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

 

 

§  Senate, House OK bill to provide regular reporting on the Washington Bridge

The Senate and House passed legislation (2024-S 2727A2024-H 7759A) introduced by Senate Majority Whip Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) and House Majority Whip Katherine S. Kazarian (D-Dist. 63, East Providence, Pawtucket) to require regular monthly updates from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation on the state of the Washington Bridge. Each bill will now head to the opposite chamber for consideration.

Click here to see news release.

 

§ Bills from housing package approved by House of Representatives
The House approved three bills included in Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) 2024 housing package. One (2024-H 7983A) sponsored by Rep. Cherie Cruz (D-Dist. 58, Pawtucket) clarifies the makeup and structure of the State Building Code Office and the role of the State Building Code Commissioner. Another (2024-H 7982), sponsored by Rep. Terri Cortvriend (D-Dist. 72, Middletown, Portsmouth), amends provisions pertaining to wetland buffers and projects for development, redevelopment, construction or rehabilitation. The third (2024-H 7984A), sponsored by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett), allows municipalities to count mobile homes as affordable housing under certain conditions. The bills have been sent to the Senate.

Click here to see Cruz release.
Click here to see Cortvriend release.
Click here to see McEntee release.

§ Senate OKs Lauria bill to help sexual assault victims access fund
The Senate approved legislation (2024-S 2767A) sponsored by Sen. Pamela J. Lauria (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence) to enable victims of sexual assault to submit a medical forensic exam in lieu of a police report to establish eligibility for funds from the Crime Victim Compensation Program. Current law requires a police report for eligibility, but 70% of sexual assaults go unreported. The legislation now goes to the House, where Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett) is sponsoring companion legislation (2024-H 7449).
Click here to see news release.

§ Senate approves Bissaillon bill enabling more people to expunge misdemeanors
The Senate approved legislation (2024-S 2454) sponsored by Sen. Jacob Bissaillon (D-Dist. 1, Providence) removing a restriction that prevents those with a felony conviction from having up to five misdemeanors expunged from their record, as others can. The bill now goes to the House, where Rep. Jason Knight (D-Dist. 67, Barrington, Warren) is sponsoring companion legislation (2024-H 7053). 

Click here to see news release.

§  Senate passes Cano bill requiring coverage for diagnosing and treating infertility

The Senate approved legislation (2024-S 2396) sponsored by Sen. Sandra Cano (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket) that mandates all insurance contracts, plans or policies provide coverage for the expense of diagnosing and treating infertility.  The measure now heads to the House, where Rep. Karen Alzate (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket, Central Falls) has introduced similar legislation (2024-H 7878).

Click here to see news release

 

§  House passes Baginski bill to prohibit synthetic media 90 days before elections

The House passed legislation (2024-H 7387A) sponsored by Rep. Jacquelyn Baginski (D-Dist. 17, Cranston) that would prohibit the dissemination of “synthetic media” for 90 days before an election. Synthetic media is defined as an image, an audio recording or a video recording of an individual’s appearance, speech or conduct that has been intentionally manipulated with digital technology to create a realistic but false image, audio or video.  The bill now heads to the Senate, where Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton) has introduced the legislation (2024-S 2456).       

Click here to see news release

 

§ Senate passes LaMountain bill to protect employees’ freedom of speech
The Senate passed legislation (2024-S 2785) introduced by Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston) that would protect the rights of employees in the workplace relating to free speech, assembly and religion as well as attendance at employer-sponsored meetings regarding political or religious matters. The measure now moves to the House, where similar legislation (2024-H 7106) has been introduced by Rep. Robert E. Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown).
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Senate approves Chairwoman Euer’s Healthcare Provider Shield Act

The Senate voted to approve Senate Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Dawn Euer’s (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) Healthcare Provider Shield Act (2024-S 2262A) to protect medical providers who provide transgender and reproductive health care services in Rhode Island from civil or criminal suits from other states. The measure now moves to the House, where Rep. John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton) has introduced similar legislation (2024-H 7577).

Click here to see news release.

 

§ Edwards bill takes aim at ‘deepfake’ porn; would include AI digital images
Rep. John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton) is sponsoring legislation (2024-H 8129) that takes aim at “deepfake” porn by amending Rhode Island’s existing revenge pornography statute that was enacted in 2018. It would include visual images that are created or manipulated by digitization, or without the consent of the person, within the purview of the crime of unauthorized dissemination of indecent material.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Ackerman introduces consumer protection bill for solar industry

Deputy Majority Whip Mia A. Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln) introduced legislation (2024-H 7603) to protect consumers and ensure a healthy solar industry by regulating businesses selling home solar systems under the Department of Business Regulation. Similar legislation (2024-S 2801A) has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jacob Bissaillon (D-Dist. 1, Providence).

Click here to see news release.

 

§ Newport legislators submit short-term rental bills
Rep. Lauren Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport) and Sen. Dawn Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) have introduced legislation aimed at improving regulatory control over the short-term rental industry. Representative Carson is sponsoring legislation (2024-H 8182) to improve regulatory compliance and transparency and enabling local controls on the industry’s growth, and another bill (2024-H 8183) to make whole houses and condominiums subject to the hotel tax when rented short-term. She also introduced legislation (2024-H 8146) to extend a short-term rental study commission she leads, which issued an interim report this week. Senator Euer’s bill (2024-S 2020) would allow municipalities to charge a community impact fee of no more than 2% of the total charged to customers by short-term rental, for use on infrastructure, housing units and expenses incurred because of short-term rentals.
Click here to see Carson release.
Click here to see Euer release.

 

A key report shows wholesale inflation slowed last month. The July Producer Price Index shows a rise of zero-point-one percent. The PPI measures prices that businesses receive for goods and services. Economists had been expecting a slightly higher increase, according to a survey by the Wall Street Journal.        Over one-point-three million people tuned into Elon Musk's conversation with former President Trump on X last night. Some technical issues delayed the conversation, but the pair still spoke for over two hours. They discussed the attempted assassination of Trump in Pennsylvania, immigration, Russian President Vladimir Putin, the threat of global warming, and more.        Voters are heading to the polls for primary elections in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin today. In Minnesota, progressive Congresswoman Ilhan Omar will defend her seat against former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels. The contest comes after two other members of the so-called progressive "Squad," Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, lost their Democratic primaries this cycle.        Tropical Storm Ernesto isn't expected to hit the U.S. mainland as it heads up the Atlantic Ocean. Current forecasts show the storm will bring heavy rain and flooding to Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands today. The National Hurricane Center says Ernesto will then head northward and into the Atlantic.        A former Colorado clerk is facing up to 22 years in prison for election tampering. Tina Peters was convicted yesterday and will be sentenced in October. Prosecutors argued she let an unauthorized person access Mesa County's voting equipment in 2021 and make a copy of hard drives, as well as pictures of passwords, and then tried to cover it up.        U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles will not have her appeal heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee said it would take away her bronze medal because of a scoring error. Monday, USA Gymnastics said in a statement that it was notified that CAS rules don't allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered.