Rhode Island

TOWNS AND CITIES -- ZONING ORDINANCES - Requires that affordable housing would be provided for with some developments.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT - Removes the requirement that 5% of the hotel tax generated from regional tourism districts be paid to the Greater Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, and adds that 5% of the hotel tax to the existing tax paid to the RI commerce corporation.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- COURTS -- JUDICIAL SELECTION - Requires the JNC to establish standardized merit-based selection process and that applications be evaluated according to uniform, job-related criteria adopted in advance and published on the commission's website.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- RHODE ISLAND COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND LAND USE ACT - Allows municipalities to request a one-time, state-approved extension to update comprehensive plans if they show active progress, while keeping the existing plan in effect during the extension period.

HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE - Provides that licensed independent clinical social workers be able to enroll and bill Medicaid directly for covered services provided to adults with Medicaid fee-for-service coverage.

TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION - Exempts from the sales tax eligible school supplies, costing less than $50.00, purchased within one week prior to the commencement of the academic year.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- SUBDIVISION OF LAND - Reduces the newspaper advertising notice requirements for amendments to zoning ordinances and planning board meetings from three (3) weeks to two (2) weeks.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE HOSPITAL CONVERSIONS ACT - Authorizes the Superior Court to place a hospital into receivership upon action by the attorney general or department of health when a hospital is mismanaged, financially distressed, acting illegally, or endangering patient health and safety.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- DETERMINATION OF NEED FOR NEW HEALTHCARE EQUIPMENT AND NEW INSTITUTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES - Repeals the certificate of need process statutes which are used by the department of health to determine the need for new health care equipment and new institutional health services.

FOOD AND DRUGS -- UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT - Amends current law on controlled substances to permit psilocybin to be cultivated within a person's residence for personal use and contingent on the US FDA's program, mandate that RI department of health establish rules regulations.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- JURY LISTS - Amends the jury list and jury qualification statutes to add individuals receiving public assistance benefits.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- GENERAL POWERS - Prohibits municipalities from restricting certain landscaping equipment based on its power source.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- COMMERCIAL SEXUAL ACTIVITY - Decriminalizes certain commercial sexual activity. It would also include human trafficking as a racketeering activity and would allow expungements of certain convictions in § 11-34.1 after one year.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RESTRICTIONS ON STATE AND MUNICIPAL COOPERATION WITH CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT - Prohibits state or local authorities from voluntary participation in federal civil immigration enforcement. It would not prohibit compliance with a judicial warrant or court order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- STATE AID - Increases the amount of state aid distributed to the towns and cities through appropriation in lieu of property tax provisions applicable to certain private and state properties that are exempt from property tax.

INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES - Amends unfair discrimination statutes to encompass more protected categories and protect against additional forms of discrimination.

HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY - Requires notice to E-ZPass users before DMV reporting, and set rules and regulations for transponder failures, requires outreach and free replacements, and allow mitigation or forgiveness of tolls and penalties from equipment failures.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES -- VIOLATIONS - Amends the section of law relative to violations for driving after denial, revocation or suspension of a license and expands the list of offenses for which an unlicensed motorist would be in violation.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGULATION OF RENTAL OF MOTORIZED BICYCLES, MOTOR SCOOTERS AND MOTORIZED TRICYCLES IN NEW SHOREHAM - Permits the town council of the town of New Shoreham to enact an ordinance that limits a license holder from renting or leasing more than thirty-four (34) motorized bicycles, motor scooters and/or motorized tricycles.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES - Requires that any person convicted of a charge of driving under the influence or refusal to submit to a chemical test, have an ignition interlock system installed in their vehicle as part of any sentence before being eligible for a license reinstatement.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE HOSPITAL CONVERSIONS ACT - Prohibits the closure or significant reduction of services of a birthing center without notice, application, financial disclosure, public hearing, and approval by the department of health.