Volunteer

Please Join Me for My April 16 Constituent Meeting

Please join me for a constituent meeting for District 75 residents on April 16, 2024 from 6:00PM to 7:30PM in The Friends Room at The Newport Public Library, 300 Spring St, Newport, RI 02840.

I will be covering current legislation being debated at the State House, the two study commissions I chair, and will be available to discuss any issues or concerns you may have.

I always want to hear from my constituents about issues big and small so that I am best representing you at the State House. This is just one opportunity to get together to chat about legislation and local issues – I encourage you to reach out to me at any time outside of this meeting as well.

We will discuss at this meeting both commissions I am chairing. The Special Legislative Commission to Study and Provide Recommendations Pertaining to Services and Coordination of State Programs Relating to Older Adult Rhode Islanders will make recommendations for ways to improve and coordinate services and programs for older adults in Rhode Island. The second commission is studying the economic and social effects of the short-term rental industry in Rhode Island. This commission is evaluating the current laws around property usage and the impact of short-term rentals on the community.

Please join me on April 16 and let me know if you have any questions - you can contact me at laurenhcarson@gmail.com or 401-523-1143.

District 75 Constituent Meeting - Presenting Survey Results

District 75 Constituent Meeting - Presenting Survey Results

March 4, 2024

6:00PM-7:30PM

The Newport Public Library Friends Room

300 Spring St, Newport, RI 02840

I hope you will join me on March 4 as I present the findings of my 2024 Constituent Survey.

I am honored to represent my constituents at the Rhode Island State House and want to accurately represent their interests. I enjoy speaking with people throughout the year and feel that I have a good understanding of the issues and viewpoints of those I represent; this annual survey is a good confirmation that I am representing The City by the Sea in the ways that best represent our Newport values. I hope you will join me as I present the findings of the survey and how they tie in to my current legislative initiatives, as well as the two stateside study commissions I am chairing on Aging and Short Term Rentals.

Capitol Spotlight: Rep. Lauren Carson

I was recently featured on the Capitol TV program, hosted by Margie O’Brien. Check out the video below to hear about what I have been up to the last six months, including updates on my two study commissions on aging and short term rentals.

Rhode Island Capitol TV department, located in the RI State House, is the media outlet for Rhode Island’s General Assembly. All of the programming aired on Capitol TV is available “on demand” on the State’s website at www.rilegislature.gov, under WATCH. In order to view any VIDEOS PRIOR to the 2024 Legislative session, click here - https://ritv.devosvideo.com/Show-Access-Points You will then be connected to the Capitol TV Archive page.

From The Public's Radio: Behind the Watch Hill lighthouse transfer, regulating short-term rentals, and more

I was recently a guest on an episode of The Weekly Catch from The Public’s Radio to discuss my work and updates on the short term rental landscape in Rhode Island. Click here to listen and check out the description of the episode below.

Despite months of pushback from local fishermen and shoreline access advocates, the Watch Hill Lighthouse in Westerly is now in the hands of a private nonprofit, with no guarantee of public access. And Rhode Island is home to a lot of short-term rentals, via sites like Airbnb and Vrbo. Opponents say they can be disruptive, and contribute to the long-term housing shortage. We hear from the chair of a new State House commission that’s looking at the impact of short-term rentals on local communities. Plus, a look ahead to the year in politics, starting with the latest from Rhode Island’s General Assembly. That and more coming up on The Weekly Catch.

by Mareva Lindo, James Baumgartner, & Luis Hernandez

Two New Study Commissions I am Chairing

I am currently chairing two new House Study Commissions over the next year, the first to make a comprehensive study and provide recommendations for state programs for older adult Rhode Islanders; and the second to study policies around the economic and social impact of short-term rentals in our communities. Please stay turned for updates on these as we meet over the coming months.

Short Term Rental Study Commission

Creating a special legislative commission to review and provide recommendations for policies that deal with numerous economic and social short-term rentals issues concurrently.

 Senior Citizens Services Study Commission

Creating a special legislative commission to study and provide recommendations pertaining to services and coordination of state programs relating to older adult Rhode Islanders.

Rep. Carson on "Bartholomewtown" Podcast

From “Bartholonewtown:” A New State Commission Will Review Short-Term Rentals. Will It's Findings Actually Be Implemented?

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023 BILL BARTHOLOMEW / LAUREN CARSON SEASON 6

Rhode Island Representative Lauren Carson joins Bill Bartholomew for a discussion about the impact short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO have on the state's ongoing housing crisis and how a legislative commission that she spearheaded could tackle those issues.

