A constitutional amendment for a right to education. A student bill of rights promoting a more inclusive educational environment. The legalization of recreational cannabis. Drivers’ licenses for undocumented immigrants. Free and accessible feminine hygiene products for inmates that menstruate. Medicaid reimbursement for public schools. These are just a few examples of the important bills that passed one chamber but not the other during our state’s 2021 General Assembly session.

This process matters. For a bill to become law, it must pass both chambers. So we decided to comb through legislative records to make public which bills passed one chamber but not the other.

Looking at the overall data, several key conclusions stand out. To begin with, the House killed more Senate bills than the other way around. Last session, the House allowed a total of 105 bills that passed the Senate to die. By comparison, the Senate killed 70 bills that were introduced by the House, despite the fact the House introduced nearly twice as many bills as the Senate did. Broadly speaking, the Senate bills killed by the House also tended to involve more high-profile pieces of legislation, such as drivers’ licenses for undocumented immigrants, the charter school moratorium, the right to education amendment, and the legalization of recreational cannabis.

Overwhelmingly, it stood out to us how many of the bills that passed one chamber but died in the other we consider good bills. While there’s a small amount of bills we are glad died after passing one chamber, even in some of these cases, the problems with the bills could have been fixed rather easily. Which bills are good is, of course, quite subjective. Because these were overwhelmingly progressive bills, we understand that conservatives might have a different view. But relatively few of these bills faced vocal conservative opposition. Some of them did not even face opposition from the Republican caucus. In order to help you judge for yourself, we are making the list of bills public, along with their official short summaries, and links to their full text. Where we feel that there is relevant context to why a bill might have been killed, we do our best to note any mitigating facts we are aware of. (We understand that we may have missed relevant context in some cases, and if you think we have, please don’t hesitate to contact us.)

Former Speaker Nicholas Mattiello branded himself the “firewall” against progressive bills. When House leadership changed last year, many hoped for improvement when it comes to the Speaker letting progressive bills see the light of day. Unfortunately, our research shows how little has changed. Once again, many bold, forward-thinking, innovative bills that strive to create a more equitable society died in the House this year. While Senate leaders did kill many House bills, House leaders killed more Senate bills. Although the negotiations between the chamber’s leaders are not public, it is probably reasonable to speculate that Senate leaders may have held up some House bills as a bargaining strategy to help encourage the House to move more Senate-passed bills. That being said, the lack of success does call into question Senate leaders’ strategic vision for getting House leadership to move Senate bills.

Of course, the responsibility for resolving this does not just fall on Senate leaders. House leaders, having killed more bills, bear the most responsibility. More broadly, activists and legislators in both chambers also need to rethink our strategy for preventing the two-chamber problem from blocking good legislation. We must come to terms with this reality as we enter a new legislative session. We cannot forget that the people of Rhode Island are most affected when good bills die.

As Speaker Joseph Shekarchi said in his first address to the House in January, “we need to do better.”

Bills that passed the Senate and died in the House:

• S0005: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — INDIVIDUAL HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
• Requires individual health insurers, large group health insurers and small employer health insurers to provide coverage for ten (10) categories of essential health benefits listed in the act
• Sponsored by: Miller, Pearson, Lawson, Kallman, Lombardo, Mack, DiPalma, Quezada, Euer, Bell
• House Companion: H5441

• S0013: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION
• Provides that the council on elementary and secondary education would not grant approval for the creation or expansion of any new charter school until after the 2022, 2023, 2024 school year
• Sponsored by: Goodwin, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Gallo, Cano, Pearson, Bell, Goldin, Mack, Coyne

• S0023: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY SERVICES – TOWN OF NEW SHOREHAM
• Provides New Shoreham has the exclusive authority to prescribe rules and regulations pertaining to the operation, licensing, and regulation of transportation network service companies and their services when TNCs are operating in the town of New Shoreham
• Sponsored by: Sosnowski
• Context: This bill was controversial because it would extend Block Island’s taxi regulations, which require taxi drivers to have been registered voters on Block Island for at least five years, to Uber and Lyft, effectively excluding non-citizens, recent citizens, and residents of less wealthy communities from a heavily immigrant-dominated industry.

• S0029 Sub A: AN ACT RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ENDORSE THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE BANK
• National Infrastructure
• Sponsored by: DiPalma, Ruggerio, Miller, Ciccone, Euer

• S0033: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY ACT
• Requires that the board of education incorporate additional questions into its annual assessment of schools and related surveys and provide annual reports to the house of representatives and the senate
• Sponsored by: Goldin, DiMario

• S0037: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – PLASTIC WASTE REDUCTION ACT
• Creates the “Plastic Waste Reduction Act” designed to reduce the use of plastic bags by retail establishments by offering recyclable bag options and providing penalties for violations
• Sponsored by: Ruggerio, Sosnowski, Euer, Coyne, Kallman, McCaffrey
• House Companion: H5358

