Rhode Island

TAXATION -- EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TAX CREDIT - Establishes a tax credit for businesses transitioning to employee ownership.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS - Amends existing expungement laws to be consistent with the new 10-year lookback period required for DUI charges.

TAXATION -- CIGARETTE, OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS, AND ELECTRONIC NICOTINE-DELIVERY SYSTEM PRODUCTS - Reduces the cigarette tax imposed by 75% for any modified risk tobacco product as defined in § 21 U.S.C. 387 k as a tobacco product sold/distributed to reduce the harm/risk of tobacco-related disease associated with commercially marketed tobacco products.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- COURTS -- JUDICIAL SELECTION - Requires individuals seeking a judicial nomination to reapply to JNC every 3 years and make those individuals selected as finalists, eligible only for the court in which they applied and were chosen during the five years following their selection.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- DETERMINATION OF NEED FOR NEW HEALTHCARE EQUIPMENT AND NEW INSTITUTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES - Requires all major hospitals within the state constructed or substantially renovated or expanded on or after 1/1/2028 to use renewable energy sources for power.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- COURTS -- FAMILY COURT - Requires that the chief judge of the family court in appointing magistrates do so in accordance with the judicial selection and nomination process set forth in chapter 16.1 of title 8.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- PASSING, USE OF LANES, AND RULES OF THE ROAD - Makes a violation using the passing lane on limited access highways when not passing another vehicle.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DECARBONIZATION DEMONSTRATION INITIATIVE ACT OF 2026 - Creates the multi-unit residential decarbonization initiative program to provide funding for feasibility studies to convert large, multi-family residential units to non-emitting renewable geothermal energy.

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.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- DETERMINATION OF NEED FOR NEW HEALTHCARE EQUIPMENT AND NEW INSTITUTIONAL HEALTH SERVICES - Requires all major hospitals within the state constructed or substantially renovated or expanded on or after 1/1/2028 to use renewable energy sources for power.

TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION - Exempts from the sales tax behind-the-meter batteries interconnected with a solar photovoltaic system.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES - Increases the penalties for reckless driving from a misdemeanor first offense to a felony, with a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of between one thousand dollars ($1,000) and five thousand dollars ($5,000).

DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- DIVORCE AND SEPARATION - Creates the rebuttable presumption that joint legal custody and shared placement is in the best interest of the child and create a mechanism in constructing a parenting plan should the court deviate from equal parenting time.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL CODE PROVISIONS - Allows for trucks with a gross vehicle weight of eight thousand five hundred pounds (8,500 lbs.) or less to have passenger registration license plates.

PUBLIC FINANCE -- STATE BUDGET - Limits growth in state spending from exceeding the amount of growth in inflation or personal income growth, whichever is greater.

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.

TAXATION -- RHODE ISLAND NEW QUALIFIED JOBS INCENTIVE ACT 2015 - Sunsets/discontinues the Jobs Development Act rate reduction as of July 1, 2026.

WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLY - Requires that a backflow test be performed every ten (10) years, rather than the current yearly inspection.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS - Prohibits the sale or transfer of ammunition unless the purchaser successfully undergoes a background check.

LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- HEALTHY AND SAFE FAMILIES AND WORKPLACES ACT - Requires employers to provide full-time employees four (4) hours of paid leave once a year to donate blood through and any approved blood donation program.