End of Summer Lookback

As the days grow shorter, I hope you and your family have enjoyed another wonderful Newport Summer. And I hope this finds you well.

It was a busy legislative session, and my priorities are always to meet the legislative requests of Newport. As such, I passed legislation that required state authorization of the two-tier residential tax rate for the city at the request of the City Council. Under it, owner-occupied housing will be taxed at a lower rate than non-owner-occupied properties. The two-tier system was a recommendation of the city’s ad hoc Tax Relief Committee, which was created by the City Council to study ways to provide relief to year-round residents.

I continued my work on creating support systems for special needs students and their families and I worked extensively with the Newport Waterfront Commission to begin a conversation on the expansion of houseboats in municipal harbors.

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.

I will chair two new House Study Commissions over the next year: the first to make a comprehensive study and provide recommendations for state programs for older adult Rhode Islanders; and the second to study policies around the economic and social impact of short-term rentals in our communities.

Please feel free to contact me anytime about these or any other State issues at laurenhcarson@gmail.com

The Future of RI's 'Tree Bill'

During the 2023 RI Legislative session, Rhode Island Energy submitted a bill that would create statewide tree trimming and vegetation management standards upon the approval of the RI Public Utilities Commission, which did not pass. We all agree that we want our electric distribution lines to be maintained to reduce power outages, but the proposed legislation gave overreaching authority to the utility.

Above all – Aquidneck Island loves its trees and our tree canopy and many of us work very hard to ensure its longevity and diversity.

In the months ahead, a dialogue will begin to discuss how we proceed. Aquidneck Island will have a voice in that conversation. I am optimistic that we can draft a new proposal for tree trimming standards for Rhode Island to be considered in the 2024 Legislative session.

We can be protected from power outages that may increase in the years to come and power restoration is critical to the economy and the safe well-being of us all.

Privileges to the Shore

This year we passed a bill that clarifies where the public can access Rhode Island’s many miles of shore to exercise their constitutional rights. The new law establishes a public access line 10’ landward of the recognizable high-tide (the ‘wrack line’ or the ‘seaweed line’) along a sandy and rocky shore. When there are multiple seaweed lines, the one closest to the water is deemed to be the most recent. If thereis no seaweed, start at the wet/dry sand line and add 10’. The law assumes that you have accessed the shore from a legal Right of Way and does not allow persons to traverse private property to access the shore. It does not allow the public to use property owner’s lounges, cabanas, chairs, or other private property. The statute is already being challenged in the courts, so more to come on this.

Study on Short Term Rentals

Rhode Island is not the only state that has experienced growth in the short-term rental industry. Here on Aquidneck Island, we have seen the sudden expansion of the industry impacting neighborhoods and year-round housing. The RI House has appointed a Short-Term Rental Study Commission to be chaired by Rep. Lauren Carson and Rep. Terri Cortvriend, (Middletown/Portsmouth) will serve as a member. The focus will be on policies that are fair, respect our neighborhoods and create a manageable tourism economy.

The 15-member commission will study the effects of short-term rentals on the State of Rhode Island and on Rhode Island municipalities. The study shall, but not be limited to a review of all current and existing RI Statutes on short-term rentals; an update on the State registration process and its enforcement; and an evaluation of our current taxation policies.

The Commission shall report to full House of Representatives on March 15, 2024.

Focus on Housing

The House of Representatives for the second year made housing the number one priority, approving more than a dozen pieces of legislation. Many of the bills are aimed at streamlining and removing roadblocks in permitting processes to expedite production.

The three most impactful bills passed were:

• Incentivizing developers to expand subsidized housing options for low-income households with Low Income Housing Tax Credits

• Amending the Low and Moderate Income Housing Act to revise the procedures for reviewing building applications.

• Requiring for lenders to advise owner-occupant mortgagors of the availability of a mortgage mediation process before the lender can proceed to foreclosure.

2023 Legislative Accomplishments

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.

  • 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

Rep. Carson to be honored by Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau

by Ryan Belmore of WhatsUpNewp

Representative Lauren Carson (D-Dist.75, Newport) has been selected by the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau to receive its 2022 James McCarvill Leadership Award. The award recognizes her contribution to the organization as well as the hospitality community.

The award will be presented at the bureau’s annual meeting Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence.

“As a Newporter, I understand just how important the vitality of the hospitality industry is to our communities and our state. Rhode Island is a better place to live, work, visit and enjoy ourselves because of the strength of our hospitality sector. I am deeply committed to the work of ensuring that the Ocean State is widely recognized as a world-class destination,” said Representative Carson.

