Rhode Island

ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES - This act would add early voting to the 50 feet buffer prohibitions against politicking during election day voting.

TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES - Changes the assessment for residential property where forty percent (40%) of the dwellings are below eighty percent (80%) of statewide median income and thirty percent (30%) are below sixty percent (60%).

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SIZE, WEIGHT, AND LOAD LIMITS - Provides a series of updates to size, weight, and load regulations for commercial and specialized vehicles.

ELECTIONS -- RESIDENCE OF INDIVIDUALS IN GOVERNMENT CUSTODY ACT - Requires state use actual residences of persons in government custody for redistricting purposes. Information would be collected by the department of corrections and forwarded to the division of statewide planning, to be utilized for redistricting.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL - Establishes a bureau of public protection within the department of attorney general.

WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLY - Establishes civil penalties for extended service interruptions by water suppliers. These penalties would be in addition to other available remedies and damages.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- COMPOSTING AND ORGANIC WASTE DIVERSION - Establishes Compost Fund to award grants related to reducing the amount of solid waste generated in the state.

COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- RHODE ISLAND SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION ACT - Creates the Rhode Island Social Media Regulation act, which would not permit a Rhode Island resident who is a minor to be an account holder on a social media's platform unless the minor has the express consent of a parent or guardian.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RHODE ISLAND TOWING INDUSTRY MODERNIZATION AND REGULATORY EQUITY ACT - Establishes the Rhode Island towing advisory board, to provide advice to the DPUC regarding the DPUC's regulation of tow truck operators.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DIGITAL ASSET KEYS -- PROHIBITION OF PRODUCTION OF PRIVATE KEYS - Prohibits the compelled production of a private key as it relates to a digital asset, digital identity or other interest or right.

WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL - Authorizes a property owner to pursue reasonable actions to protect their property from coastal hazards that affect life, infrastructure, or essential land uses without prior approval.

ELECTIONS -- MAIL BALLOTS - Amends the procedures for the marking and certification of mail ballots by prohibiting anyone but the voter or certain persons close to the voter from handling the mail ballot.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RECOGNITION OF NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES - Recognizes the Seaconke Wampanoag tribe as a Native American Indian tribe for the limited purpose of assisting this tribe in establishing eligibility for federal benefits and privileges.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION - Directs the public utilities commission to establish a standardized framework for determining authorized common equity ratios and authorized rates of returns on equity for public utilities.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS -- TOWN OF HOPKINTON MUNICIPAL COURT - Grants the town council of the town of Hopkinton the authority to confer jurisdiction to the municipal court to hear and determine appeals from decisions of the Chief of Police related to the return of seized firearms.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING - Prohibits contractors from submitting a single application to a local review board seeking a comprehensive permit for housing projects in certain circumstances.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION - Provides that effective July 1, 2026, the profit margin of any electric distribution company or distributor of natural gas, would not exceed four percent (4%), in any given calendar year.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION - Requires the PUC to produce report on comprehensive study by April 30, 2027.

CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS -- RHODE ISLAND CORPORATE POWER RESET ACT - Removes corporate and dark-money spending from all Rhode Island elections and ballot questions.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT AND INVESTMENT ACT -- RHODE ISLAND BROADBAND OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2026 - Enacts the Rhode Island Broadband Oversight and Accountability Act of 2026.

ELECTIONS -- NOMINATION OF PARTY AND INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES -- DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY AND PRIMARY VOTES - Sets an earlier deadline from June to April for filing of declaration of candidacy and nomination papers.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT OF 2004 -- HEALTH INSURANCE OVERSIGHT - Requires a report to be produced that focuses on prescription drug prior authorizations by January 1, 2027.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RHODE ISLAND UTILITY FAIR SHARE ROADWAY REPAIR ACT - Requires any public utility company that needs to close any state or municipal roadway for work to provide notice to all residential and business property owners located within 1,000 ft of the closed highway at least 48 hrs before the road closure.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES - Authorizes municipalities, through ordinance, to require private real property owners to obtain a license to operate a dwelling unit as student housing.