Rhode Island

Approves charter amendments to the Warwick city charter subject to voter approval at the general election to be held in November, 2026.

TAXATION -- REAL ESTATE CONVEYANCE TAX - Requires that the tax imposed upon the conveyance of any real property that is located in more than one municipality to be allocated between or among the municipalities in proportions to the assessed value of the property located in each municipality.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS - Permits reimbursement for dental hygienists from "other insurance" or a third-party payor such as Medicare.

LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION - Creates a new class of retirement status license for retirees that had possessed a professional license issued by the department of labor and training.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- BARBERS, HAIRDRESSERS, COSMETICIANS, MANICURISTS, AND ESTHETICIANS - Allows electronic notifications modernize language for notifications, synchronize renewal dates for certain license-types, streamline licensing requirements across several license-types, and update the unlicensed health care practices statute.

FOOD AND DRUGS -- THE RHODE ISLAND CANNABIS ACT - Amends sections of the Rhode Island Cannabis Act relative to proof of residency terminology, and amends the definition of applicant and provides a new process for the approval and certification for social equity and cannabis retail sales licenses.

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- FORESTRY AND FOREST PARITY ACT - Establishes sales and use tax exemptions for commercial forest product operations and creates a new motor vehicle registration for "forestry vehicles".

TAXATION -- COLLECTION OF TAXES GENERALLY - Adds the town of Tiverton to those towns specifically named to tax any person for either a mobile or manufactured home and automatically lien the a mobile or manufactured home.

TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION -- VETERANS' EXEMPTIONS -- TOWN OF EXETER - Creates an exemption from property taxes in the amount of $5,000 for any veteran of the military or naval service of the United States who is to be totally disabled through a service-connected disability in the town of Exeter.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- ASBESTOS ABATEMENT - Removes obsolete language and clarifies asbestos abatement and radon control requirements.

FOOD AND DRUGS -- THE RHODE ISLAND CANNABIS ACT - Amends sections of the Rhode Island Cannabis Act relative to proof of residency terminology, and amends the definition of applicant and provides a new process for the approval and certification for social equity and cannabis retail sales licenses.

INSURANCE -- THE PROTECT MENTAL HEALTH ACT - Requires health insurers to comply with federal mental health parity laws, prevent discriminatory treatment limits, and ensures meaningful mental health and substance use coverage in all benefit classifications.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- LAW ENFORCEMENT SEXUAL MISCONDUCT - Makes sexual contact or penetration between any law enforcement officer that is on duty and a person that is a detainee, arrestee, in custody or a suspect a felony.

EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS - Expands the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, whether they are publicly or privately run to maintain on site a functional AED while establishing and implementing a cardiac emergency response plan in these schools.

INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES - Prohibits an insurance company from imposing any cost-sharing requirements for any diagnostic or supplemental breast examinations.

EDUCATION -- FEDERAL AID - Ends transaction fees for school lunches in all districts. This act requires at least one no-fee payment method for school lunches and a full disclosure whether fees will be charged by a payment platform.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- OFFICE OF STATE MEDICAL EXAMINERS - Clarifies and updates language in the office of state medical examiners statute to address outdated or ambiguous language, outdated practices, outdated position titles/qualifications, and ensure compliance with federal HIPAA requirements.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- CONFIDENTIALITY OF HEALTH CARE COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ACT - Provides conditions under which BHDDH has the authority to compel certain healthcare providers to finish requested healthcare records without violating The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

EDUCATION -- FEDERAL AID - Ends transaction fees for school lunches in all districts. This act requires at least one no-fee payment method for school lunches and a full disclosure whether fees will be charged by a payment platform.

EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS - Expands the requirement that all high schools and middle schools, whether they are publicly or privately run to maintain on site a functional AED while establishing and implementing a cardiac emergency response plan in these schools.

PROPERTY -- RHODE ISLAND FAIR HOUSING PRACTICES ACT - Tenants with disabilities may request to keep an emotional support animal.