Rhode Island

ELECTIONS -- RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES REPORTING - Allocates the assessment of fines for failure to file reports between the board of elections between the candidate and political action or political party committee.

ELECTIONS -- PRIMARIES FOR ELECTION OF DELEGATES TO NATIONAL CONVENTIONS AND FOR PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE - Spells out rules and regulations for the presidential preference primary elections, and would also establish rules for ranked choice voting tabulation and results reporting by the secretary of state.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION - Directs the public utilities commission to establish a standardized framework for determining authorized common equity ratios and authorized rates of returns on equity for public utilities.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TERMINATION OF SERVICE TO PERSONS WHO ARE DISABLED, SERIOUSLY ILL, OR IN ARREARS OF PAYMENT - Extends the forbearance of utility terminations for customers with serious illness certifications and would amend various provisions related to the termination of utility services for persons who are disabled, seriously ill, or in arrears.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- TERMINATION OF SERVICE TO PERSONS WHO ARE DISABLED, SERIOUSLY ILL, OR IN ARREARS OF PAYMENT - Extends the forbearance of utility terminations for customers with serious illness certifications and would amend various provisions related to the termination of utility services for persons who are disabled, seriously ill, or in arrears.

ELECTIONS -- GENERAL PROVISIONS - Allows citizens of a city or town who are at least sixteen (16) years of age to register to vote and to vote in school committee elections in municipalities where school committees are elected entities.

PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - Prohibits public utilities, serving greater 100,000 customers from recovering through rates any direct or indirect cost associated with, amongst other costs, advertising, marketing, communications.

TOWNS AND CITIES -- LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING -- PROCEDURE FOR APPROVAL OF CONSTRUCTION - Restores the requirement that a local review board issue findings for denial in reviewing a comprehensive permit request and clarifies that affordable housing units shall be included in each town and city when the building permits for units are granted.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE - Establishes a moratorium on changes to the state energy conservation code from the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code until January 1, 2031, unless approved by the legislature and made effective by the governor.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - Requires the secretary of the executive office of health and human services to monitor and mandate changes to the price-setting practices of pharmacy benefit managers to prohibit the spread pricing payment model.

HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE -- LONG-TERM CARE SERVICE AND FINANCE REFORM -- ASSISTED LIVING SERVICES - Provides that licensed assisted living community is not required to hold a residential unit for a Medicare-eligible resident absent from the facility for a period exceeding 10 days unless EOHHS provides payment to the facility to hold the bed.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- PUBLIC UTILITIES - Expands meaning of bomb threats and false reports to include any warning or threat of the existence of an explosive device and allows judge to impose conditions of bail to include extreme risk protection orders, no trespass orders and counseling.

HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE -- PRESCRIPTION DRUGS - Prohibits the Rhode Island medical assistance program from requiring prior authorization or a step therapy protocol for the coverage of a medication classified as an anticonvulsant or antipsychotic.

TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION - Expands the definition of “book or other writing” to sales up to one thousand five hundred (1,500) copies and deny the sales tax exemption for third-party sales.

HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE -- LONG-TERM CARE SERVICE AND FINANCE REFORM -- ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY MEDICAID RATES - Requires the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) to apply an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (“COLA”) to the Medicaid reimbursement rates paid for assisted living services provided pursuant to this chapter.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- SEARCH WARRANTS - Authorizes judges to issue electronic warrants for DUI offenses under certain conditions.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS - Disqualifies individuals with prior felony convictions or nolo contendere pleas from purchasing or possessing a firearm. It also prevents the sentencing judge from suspending the first two (2) years of any sentence under limited circumstances.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- INSPECTION OF MOTOR VEHICLES - Increases and reallocates the fees collected for motor vehicle inspections, including motorcycle inspections, with an allocation of ten dollars ($10.00) to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA).

EDUCATION -- OFFENSES PERTAINING TO SCHOOLS - Bans preferential treatment to a public or private university applicant because of the student's familial relationship to a previous university attendee.

EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION ACT - Allows municipalities participating in the state prekindergarten program to accept students from outside the municipality under certain conditions and establishes a lottery for enrollment in the program.

COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES - Deceptive trade practice to sell vehicle used in violent crime or exposed to biohazards without notice to purchaser.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- STATE POLICE - Authorizes the state police to enforce municipal ordinances; provided that, the ordinances provide for civil penalties only.

INSURANCE -- FIRE INSURANCE POLICIES AND RESERVES - Establishes minimum limitations standards for structural property damage claims, and voids any policy provision, endorsement, condition, limitation, agreement, or claim practice that shortens those standards.