Representative Carson says in a press releae that she has been the sponsor of numerous laws to strengthen and promote tourism and the hospitality industry in Rhode Island, including legislation concerning short-term rentals.

In 2015, Representative Carson created and led a commission that studied ways to expand tourism through effective statewide branding efforts. Over the course of several years, that commission closely monitored the Commerce Corporation’s efforts to revamp statewide tourism promotion.

Supporting Newport's Seniors

I want Newport’s seniors to live in a safe, comfortable community and lead active, independent lives. I am committed to passing legislation that works for our seniors, read on for some examples.

In the 2022 session, along with my colleagues:

  • Eliminated state income taxes on military pensions.

  • 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.

  • Raised the amount of annual pension income that is exempt from state taxation from $15,000 to $20,000.

  • Approved enabling legislation for Newport to create a two-tiered property tax system for residents and non-residents.

  • 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.

In Previous Sessions:

  • Recognized as the 2017 Champion for Seniors by the Edward King House.

  • Sponsored and passed legislation to establish the RI Aging and Disability Resource Center.

  • Established the “independent provider” model, allowing consumers to hire and manage caregivers of their choice.

  • Created an $800,000 community senior services grant program for senior centers.

  • Enacted the Livable Home Modification Grant program to allow aging citizens to stay safely in their homes longer.

  • Passed the Senior Savings Protection Act that requires the reporting of financial exploitation of persons age 60+.

  • Supported the program that provides fare-free bus passes to low-income seniors and disabled Rhode Islanders.

  • Sponsored several bills addressing Alzheimer’s disease and elder abuse.

Carson Named Clean Water Legislator of the Year by RI Clean Water

I was excited to be named one of the 2022 Clean Water Legislators of the Year, along with three of my colleagues. The environment has been one of the pillars of my works since day one and we have accomplished so much in just a few years. Of course, there is much work left to do.

2021 and 2022 were huge years for the climate in RI. In April 2021, my landmark Act on Climate was signed into law. The Act on Climate strengthens the state’s climate-emission reduction and instructs the state to develop a plan to reduce climate emissions to net-zero by 2050. The law sets mandates, not goals, and makes the mandates enforceable in Rhode Island Superior Court. As we work to implement the Act on Climate, I am focusing on making sure consumers are protected during the transition to clean energy.

In the 2022 session we also made big strides for our environment, including banning the use of single use plastic bags in retail stores statewide, requiring 100% of electricity to be offset by renewables by 2033, and approving legislation towards establishing maximum contaminate levels for PFAS in drinking water.


2022 Legislative Session Wrap Up

Dear Friends,

I hope this newsletter finds you having enjoyed a terrific Newport summer. I am writing to you and your family to share some of the accomplishments of the 2022 Rhode Island legislative session. I am happy to report that the Legislature has acted on many issues regarding tax relief, senior citizen programs, climate change resilience, mental health, elections, good government, and so much more. I have prepared this newsletter with information about some of the many bills that we have passed this year.

I will always consider constituent services the cornerstone of my responsibilities as State Representative for Rhode Island House District 75 – Newport. I am available to solve problems at DMV or at Taxation, or anything else you or your family may need taken care of. I can be reached at laurenhcarson@gmail.com or 401-523-1143.

Thank you,

Lauren Carson

Legislative Grants

I was pleased to recognize these organizations and provide legislative grants for their continued work in our community:

  • $2,000 to the Edward King House for their continued service to Newport’s older citizens. Pictured top: Presenting the grant to Carmela Geer, Executive Director of the Edward King House

  • $2,000 to the Newport Gulls for keeping the great American pastime alive in Newport. Pictured bottom: Presenting the grant at a July Gulls game

  • $5,000 to the Island Cemetery for the restoration of the Belmont Chapel.

  • $3,500 to the Newport Middle Passage Project, commemorating those lost in the Middle Passage of the slave trade which was centered in Newport.

Legislative Study Commissions Updates

At the end of the 2021 session, the House passed legislation establishing two important Study Commissions - one looking into the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and another looking at Lateral Shoreline Access. These two commissions met through the fall of 2021 and into the 2022 session, hearing from the state’s experts on both topics.

An immediate positive outcome of the CRMC Study Commission is that the 2023 budget now includes funding for a full-time hearing to hear both contested permit and enforcement cases.

