Rhode Island

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS - Amends existing expungement laws to be consistent with the new 10-year lookback period required for DUI charges.

EDUCATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE EDUCATION COMMISSION - Annually allocate thirty thousand dollars to the Rhode Island Holocaust and Genocide Education commission.

CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM -- 2026 BOND REFERENDA - Submits the state's 2026 capital development program relating to green bonds requesting the issuance of general obligation bonds totaling $60,000,000 for approval of the electorate at the general election to be held in November, 2026.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES - Requires persons convicted of driving under influence or refusal to submit to chemical test, have an ignition interlock system installed in vehicle as part of sentence and to pay an assessment to pay for the interlock systems.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES -- VIOLATIONS - Adds criminal penalties for operation of a motor vehicle after a suspension for lack of physical or mental fitness, or as a result of frequency of offenses pursuant to § 31-11-7 (a)(1)(i) or as result of a court ordered suspension.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - Repeals the energy efficiency charge.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- DETERMINATION OF NEED FOR NEW HEALTHCARE EQUIPMENT AND NEW INSTITUTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES - Imposes a moratorium on the issuance of new home care provider, home nursing care provider and hospice provider licenses prior to 7/1/2031, and provides for health systems planning specific to these provider licenses during the moratorium by the DOH.

EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT - Amends the determination of the state's share statute by amending the calculation for the poverty loss stabilization fund.

PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT - Adds a provision that allows a tenant to pay the last month's rent or any other prepaid rent. It also increases the amount that a security deposit can be requested from one to two (2) months of rent.

INSURANCE -- MOTOR VEHICLE APPRAISAL PROVISION - Requires an insurance company to directly pay the insured's chosen appraiser and the umpire appraiser, if applicable, upon receipt of a "direction to pay" executed by an insured or claimant.

TAXATION -- PROPERTY EQUITY PROTECTION ACT - Establishes the Property Equity Protection Act to protect property owners from losing their equity when their property is seized to pay a debt to the government by allowing ample time to pay off the debt and adequate notice of due process.

EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT - Mandates public schools (K-12) have one full-time certified social worker for every 250 students and allocates $2 million in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget for school districts and municipalities to hire additional social workers.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- OFFENSES AGAINST REGISTRATION AND CERTIFICATE OF TITLE LAWS - Increases the fines for certain traffic offenses to one hundred dollars ($100) and adds fines of one hundred dollars ($100) for offenses required by law but omitted from the schedule.

EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT - Provides that in local education agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines, then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.

THE BLUE WAVE BOND FOR COASTAL PREPAREDNESS -- 2026 BOND REFERENDUM - Proposes a bond measure authorizing the State of Rhode Island to issue up to $100,000,000 in general obligation bonds, subject to voter approval, to fund coastal preparedness and resilience projects.

COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY SYSTEMS - Prohibits unauthorized placement of merchants on advertising platform order interfaces, and would prohibit third-party restaurant reservation services.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- NON-CHARITABLE BINGO - Creates a new chapter to provide for non-charitable bingo by the state lottery division.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- PUBLIC HEALTH AND WORKPLACE SAFETY ACT - In effect repeals the provisions of the newly enacted law prohibiting smoking in pari mutual facilities with the exception for businesses operating as a pari mutual facility smoking lounge.

Submits a proposition to be placed on the ballot at the next general election authorizing the issuance of bonds for a medical school on the University of Rhode Island's Kingston campus.

ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS - Increases the fines for dog ordinance violations in the town of Barrington.

ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS - Permits the town of Barrington to assess an annual dog licensing fee of seven dollars ($7.00).

ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS - Permits the town of Barrington to assess an annual dog licensing fee of seven dollars ($7.00).

ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- DOGS - Increases the fines for dog ordinance violations in the town of Barrington.

ELECTIONS -- PRIMARY ELECTIONS - Requires that the primary election date, statutorily the eighth Tuesday preceding the biennial state elections, shall be held on the Wednesday when Labor Day is the day before said Tuesday. No other filing deadlines would be affected.