Rhode Island

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - Requires the department of health to implement a tobacco control program that incorporates evidence-based best practices for tobacco prevention and cessation to prevent tobacco-related diseases and diminish tobacco use in the state.

EDUCATION -- STUDENT CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM - Directs the department of elementary and secondary education to provide a two-year pilot program that coordinates a national cultural exchange program for students of this state.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- STATE OF RHODE ISLAND INTERIOR DESIGN PRACTICE ACT - Enacts the State of Rhode Island interior design practice act to control and regulate the professional practice of interior designers.

COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- EVIDENCE - Provides that for purposes of all civil actions, the fair and reasonable charge for certain medical and dental services is the amount billed by the licensed healthcare provider.

EDUCATION -- COOPERATIVE SERVICE AMONG SCHOOL DISTRICTS -- CHARTER SCHOOL REFORM - Allows charter schools to engage in nontraditional approaches to learning.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE - Makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly file a false report of misconduct of any law enforcement official, public safety official, or hospital staff.

EDUCATION -- SCHOOL AND YOUTH PROGRAMS CONCUSSION ACT - Requires schools to implement a plan to provide academic accommodation for a student who has been diagnosed with a concussion or other brain injury.

ELECTIONS -- REGISTRATION OF VOTERS - Increases the role of the DMV in the voter registration and address verification process, by establishing very specific obligations and responsibilities that must be followed before offering an individual an application to register to vote.

EDUCATION -- ESTABLISHMENT OF CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS - Permits local communities to adopt an all-charter public school model for public education upon an affirmative vote of the local municipality’s council and school committee, and an affirmative vote at a special or general election.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS -- THE RHODE ISLAND CLEAN SLATE ACT - Authorizes the automatic expungement of eligible conviction records by operation of law, initiated and completed by state agencies through electronic processes established within the judicial system.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PROTECTIONS OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ACT - Provides that the prescription label for medication abortion prescription drugs may include the name of the dispensing healthcare practice instead of the name of the dispenser.

EDUCATION -- SCHOOL AND YOUTH PROGRAMS CONCUSSION ACT - Replaces the existing chapter on this subject by requiring school districts to organize concussion oversight teams, develop removal-from-play, return-to-play, and return-to-learn protocols, and develop a concussion brochure.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND COMMERCE CORPORATION - Establishes property, tangible, sales and use tax exemptions as incentives for the location of qualified data centers in Rhode Island.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS - Reduces the time for expungements to 3 years for a single misdemeanor and 5 years for felonies and multiple misdemeanors.

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS -- CONTRACTORS' REGISTRATION AND LICENSING BOARD - Expands various definitions relative to contractors, home inspectors, and claim adjusters to provide clarity regarding licensed and unlicensed vendors, consultants, or third-party representatives.

EDUCATION -- SCHOOL TRAUMA KIT ACT - Requires every elementary and secondary school within the State of Rhode Island to provide and maintain clearly visible and easily accessible trauma kits within the school. It also provides immunity if assistance is rendered.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- IDENTIFICATION AND APPREHENSION OF CRIMINALS - Requires superior court clerk to automatically seal cases/individual counts of a criminal complaint/indictment that were dismissed, upon request of defendant and serve it upon bureau of criminal identification, police department and counsel of record.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RIGHTS OF NURSING HOME PATIENTS - Provides a specific cause of action for violations of the rights of nursing home patients chapter.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS - Allows expungement of multiple felony convictions for non-violent felonies10 years after sentence completed.

ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES - Limits early voting to eight (8) weekdays and the two (2) weekend days immediately preceding election day.