The purpose of the commission to study Lateral Shoreline Access was to make a comprehensive study and provide recommendations relating to public access along our 400 miles of shoreline.

It was the testimony of the coastal scientists from URI’s Coastal Institute that provided the pivotal information that showed that the Mean High Water Line is underwater on RI’s Southern shoreline most of the day, meaning that the public’s constitutional privileges are largely illusory. This led the commission to the unanimous conclusion that the General Assembly should take action. The commission then supported a piece of legislation that would restore, using the historical seaweed line, a reasonable buffer zone landward of 10 feet, which was then modified by the Judiciary Committee reducing the buffer from 10 to 6 feet. The bill was passed unanimously by the House but was unsuccessful in getting a hearing in the Senate, meaning that the bill will need to be reintroduced in 2023.

“I have a record at the State House of Putting Newport First, while serving and representing the interests of my Newport neighbors.”
— Lauren Carson

2022 Legislative Accomplishments

  • 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.

Vote from Home with a Mail Ballot!

This session, the legislature passed the Let RI Vote Act, which allows any RI voter to vote by mail. General election mail ballot applications are due by Oct 18. To apply for a mail ballot and for more voting information, visit https://vote.sos.ri.gov




2022 Campaign Announcement

I am excited to announce my campaign for my fifth term! Please see my full press release announcement below and please let me know if you have any questions.

NEWPORT HOUSE REP. LAUREN CARSON TO RUN FOR FIFTH TERM

 

Newport, RI – Rhode Island State House Representative Lauren Carson has announced that she will run for reelection for her seat representing Newport in House District 75.

 

Carson was first elected in 2014 to the House of Representatives. In her time at the State House, she has been particularly active on issues related to the environment, small business, tourism, and government transparency. She currently serves as Deputy Majority Leader and as the second vice chair of the House Innovation and Internet Committee. She is a member of the House Environment and Natural Resources, Small Business and Oversight Committees.

 

In 2015, she sponsored and chaired two RI House study commissions, one to study the economic impact of sea rise on Rhode Island, and another to study ways to expand tourism through effective statewide branding efforts. In 2019, she organized the Aquidneck Island Climate Caucus to focus the island’s efforts concerning sea level rise, which has been very active since its creation and throughout the pandemic. In 2017, she sponsored a law requiring education on flooding and sea rise for local planning board members and creating a unified statewide application process for solar panel permitting.

 

This session she has introduced a wide range of legislation on topics including environmental protections, education, food safety, protections for special education students, seniors, and tax benefits for Newport residents. She has also been actively involved in implementing her landmark Act on Climate, which was passed in 2021. The short-term rental regulations she sponsored and passed will take effect this year.

 

She has sponsored and passed legislation that eliminated the state income tax on Social Security benefits; created a public internet portal at the RI State Treasury that reports on State pensions and pension performance; she secured funding in the 2019 State Budget to create an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC); and created a program establishing small business support during RI DOT road projects – as a result, Newport businesses located near the Newport Pell Bridge are receiving support throughout the bridge realignment process.

 

She has been honored as a Champion for Seniors by the Edward King House in Newport and Legislator of the Year by the RI Audubon Society, the RI Hospitality Association, and the State Conservation Districts. She has also served on the Advisory Board of the Alliance for Livable Newport, the Newport Energy & Environment Commission, and the Environmental Council of the Rhode Island Educational Fund Board.

 

Carson said, “The upcoming election session will be busy. When the House concludes its 2022 session in June, I will be around town and I hope that we might meet so we can talk about our State government and your vision of our shared future. I promise to be available and to respond to your needs.” 

 

Carson obtained a Master’s degree in History from the University of Rhode Island in 2008 and her Master in Business degree from URI in 1992, and earned a BA in sociology in 1976 from Ramapo College in New Jersey. She is a graduate of Benedictine Academy in New Jersey. Born on February 26, 1954, she is the mother of a son, Andrew. She has lived in Newport for over twenty years. For more information about Carson’s background and plans for her fifth term, you can contact her directly at 401-523-1143 or laurenhcarson@gmail.com.

 

Bill would expand elder-affairs office to Cabinet-level agency

Read full article on The Providence Journal

PROVIDENCE — The push is on to once again rename the state's elder-affairs office and make it a full-fledged Cabinet-level agency with the power to do a lot more than the state is doing now for its large and growing population of seniors.

This year's push is coming from Reps. Lauren Carson and Deborah Ruggiero, who is running for lieutenant governor. And it centers on Rhode Island's status as the state with "the 11th largest concentration of elders" in the country.