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2023 Legislative Initiatives

It was a busy 2023 legislative session and I co-sponsored many bills, including the beach access bill; a series of environmental bills to reduce plastic waste and incentivize the expansion of renewable energy; bills to mandate insurance coverage for any additional screenings deemed medically necessary for proper breast cancer screening; and a bill to permanently establish standards governing the municipal regulation of outdoor dining at food service establishments.

Here is a list of the most significant bills that were passed this year.

2023 Legislative Highlights:

To relieve an administrative burden for small businesses and municipalities, the state budget includes a $50,000 exemption for all businesses subject to the tangible tax, eliminating the tax completely for 75% of Rhode Island businesses.

The budget set aside $55 million for a ‘rainy day fund’ to better position Rhode Island to weather economic downturns.
Suspended the collection of the gross receipts tax on electricity and natural gas billed to consumers next winter, for a total of $35 million in relief to households and businesses.
The legislature created the Hope Scholarship Pilot Program to provide the cost of two years of tuition and mandatory fees for eligible students during their junior and senior years at Rhode Island College.
The budget stabilizes the Workers’ Compensation Fund with $4 million to prevent an increase in the premiums paid by Rhode Island businesses.
The budget includes $20 million from State Fiscal Recovery funds for a matching grant program that will help cities and towns fund local road, bridge, and sidewalk repairs. It also leverages $87.8 million in state funding to unlock additional federal road and bridge funding.
The budget distributes retired public employees’ cost-of-living adjustments annually instead of in larger lump sums once every four years.
Lawmakers banned private insurance companies from discriminating against seniors with pre-existing conditions shopping for Medicare Advantage plans.
The state legislature amended the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act to create a lead water supply replacement program for all service lines, with a requirement that all affected lines are replaced within ten years.
The General Assembly passed four bills to reduce childhood lead poisoning by ensuring landlords comply with lead-safety laws.
Lawmakers banned restaurants from using polystyrene foam, commonly called Styrofoam, for food packaging or preparation.
Passed a comprehensive plan for the future of solar in Rhode Island to expand solar development while protecting forests, creating well-paying jobs, and stabilizing costs for ratepayers.
The General Assembly approved more than a dozen pieces of housing legislation to address the housing crisis. Many of the bills are aimed at speeding housing production by streamlining and removing roadblocks in permitting processes.
The legislature made it easier to convert commercial structures such as hospitals or mills into housing.
Lawmakers included an additional $39 million to support housing development, including funds for transit development and to support infrastructure such as road and utility connections.
Passed legislation to enact many of the consumer- protection elements of the federal Affordable Care Act into state law, providing Rhode Islanders with permanent protections, even if the federal lawis ever weakened or repealed.
The Assembly approved legislation to better align projects so that roadways across Rhode Island aren’t dug up multiple times by requiring utilities to coordinate with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to develop a comprehensive plan to align planned state and utility projects.
Rhode Island established “Juneteenth National Freedom Day” as a state holiday that will be held annually on June 19, beginning in 2024

2022 Legislative Initiatives

I was very busy in the 2022 session. I introduced bills on a range of issues, including small business, senior services, food safety, protection for special education students, many on the environment, and others.

2022 Legislative Highlights:

The new budget includes $1 million to study the feasibility of installing suicide barriers on Aquidneck Island’s three bridges.
Approved enabling legislation for Newport to create a two-tiered property tax system for residents and non-residents.
The General Assembly approved an accelerated phase-out of the car tax, eliminating it one year ahead of schedule.
Lawmakers elevated the position of Deputy Secretary of Commerce for Housing to Secretary of Housing, a cabinet-level position, and created a new Department of Housing.
The budget fully supported the state education funding formula, providing $17 million more than the previous year.
Voters will be asked in Nov. to approve a $50 million “green bond,” including $12 million for an education center at Roger Williams Park Zoo.
Voters in will be asked in Nov. to approve a $250 million bond for kindergarten through Grade 12 school construction projects.
Voters will be asked in Nov. to approve for $112 million in borrowing for new construction and repairs at the URI Narragansett Bay campus and at the Community College of Rhode Island.
Approved legislation that creates a special motor vehicle license plate for Rose Island Lighthouse.
The General Assembly approved the Plastic Waste Reduction Act, which is designed to reduce the use of plastic checkout bags.
Legislators added a one-time child tax credit of $250 per child, for up to three children per family, for those meeting the income guidelines.
Legislators voted to substantially increase renewable energy production and supply by requiring that 100% of Rhode Island’s electricity be offset by renewable production by 2033.
Lawmakers approved legislation that would provide for the Department of Health to take action to establish maximum contaminate levels for PFAS in drinking water.
The General Assembly approved legislation to allow hotels to evict guests who verbally abuse or threaten hotel staff or other guests.
Legislators dedicated $100 million to the unemployment trust fund to reduce businesses’ unemployment tax rates for 2023.
The budget provides $28 million to recapitalize the Historic Tax Credit Fund to reach more projects in an existing queue.
Legislators eliminated state income taxes on military pensions.
Lawmakers added $4 million to increase the “circuit breaker” tax credit available to qualifying elderly and disabled residents, raising the maximum credit from about $400 to $600 beginning in tax year 2022.
The Assembly raised the amount of annual pension income that is exempt from state taxation from $15,000 to $20,000.

