation fund, which is administered by a state office. The measure takes effect immediately upon passage and aims to expand access to support for individuals injured in traffic accidents where the driver fled the scene.
Establishes office of inspector general which would be charged with preventing fraud and mismanagement of public funds, regardless of their source and would oversee all state programs and operations.
Maddy summarySB 2315 proposes to exempt firearm safety equipment and related products from state sales and use taxes. This change would directly affect retailers selling these items and consumers purchasing them, removing the tax liability currently associated with such transactions. The bill achieves this by amending existing state tax laws to add a new category of exempt goods alongside other items like school meals and charitable supplies. While the text provided includes a full list of other current tax exemptions, the primary focus of this specific legislative action is the inclusion of firearm safety gear.
Maddy summarySB 2308 amends the retirement rules for school teachers and other public employees in Rhode Island to allow them to retire earlier under specific conditions. The bill establishes different eligibility requirements based on when a teacher began working, with provisions for those who started before 2009, those between 2009 and 2012, and new rules effective in 2012 and 2015. For example, it allows teachers who started after 2012 to retire once they reach their Social Security retirement age with at least five years of service, while those with longer tenure may retire earlier with a reduction in their monthly pension benefits. The legislation also includes a formula to adjust retirement ages for certain long-serving employees who were not yet eligible to retire before specific cutoff dates.
Requires 10% of all rental fees collected by the water resources board pursuant to a lease with the Coventry Pines Golf Club be paid to the town of Coventry and 10% to the Central Coventry Fire District.
Adds department of corrections' correctional officers to the list of public safety employees that are entitled to their full salary if they are injured and become disabled as a result of performance of their job duties.
