Rhode Island

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DETENTION FOR FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION VIOLATIONS - Prohibits state and municipal officials or body from entering into and renewing any agreements that will be used to detain individuals for federal civil immigration violations.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - Requires the producer of artificial turf and turf infill sold or distributed in RI to report its chain of custody, from installation to use, repurposing, recycling and disposal to the department of environmental management.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING - Authorizes the town of Smithfield, if an aggregate of two hundred fifty (250) or more units should be proposed in comprehensive permit project(s), to enact an emergency moratorium until the permit requirement of § 45-53-4 are amended.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND HOUSING RESOURCES ACT OF 1998 - Allows the town of Smithfield 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.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND CIVIL RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT ACT - Established a cause of action against state government entities for violation of civil rights.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES - Establishes a motor vehicle license plate to honor Governor Roger Williams.

EDUCATION -- THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES ACT - Creates the School Libraries Act.

EDUCATION -- SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS ACT - Mandates that athletic teams that are sponsored by a public school or a private school whose teams compete against a public school, be designated as (1) "males", "men" or "boys"; (2) "females", "women" or "girls"; or (3) "coed" or "mixed".

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- MORATORIUM ON NET METERING, LONG-TERM CONTRACTS AND SUBSIDIES FOR HEAT PUMPS - Places a moratorium on net metering contracts, subsidies for heat pumps and long-term contracts for the purchasing of solar or wind energy.

AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- AGRICULTURAL FUNCTIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT - Redefines what constitutes a farm by reducing the amount of revenue from farm products required to be sold from $10,000 to $2500. It also expands the farm to include all agricultural operations, including forestry.

EDUCATION -- TRANSPORTATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS BEYOND CITY AND TOWN LIMITS - Provides local agencies with a mechanism to opt-out of statewide transportation upon a showing of a cost-effective alternative to the current fee-for-service model.

HUMAN SERVICES -- CERTIFICATION OF CHILDCARE AND YOUTH-SERVING WORKERS AND OPERATORS - Commencing July 1, 2026, this act eliminates the provision of this section that requires new applicants for employment under this section to pay the expense for their criminal background checks.

PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS -- STATE PURCHASES -- LEAD BY EXAMPLE ACT - Takes several measures to lead by example by banning state purchases of plastic bottles, and requires state funds to be used to lease or purchase electric vehicles and renewable energy efficient technologies for use on state property.

EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND HOPE SCHOLARSHIP PILOT PROGRAM ACT - Removes the sunset provision of the Rhode Island hope pilot scholarship program, making it a permanent scholarship program and renames the program as the Rhode Island hope scholarship program.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - Prohibit denial of an opportunity to apply for employment as a law enforcement officer or firefighter solely on the basis of a person's country of citizenship.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- THE EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT AND BUDGET EQUITY IMPACT ACT - Establishes a two-year pilot program, from January 2027 to December 2028, to incorporate equity impact statements into the legislative process for both the House and Senate chamber.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - Provides the state would cover dialysis for the treatment of end stage renal disease ("ESRD") and kidney transplants for persons who do not qualify for full Medicaid due to their immigration status.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- LIMITATIONS ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION - Bars state and local police from joining federal immigration enforcement programs, limits holding people on detainer without judicial warrants, and requires tracking and reporting of requests.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND RESOURCE RECOVERY CORPORATION - Prohibits the use of artificial turf as material to cover compacted solid waste at a sanitary landfill.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BEVERAGE CONTAINERS RECYCLING ACT - Establishes the Beverage Container Recycling Act.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT OF 2004--HEALTH INSURANCE OVERSIGHT - Requires health insurance commissioner to conduct a review of health insurance benefit mandates, including an analysis of the impact on premium costs, conducted every 5 yrs and report findings and recommendations to governor, senate president and speaker.

LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- THE COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS ACT - Establishes the commuter transportation benefit chapter. Employers with five hundred (500) or more employees required to establish a pre-tax commuter transportation fringe benefit program.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING -- PARKING SPACES - Permits Smithfield to require 2 parking spaces for each studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom low- or moderate-income housing unit upon the determination that limited or no local public transportation or off-street parking is available near these units.