• S0044 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION — VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER/EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION ENABLING LEGISLATION
• Allows municipalities to establish a program providing property tax exemption to active duty individuals who volunteer services as a firefighter or emergency medical technician
• Sponsored by: Sosnowski, DiPalma, Seveney, Rogers, Raptakis

• S0045: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — STAY INVESTED IN RI WAVEMAKER FELLOWSHIP
• Expand the Wavemaker Fellowship Program to include public school teachers in the high-need fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics
• Sponsored by: Pearson, Cano, Gallo, Murray, Valverde, Archambault, DiMario, Anderson
• Context: This was partially incorporated into the budget. This bill did two things. It extended the controversial “Wavemaker” program, also known more critically as the student loan corruption program, which gives successful individuals in corporate jobs student loan relief. It is controversial because not everyone is eligible, it tends to go to politically connected high fliers, and it excludes people in more public interest careers who need student loan relief the most. This was in the budget. It also extends the program to teachers, which was not included in the budget.

• S0048: AN ACT RELATING TO FOODS AND DRUGS — THE UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT
• Expands drug awareness programs to high schools, directs funding from certain civil fines and mandates establishment of criteria for funding
• Sponsored by: Miller, Seveney, Coyne, Quezada, Bell, Murray, Valverde, Archambault, Burke, Cano
• House companion: H5459

• S0057: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — GENERAL STATE OFFICES
• Requires a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of secretary of state, attorney general or general treasurer if more than one year is left in the term of office
• Sponsored by:McCaffrey, Raptakis, DiPalma, Gallo, Goodwin

• S0063: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – DEPARTMENTS OF STATE GOVERNMENT
• Requires that the secretary of EOHHS, the secretary of commerce of the commerce corporation and the commissioners of elementary and secondary education and postsecondary education be appointed subject to the approval of the senate
• Sponsored by: Gallo, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Pearson
• House companion: H5423

• S0066: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION – RHODE ISLAND EARLY EDUCATOR INVESTMENT ACT
• Requires the children’s cabinet, in conjunction with the department of education, to develop and implement strategies to improve the compensation of early educatorsSponsored by: Cano, Quezada, Pearson, Lawson, Gallo, Kallman, Acosta, DiPalma, Murray
• House companion: H5158

• S0085: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION
• Requires that benchmarks specific to each local education authority (LEA) be developed by the department of education to improve cost controls, efficiencies and program effectiveness.
• Sponsored by: Seveney, Quezada, Pearson, Cano, DiPalma
• Context: Partially incorporated into the budget. The establishment of specific benchmarks for each local education authority was included. The requirement to submit a proposal for an incentive fund to increase state funding for education was not included.

• S0088: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — RIGHTS AND DUTIES TEACHERS GENERALLY – SEPTEMBER 11 CLASSROOM MOMENT OF SILENCE
• Allows teachers in all grades to provide the opportunity for students to observe a brief moment of silence on every September 11
• Sponsored by: Raptakis, Cano, DiMario, Gallo, Lawson, Bell, Paolino, Archambault, McCaffrey, Lombardo
• House companion: H5831

• S0094: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY — CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION RESTRICTIONS ON REAL PROPERTY
• Requires conservation and preservation restrictions to be liberally interpreted in favor of the grants awarded
• Sponsored by: DiPalma, Euer, Rogers, Sosnowski, Burke

• S0105 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ACT
• Requires the department of environmental management to create environmental justice areas.
• Sponsored by: Euer, McCaffrey, Sosnowski, Kallman, Valverde, Mack, Quezada, Cano, Coyne
• House companion: H6383

• S0107 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION — PFAS IN DRINKING WATER, GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATERS
• Requires DOH to establish maximum contaminate levels of PFSA in drinking water and to set interim standards. Also requires DEM to set standards for PFSA in ground- and surface waters. Defines PFSA as hazardous substances
• Sponsored by: Felag, Sosnowski, Euer, Cano, Picard, McCaffrey, Goodwin
• Context: The House passed a different PFAS bill, which banned PFAS chemicals from being used in food packaging. This bill was killed by the Senate.

• S0116: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES — ZONING ORDINANCES
• Provides a procedure for homeowners to submit to a municipal zoning board of review or municipal official or agency for a review to determine whether or not a proposed use under this chapter requires a special use permit
• Sponsored by: Seveney, Coyne, Euer, Sosnowski, DiPalma
• House companion: H5817

• S0128: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — CHILDREN–CONFINEMENT IN MOTOR VEHICLES PROHIBITED
• Repeals the requirement that law enforcement officers issue only warnings of the risks to persons leaving a child under the age of seven (7) unattended in a motor vehicle
• Sponsored by: Raptakis, F Lombardi, Coyne, Euer, Rogers, Paolino, Felag, Archambault
• House companion: H5184
• Context: There are concerns that this could lead to overcriminalization.

