General Assembly
Local Impact: Johnston, Middletown/Newport, North Kingstown, North Providence, North Smithfield, Pawtucket 2 3 4, Providence 2, Tiverton 2, Westerly. 16. H7882: Adds the Governor’s Office to the list of government departments that can participate in the operation of a State House gift shop (H Municipal Government; Thu, Mar 15). 15. H7687: Requirement that all healthcare…
3C. H7462/H7465: Constitutional Amendment whereby the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island would be chosen together (H Judiciary; Tue, Mar 6). 3B. H7219: Repeal of the voter ID law (H Judiciary; Tue, Mar 6). 3A. H7426/S2060: Elimination of the master lever from Rhode Island general election ballots (H Judiciary; Tue, Mar 6 & S…
With many bills of significant impact being heard by General Assembly committees this week, the weekly review will be split into two sections. Here is part 1: Local impact: Little Compton 2, Portsmouth, Smithfield 2 14. S2489: Changes election rules from requiring that “substantially not more than nineteen hundred voters shall be served by the…
The prologue to this week’s list of General Assembly bills to be heard in committee is a bumper crop of local impact bills. I can’t say for certain if they are all sinister or sensible, but folks interested in the goings-on in Cranston, Cumberland 2, Middletown/Newport, New Shoreham, North Providence, North Smithfield, Pawtucket 2 3…
10. Bud Art. 27: Creates a restricted-receipt account for historic preservation tax-credit processing fees, to be used for reimbursing historic tax-credit processing fees (H Finance; Tue, Feb 14). Ed. note: Rational government budgeting at its finest? 9. H7406, aka the strange regulatory bill of the week: Sets a minimum price of $35.00 for transportation provided…
9. H7343: Allows school districts to replace school bus monitors on K through 5 buses with a suitable technical monitoring system (H Health, Education and Welfare; Wed, Feb 8). 8. Bud Art. 28: In addition to involving some specific financial details relating to Central Falls, including an extra-constitutional appropriation of local revenue, this article also…
Fresh on the heels of Governor Chafee’s declaration of the Year of the Cities and Towns, Reps. Scott Guthrie (D, Coventry), Roberto DaSilva (D, East Prov., Pawtucket), and John Savage (R, East Prov.) have introduced legislation (H7317) that may win the sure-to-be-tough contest for union-loving lunacy: 28-7-7.1. Representation of towns and cities – maximum legal…
Let’s give immediate credit to the Rhode Island Senate Education Committee, led by Chairwoman Hanna Gallo (D-Cranston), for being the first RI General Assembly Committee, definitely in this session and maybe ever, to post its votes to hold bills for further study to the “Committee Votes” section of the General Assembly website, providing the public…
7. The House Corporations Committee will be considering a typically eclectic set of regulatory bills on Wed, Feb 1, on subjects such as allowing “hospitals and treatment centers located in Providence to calibrate scales within their facilities” (H7231) and requiring flashing lights on snow-removal equipment, in addition to snow plows (H7230). It’s always both fun…
Monique’s post today about her attempt to get in touch with State Rep Charlene Lima via email made me think that it’s pretty interesting that Reps and Senators don’t want to be bothered by non-constituents. Last June, Jim Hummel came to the same conclusion, with Rep. Lima again the poster child for this type of…