2021 Legislative Initiatives

We addressed so many issues this session ranging from a serious commitment to addressing climate change; to establishing the state’s first permanent funding stream for affordable housing; to permanently providing up to two years of free tuition for eligible students at the Community College of Rhode Island; to finally banning child marriages and requiring all public school districts to adopt suicide prevention policies; to limiting insured patients’ copays for insulin used to treat diabetes to $40 for a 30-day supply, and so much more. I am so happy that I represented you in this governing process.

2021 Legislative Highlights:

Environment

The 2021 Act on Climate makes the state’s climate goals outlined in the Resilient Rhode Island Act of 2014 more ambitious and updated with current science, achieving net-zero emissions across all sectors by 2050.
Lawmakers prohibited new medical waste incinerators near residential neighborhoods, schools, nursing facilities and delicate environmental areas.
I was excited to be appointed to the new House Legislative Commission to study the effects and procedures for the reorganization of the RI Coastal Resources Management Council.

Senior Support

The legislature voted to require financial institutions to report suspected exploitation of seniors to the Office of Healthy Aging, authorizing them to temporarily hold suspect transactions; and enabled municipalities to offer property tax credits to seniors in exchange for volunteer hours.
The Nursing Home Staffing and Quality Care Act establishes a minimum standard of 3.58 hours of resident care per day by Jan. 1, 2022, and 3.81 hours of resident care per day beginning Jan. 1, 2023.

Preserving Open Space

The General Assembly simplified the process for cities and towns to preserve open space by creating municipal parks.

Housing Shortage

The Assembly established the state’s first permanent funding stream for affordable housing to help address the state’s critical housing shortage and authorized the designation of a “housing czar” to oversee housing initiatives.

Helping Families

Legislators added $10 million to the Department of Children Youth and Families’ budget to hire 91 new employees and help to address ongoing quality issues.

Renaming the Airport

The General Assembly renamed the state airport in Warwick “Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport.

Education

Lawmakers passed a bill to incorporate African heritage history education and civics education in all Rhode Island elementary and secondary schools.

Gun Safety

A bill passed by the Assembly will prohibit anyone, with certain exceptions, from bringing a firearm onto school property.

Phasing Out the Car Tax

Legislators added $10 million to The State budget continues the phase-out of the car excise tax, set to be fully eliminated after 2023.

Equitable Pay

A new law will gradually raise the minimum wage in Rhode Island from $11.50 to $15 an hour over the next four years; and approved legislation to ensure pay equity for all employees, regardless of gender or ethnicity.

Medical Access

The General Assembly passed a law to require health insurers to cover in-network preventive colorectal cancer screenings. The General Assembly approved legislation to expand Rhode Islanders’ access to telemedicine coverage.

2020 LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

2020 has been a year for the books. The beginning of the year focused on creating legislation around regulating short term rentals, climate change and the environment, and investing in Newport businesses; I was excited to co-sponsor a resolution to recognize the Rhode Island Slave History Medallion Statewide Education Program.

The Spring brought the devastation of the international COVID-19 pandemic as well as renewed calls for social justice in all parts of our communities and lives. I have continued to work hard representing my constituents and will continue to develop legislation that invests in the citizens of Newport as we work to recover and grow, together.

2019 LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

The 2019 Rhode Island Assembly was very productive. I focused on important issues including aiding our aging citizens, climate resiliency, growing the tourism economy for Newport, as well as introducing legislation on very specific issues such as researching the January 2019 gas outage.

2018 LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

In 2018, I introduced legislation to promote recycling and reduce food waste in schools to help the environment, establish an aging and disability resource center, regulate offshore drilling to minimize environmental impacts, research the impacts of the Pell Bridge Realignment on local small business, among many other initiatives.

2017 LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

2017 was a great year of progress in the Rhode Island Assembly.

I sponsored bills related to government efficiency, preserving and protecting Rhode Island’s natural resources, protecting benefits for aging citizens, and growing tourism through marketing and branding efforts - among many others.

2016 LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

The 2016 Rhode Island Assembly was very productive.

We focused on important issues such as reforming government, and passing a sound budget that creates jobs, reduces business taxes, reduces state taxes on pensions, and invests in tourism. Follow the link to learn more about all my legislative initiatives.