Rhode Island

FOOD AND DRUGS -- THE EDWARD O. HAWKINS AND THOMAS C. SLATER MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT - Allows for the payment of compassion center fees of $500,000 to be paid in quarterly installments.

EDUCATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND EDUCATION FUNDING AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT - Establishes the Rhode Island education funding and accountability act, which would include a totally revised and revamped formula for funding all levels of public education in Rhode Island.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- AUDITOR GENERAL - Requires the auditor general to conduct performance audits of all state agencies.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE SUPERFUND ACT OF 2026 - Creates the Rhode Island Climate Superfund Act of 2026.

CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM -- 2026 BOND REFERENDA - Submits the State's 2026 capital development program requesting the issuance of general obligation bonds for approval of the electorate at the general election to be held in November 2026.

TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES - Provides an eight percent (8%) tax rate for those properties that are encumbered by a deed restriction for low-income housing set at eight percent (80%) or sixty percent (60%) of adjusted median income established by HUD.

HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND PRESCRIPTION DRUG PURCHASING POOL ACT - Establishes a state-run prescription drug purchasing pool, available for participation by nonstate public employers, private employers, and health insurance carriers, to maximize the value of drug discounts available to participants.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION -- THE EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION IN UTILITY REGULATION ACT - Creates an intervenor compensation program to provide compensation in the form of grants for legal fees, expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs to an intervenor in both, energy siting board and public utilities commission proceedings.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES - Strengthens enforcement of the state's pharmacy audit law by clarifying and tightening audit procedures to ensure pharmacy audits are conducted fairly and transparently.

TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION - Exempts from sales tax energy storage systems, as defined in § 39-33-1.

COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES - Provides that certain actions taken by pharmacy benefits managers are deceptive or unfair trade practices.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL - Establishes the office of inspector general to investigate the management and operation of agencies in an effort to prevent and deter fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.

PUBLIC RECORDS -- ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS -- COST - Provides that fees for costs charged for search, retrieval or copying of public records shall be waived for members of the general assembly who certify that they are acting in their official capacity.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- QUASI-PUBLIC CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ACT - Provides that compensation comparability studies of senior management, documents discussed at an open meeting, annual contracting reports, list of current salaries and positions, and all policies and procedures of public corporations be made public.