Rhode Island

HUMAN SERVICES -- PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ACT - Exempts individual retirement accounts as a countable resource for public assistance. This act also prohibits the state as a creditor against an ABLE account in the event of death of a beneficiary.

PROBATE PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE -- UNCLAIMED INTANGIBLE AND TANGIBLE PROPERTY - Funds the Rhode Island baby bonds trust program without the use of taxpayer dollars through an annual allocation of unclaimed property remittances.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OPEN MEETINGS - Allows advisory bodies to participate in a public meeting using videoconferencing, subject to certain requirements.

THE UTGR MASTER CONTRACT AND THE TWIN RIVER -- TIVERTON MASTER CONTRACT -- CONSOLIDATED MARKETING PROGRAM - Restates the UTGR Master Contract and the Twin River-Tiverton Master Contract and consolidates the marketing program of each into the Consolidated Marketing Program.

WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT - Requires 10% of all rental fees collected by the water resources board pursuant to a lease with the Coventry Pines Golf Club be paid to the town of Coventry and 10% to the Central Coventry Fire District.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND HOUSING RESOURCES ACT OF 1998 - Allows the town of Coventry to receive a one-half (1/2) credit for affordable housing units for manufactured homes in age restricted communities in conformance with all zoning laws and/or ordinances of the town.

EDUCATION -- UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND - Establishes the framework to create a medical school at the University of Rhode Island and provides an initial appropriation of five million dollars ($5,000,000) as the first phase of a multi-year investment for the development of a medical school.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- PRESCRIPTION DRUG SAVINGS AND TRANSPARENCY ACT OF 2026 - Establishes the "Prescription Drug Savings and Transparency Act of 2026."

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES - Allows for the issuance of a Class B or Class BV liquor license for the property located at 186 Wayland Avenue in the city of Providence.

PUBLIC RECORDS -- ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS - Amends the definition of public record to exempt from public disclosure the city or town of residence of the justices, judges, and magistrates of the unified judicial system.

PROPERTY -- HOMELESS BILL OF RIGHTS - Provides certain procedures that must be followed before an encampment can be removed or relocated.

TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES - Provides cities and towns with the authority to tax properties considered qualifying affordable housing at a rate higher than otherwise permitted.

EDUCATION -- CURRICULUM - Provides that the commissioner of elementary and secondary education would direct all local education agencies to select one of the identified high-quality curricula and materials for science and technology no later than June 30, 2027.

MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE -- BURIAL OF VETERANS - Provides that certain Hmong or Lao individuals who served honorably in military operations in support of the United States as special guerrilla units be granted burial rights at the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

EDUCATION -- CURRICULUM -- FOSTER CARE YOUTH ACADEMIC REPORTS - Expands foster care academic youth reports to include information regarding 504 eligibility, graduation progress and surrogate parents. The act would require implementation of additional strategies to improve performance and additional progress reports.

PUBLIC RECORDS -- ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS - Requires those with a public records request to provide identifying information.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT - Removes the requirement that 5% of the hotel tax generated from regional tourism districts be paid to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, and adds that 5% of the hotel tax to the existing tax paid to the RI commerce corporation.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- INSPECTOR GENERAL - Establishes the office of inspector general as an independent administrative agency charged with the responsibility to investigate, detect, and prevent fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.

PUBLIC RECORDS -- ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS - Makes changes to the access to public records act, including clarifying various provisions, increasing the sanctions for knowing and willful violations of the law, and making certain traffic accident data and preferred license plate information public.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- QUASI-PUBLIC CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT - Provides that funds or monies collected by designated quasi-public corporations or agencies not be subject to transfer or reallocation by order of the governor or general assembly.

CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS -- RHODE ISLAND BUSINESS CORPORATION ACT - Requires businesses that conduct business to register and maintain required filings with the secretary of state so that consumers and small businesses may readily identify responsible parties, verify good standing, and effectuate service of process.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - Creates an income-sensitive tiered subsidy program to ensure that home energy utility costs are affordable for eligible low-income households.