Woonsocket Radio News Room

June 8, 2018

Legislative Press Bureau at (401) 528-1743

                       

 

State House view from the southThis week at the

General Assembly

 

STATE HOUSE — Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly this week. For more information on any of these items visit http://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease

 

 

§  House Finance Committee poised to consider state budget bill
The House Finance Committee was slated to vote late Friday on the state’s $9.3 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. A vote by the entire House of Representatives is expected next week, followed by consideration by the Senate.

§  Governor signs legislation banning advertising of junk food in schools
A bill sponsored by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown, New Shoreham) and Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston) that forbids the advertising of unhealthy foods to children in schools has been signed into law by Gov. Gina Raimondo. The law (2018-S 2350A, 2018-H 7419A), which takes effect immediately, prohibits the advertising of unhealthy food and beverage products in schools, particularly those that may not be sold on the school campus during the school day, since they do not meet the minimum nutrition standards.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Mattiello, Gallo bill to improve safety in public schools becomes law
Gov. Gina Raimondo signed legislation introduced by Speaker of the House Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) and Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick) to examine the safety of Rhode Island’s schools and to ensure that school safety plans are adopted in each school department. The measure (2018-H 7694A, 2018-S 2639A) codifies the existence of the Rhode Island School Safety Committee into state law, and requires that school districts provide the committee with safety assessments every three years for review and recommendations.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Revenge porn and sextortion legislation signed into law by governor

Rep. Robert E. Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown) and Sen. Erin Lynch Prata’s (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston) legislation (2018-H 7452A, 2018-S 2581A) that criminalizes revenge porn and sextortion was signed into law.  The statute applies to those who knew that the image was created under circumstances where a reasonable person would know or understand that the image is to remain private.  The legislation also creates criminal penalties for those who engage in “sextortion,” a cybercrime that occurs when offenders use personal images — often stolen or obtained by hacking — to force victims to engage in sending more sexually explicit photos or videos under threat the images will be made public.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Senate OKs Archambault bill to curb surprise medical billing
The Senate passed legislation (2018-S 2077Aaa) introduced by Sen. Stephen R. Archambault (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Providence, Johnston) that would change the way out-of-network health care professionals are paid after rendering services to patients who didn’t have the opportunity to select such health care services from in-network professionals, curbing surprise medical billing. The measure now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Senate passes bills to protect individual health insurance costs, quality
The Senate passed two measures sponsored by Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence) to protect consumers who purchase their health insurance in the individual market. The first bill (2018-S 2934), the Rhode Island Market Stability and Reinsurance Act, is meant to help stabilize health insurance rates and premiums in the individual market and to provide greater financial certainty to consumers. The other bill (2018-S 2931) would require short-term limited duration health insurance policies to comply with consumer protection standards that apply to all plans in the individual market. 
Click here to see news release.

 

§  House approves Kennedy bill on rights of life insurance policyholders
The House of Representatives passed legislation (2018-H 7124) introduced by Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) that would keep life insurance policyholders informed of their rights and alternatives when they decide to let a policy lapse. The measure now moves to the Senate, where similar legislation (2018-S 2048) has been introduced by Sen. Roger A. Picard (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland).
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Senate OKs McCaffrey bill to allow fentanyl test strips to curb overdose deaths
The Senate passed legislation (2018-S 2896) introduced by Majority Leader Michael J. McCaffrey (D-Dist. 29, Warwick) to codify the legality of fentanyl testing strips. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that is the leading driver of overdose deaths in Rhode Island. The measure now moves to the House of Representatives, where similar legislation (2018-H 8132) has been introduced by Rep. Aaron Regunberg (D-Dist. 4, Providence).
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Kazarian bill to safeguard access to contraception in R.I. passes House

Rep. Katherine S. Kazarian’s (D-Dist. 63, East Providence) legislation (2018-H 7625A) that would require health insurance plans to provide coverage for a 12-month supply of birth control to all those who are insured was passed by the House of Representatives.  If passed by the Senate, health care providers would be able to prescribe birth control up to a full year at a time and health insurance providers would be unable to restrict reimbursement for dispensing a covered prescription contraceptive.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Sexual harassment bills introduced, heard in House
The House Labor Committee held a hearing on eight bills to address sexual harassment in the workplace introduced by members of the House commission studying sexual harassment laws, led by Rep. Teresa Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett).
Click here to see news release.

                       

                                   

 

 

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For an electronic version of this and all press releases published by the Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau, please visit our Web site at www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The FBI is working with colleges to warn of antisemitic threats of violence. That comes as campus protests pop up across the country over the Israel-Hamas war. FBI Director Christopher Wray told NBC News the agency doesn't directly track university protests, but is giving schools information to deal with potential threats.       Former President Trump returns to court in New York City this morning for his criminal hush money trial. Trump faces felony charges of falsifying business records to cover up payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged affair.       The Biden administration is making a preliminary agreement with semiconductor maker Micron, another investment through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. The President will announce the six-billion-dollar deal with the Idaho company today in Syracuse, New York. The money will go to support two chip manufacturing hubs in New York and Idaho.        Google has fired another 20 employees for their involvement in protests over its dealings with Israel. The tech giant has a cloud computing contract with the Israeli military, and pro-Palestinian workers have been staging sit-ins and other forms of protest. This brings the total number of employees fired over the matter to fifty.        A U.S. Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President Harris has been hospitalized after showing what is being described as "distressing behavior" Monday morning. The incident took place at Joint Base Andrews, with Harris not present at the time. According to CBS News, the agent was speaking incoherently, eventually physically provoking another officer.        A Beatles guitar that's been missing for over 50 years has been discovered in the attic of a British house. Julien's Auctions says the 12-string Hootenanny acoustic guitar is the same one John Lennon played on classics like "Norwegian Wood," and he can be seen playing the guitar in the movie "Help!"        

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