Rhode Island

TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES - Permits every municipality in the state to offer a homestead tax exemption of up to 20% of assessed value on residential properties, and also provides that municipalities that grant greater exemptions not be limited by this section.

HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM - Requires the department of human services to provide childcare assistance to families, including those served through DCYF, who meet the requirements of a protective services category as defined in CFR 98.20 (a)(3)(ii).

TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION - Exempts from sales tax the trade-in values of motorcycles as well the proceeds received as a result of an unrecovered stolen or total loss of a motorcycle.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE RHODE ISLAND CLEAN AIR PRESERVATION ACT - Establishes the Rhode Island Clean Air Preservation Act that establishes a regulatory process to prohibit polluting atmospheric experimentation.

TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION - Exempts from the sales tax eligible school supplies, costing less than $30.00, purchased within one week prior to the commencement of the academic year.

PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS -- POST-RETIREMENT EMPLOYMENT - Removes the cap on post-retirement employment for teaching administrator or staff member who has retired under the provisions of title 16, 36 or 35 of the general laws.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- STATEWIDE MUNICIPAL SOLAR PERMIT - Requires as part of the solar permit application an assessment on carbon-neutral, a solar permit would only be approved if it was carbon neutral based on the assessment.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY OF MOTOR VEHICLE NON-EXHAUST PARTICLE EMISSIONS - Requires the department of transportation, in consultation with the department of environmental management also to conduct an environmental impact study of motor vehicle non-exhaust particle emissions.

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- AGRICULTURAL FUNCTIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - Amends the definition of farm and agricultural land to include land on which agricultural operations are being conducted or is suitable for agriculture operations, and further expand the definition of a farmer.

HIGHWAYS -- CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE ROADS - Requires the department of transportation to plant pollinator friendly native species of trees, shrubs, grasses and plants within limits of a roadway, including state highways

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - Requires the producer of artificial turf and turf infill sold or distributed in RI to report its chain of custody, from installation to use, repurposing, recycling and disposal to the department of environmental management.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- CHILDREN - Criminalizes the knowing and intentional failure of a physician, nurse, or other licensed medical person to provide reasonable medical care and treatment to an infant born alive as a felony.

PUBLIC FINANCE -- REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCES - Changes the timeframe of the Revenue Estimating Conferences meeting to within the last ten (10) days of April and the first ten (10) days of November of each year.