Justin Katz
Just to offer a hear, hear to the Projo’s editorial on education in RI: These proposed reforms are all excellent ideas. He also announced that he, House Speaker William Murphy, Senate President Joseph Montalbano, and representatives of labor, business, local government and other interests will work together to formulate what he called “Rhode Island’s 21st…
There’s something disconcerting about the cynical use of the democratic process to make political statements, rather than advance a sincerely supported cause: An initiative filed by proponents of same-sex marriage would require heterosexual couples to have kids within three years or else have their marriage annulled. Initiative 957 was filed by the Washington Defense of…
As a general rule, I think it best that legislators resist penning bills if they find themselves writing around the thing or quality that motivated them to put pen to statehouse stationary in the first place. Consider the proposed legislation (PDF) to which Marc linked earlier. It defines “marriage” as “the legally recognized union of…
Here’s another one: “The Rhode Island High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2007” (2007 – H5351) makes it the responsibility of the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary education to work in collaboration with local school districts and the Department of Higher Education to implement strategies to lower the state’s dropout rate. “Rhode Island…
While announcing legislation that would “require all public schools systems in the state to provide full-time kindergarten programs,” Sen. Christopher B. Maselli of Johnston offers this bit of manipulative rhetoric: “It’s incredible how quickly we, as a state, can commit to spend money on new motor vehicle offices and prisons, but we argue about the…
By DWC, I mean “driving while conversing.” In New Jersey, you see, talking on a non-hands-free cell phone while driving an automobile is a ticketable offense. Apparently, South Kingstown Senator V. Susan Sosnowski thinks that’s a swell idea: Citing the many dangers associated with talking on a cell phone while driving, Senator V. Susan Sosnowski…
Credit (applause, even) where it’s due: Bills will be introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives that would prohibit the employment or harboring of illegal aliens in Rhode Island. To be introduced in the House by Rep. Peter G. Palumbo (D-Dist. 16, Cranston) and in the Senate by Sen. Christopher B. Maselli…
According to a press release, RI House Speaker Tempore Charlene Lima is continuing her quest to save Rhode Island’s “working families” one quarter at a time: House Speaker Tempore Charlene M. Lima today introduced legislation that will continue her mission to raise the minimum wage for Rhode Island’s working men and women. The bill would…
I’d just about given up on it, but I thank the Providence Journal for publishing my letter regarding false adolescent-pregnancy research findings. For a more detailed version, see here.
You know I’m in a state of hopeless nonchalance when I use the word “alas,” but: Alas, I must admit that Robert Haiken of Warwick has put his finger on it: The problem is no longer with the legislature. It is with the voters who keep sending the same people back to the legislature. We…