Rhode Island

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- MOTOR VEHICLES OWNED BY A GOVERNMENTAL BODY - Requires as part of the director of administration’s report to the general assembly to include information on the number of hybrid, combustion engine, plug-in hybrid, and ZEV vehicles in the light duty fleet. This act would take effect upon passage.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITY - Prohibits RIPTA from using state funds or the proceeds of any bond(s) to pay for any work performed after 8/1/26, pursuant to the “transit center joint development project” RFP and/or pursuant to related the preliminary services agreement.

TAXATION -- ESTATE AND TRANSFER TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION - Increase the estate exemption to $5,000,000 for January 1, 2027, $7,500,000 for January 1, 2029, $10,000,000 for January 1, 2031. This act would eliminate the estate tax for decedents whose death occurs on or after January 1, 2033.

LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- WORKPLACE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY ACT - Protects bullying/psychological abuse in workplace inflicted upon employees by employers/co-employees/provides civil remedies to affected employees/fines against employers/imprisonment/fines against co-employees.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- SUBDIVISION OF LAND - Authorizes permitting authorities to require maintenance guarantees for a period of up to 2 years following completion, inspection, and acceptance of public improvement projects.

TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION - Exempts from the sales tax behind-the-meter batteries interconnected with a solar photovoltaic system.

EDUCATION -- UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND - Provides the board of trustees with tort claim protections and calls upon the board to undertake a feasibility study related to operations of the Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center and the Rhode Island Atomic Energy Commission.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- SUBDIVISION OF LAND - Provides that minor subdivisions include single family infill subdivisions and establishes procedures for single family infill subdivisions within the subdivision of land chapter of the general laws.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- RHODE ISLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND LAND USE ACT - Amends various provisions relative to adaptive reuse projects on state-owned property and certain conditions applied thereto.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST TOWNS - Requires a municipality to disclose on their official website the specific issues, details and costs of any legal action of which the town or city is a named defendant within 60 days after the close of the fiscal year.

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- HEMP GROWTH ACT -- RHODE ISLAND HEMP THC BEVERAGE ACT - Provides a licensed liquor retailer/cannabis retailer/or hemp consumable retailer that received an infused-beverage endorsement from the cannabis control commission the authorization to sell at retail THC infused beverages in accordance with this chapter.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES - Requires that all agencies' final rules, promulgated pursuant to the administrative procedures act, be approved by general assembly action, but in no case later than December 31 of the year it is promulgated, before it can become effective.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- UNIFORM ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT - Allows a party to condition a transaction by electronic means on their stated desire to obtain and receive a written copy of the document in English or Spanish before electronic execution of the agreement or performance is required of the party.

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

GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT - Establishes a performance audit division within the office of the auditor general.

PUBLIC FINANCE -- STATE BUDGET - Requires that the governor submit a zero-based budget to the general assembly with the zero-based budget phased in over a five (5) year period, commencing with the fiscal budget year of July 1, 2027.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE -- DISABLED VETERAN HOME MODIFICATION ACT - Prohibits the imposition of fees associated with home modifications that are specifically required to accommodate a veteran’s disability.