Rhode Island

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RESTRICTIVE CONFINEMENT OVERSIGHT ACT - Establishes the restrictive housing oversight committee ("committee") for the purpose of monitoring the use of restrictive housing ("solitary confinement"), as well as disciplinary and administrative confinement at the department of corrections.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- DISORDERLY CONDUCT - Criminalizes and sets mandatory minimum sentences for the unlawful interference with traffic upon the federal and state highways of this state.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD - Requires the electric distribution companies to offer system owner/operators 30 year contracts, with various terms including guaranteeing the delivery of net metering credits valued at $0.19, with an annual escalation of 2.75%.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY -- POLICE RELATIONSHIP ACT OF 2015 - Amends the comprehensive community-police relationship act of 2015 to require an annual study by an outside agency chosen by the department.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- HOMICIDE - Prohibits the imposition of a sentence of life without parole upon any person twenty-one (21) years of age or younger.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE BODY CAMERAS FOR CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ACT -- THE WILLIE WASHINGTON, JR. ACT - Mandates all department of corrections staff with direct supervision roles to wear body cameras while on duty in their assigned facility.

HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY - Directs the RITBA design a safety barrier or netting system on the several bridges within its authority. Any newly constructed bridges with a deck height of over one hundred feet (100 ft) would be required to have safety barriers of safety netting.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT - Removes the requirement that 5% of the hotel tax generated from the South County tourism district be paid to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau.

PROBATE PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE -- UNCLAIMED INTANGIBLE AND TANGIBLE PROPERTY - Funds the Rhode Island baby bonds trust program without the use of taxpayer dollars through an annual allocation of unclaimed property remittances.

PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS -- STATE PURCHASES - Prohibits state agencies from entering into software contracts that limit the agency's ability to install or run the software of the agency's choosing on their hardware.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING - Requires the Rhode Island housing authority to verify and document the count of affordable housing stock in the town of Tiverton two (2) times per year.

PROPERTY -- HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION LAW - Creates the homeowners association law to provide operational procedures for residential communities subject to the management of a homeowner association.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT - Repeals 42-56-38.1 and requires the department of corrections to provide free communication services to inmates and juveniles held in residential placement or detention centers and requires that those facilities provide in-person contact visits.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE NOREEN DREXEL BIRTHING CENTER FUND - Establishes a fund within the department of health to support the operation and expansion of women’s, maternal, and infant health and birthing services at Newport Hospital.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- TRESPASS AND VANDALISM - Changes the community service requirements of a sentence related to the violation of § 11-44-21.1 relating to defacing private residences, offices, businesses or commercial property.

TAXATION -- TAX ON GAINS FROM THE SALE OR EXCHANGE OF REAL PROPERTY - Creates new tax on gains from sale or exchange of real property held for short periods of time, 6 years or less, establishes a comprehensive framework to calculate and implement enforcement and provides imprisonment and/or fines for those who evade taxes.