• S0151: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION – SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS
• Allows a school district to conduct instruction through virtual education up to five (5) days when schools have been closed due to inclement weather, emergency or any nonscheduled school closings
• Sponsored by: Picard
• Context: This bill is controversial because it lowers standards for virtual education. It basically allows virtual education to go forwards for snow days even when the virtual education plans do not meet the state’s standards.

• S0162: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — HOME COMMUNITY CARE SERVICES TO THE ELDERLY
• Extends eligibility of the Home Community Care Services Program to persons under the age of 65 suffering from Alzheimer’s or a related dementia confirmed by a licensed physician with income not exceeding 250% of the federal poverty level.
• Sponsored by: Felag, Gallo, Murray, Raptakis, Cano, Goodwin

• S0169: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — LABORATORIES
• Creates a comprehensive system to promote and regulate the effective and competent administration of medical laboratories by focusing on the training, qualifications and licensure of their practitioners
• Sponsored by: Euer, Miller, Coyne, DiMario, Lawson
• House companion: H5466

• S0173 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES – PARKING FACILITIES AND PRIVILEGES
• Requires parking lots to designate parking spaces for electric vehicles/installation of charging stations for new existing public/private parking lots with fines for parking violations/compliance. Effective 7/1/21
• Sponsored by: Anderson, Calkin, Valverde, Ciccone, Mendes, Ruggerio, F Lombardi, Goodwin, Miller, Coyne
• House companion: H6253

• S0187: AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION — COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL
• Authorizes the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, to appoint an executive director of coastal resources management to act as a liaison to the director of the department of environmental management to plan and manage coastal resources.
• Sponsored by: Sosnowski, Coyne, Miller, McCaffrey, Gallo, Euer, Valverde

• S0190 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — OPERATORS’ LICENSE — SAFE ROADS AND MANDATORY INSURANCE
• Requires an applicant for a license to provide a valid social security number. This act creates an alternative ID driving license for applicants without a social security number who are able to establish proof of Rhode Island residency
• Sponsored by: Ciccone, Cano, Acosta, Valverde, Anderson, Calkin, Goodwin, Mendes, Murray, Bell

• S0195: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — PAYMENT OF WAGES
• Increases the criminal penalties for wage theft and employee misclassification
• Sponsored by: McCaffrey, Goodwin, Ruggerio, Murray, Kallman, Ciccone, Lombardo, Valverde, DiMario, DiPalma

• S0196: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — DIGNITY AT WORK ACT
• Establishes the Dignity at Work Act, to provide workers with more protection from bullying and harassment in the workplace
• Sponsored by: Ciccone, Acosta, Calkin, Goodwin, Lawson, Anderson, Valverde, Murray, Bell, DiPalma
• House companion: H6352

• S0200: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
• Creates a special motor vehicle registration plate for recipients of the United States Bronze Star Medal
• Sponsored by: Felag, Gallo, Murray, Raptakis, Lombardo
• House companion: H5182

• S0203 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — CLAIMS ADJUSTERS
• Authorizes department of insurance, within the DBR, in lieu of passing in-state licensing examination, to recognize the competence of an applicant for an insurance claims adjuster license, through an out-of-state proctored examination. Eff. date 1/1/22
• Sponsored by: Picard
• House companion: H5202
• Context: This bill is controversial because it privatizes insurance claims adjuster licensing.

• S0209 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — ACCESS TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT
• Updates Access to Advanced Placement Courses for All Students Act.
• Sponsored by: Lawson, Gallo, Euer, Cano, Pearson, Picard, Sosnowski, DiPalma, Goldin, Quezada
• House companion: H5350

• S0211: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION – SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS
• Establishes courses that include instruction in career and technical education programs
• Sponsored by: Gallo, Lombardo, Picard, DiPalma

• S0213: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — APPRENTICESHIP PATHWAYS TO EARNING A BACHELOR’S DEGREE ACT
• Creates the Apprenticeship Pathways to Earning a Bachelor’s Degree Act, to enable an individual to earn a bachelor’s degree at public higher education institutions throughout the state by earning credits through apprenticeships
• Sponsored by: Gallo, Lombardo, DiPalma, Seveney

• S0218 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION — SALES AND USE TAXES — LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION
• Exempts reusable bags not including paper or plastic bags from the state sales tax.
• Sponsored by: Felag, DiPalma, Murray
• House companion: H5527

• S0231: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AND PREGNANT WOMEN
• Allows pregnant women with an annual family income above the applicable Medicaid income limit to be eligible to purchase health insurance through one of the Medicaid managed care plans
• Sponsored by: Goldin, Valverde, DiMario, Bell, Calkin, Miller

• S0235: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS – PHYSICAL THERAPISTS
• Authorizes a licensed physical therapist to perform physical therapy services to a student while in school without a prescription or referral, in accordance with the student’s IEP or IFSP
• Sponsored by: Gallo, Lombardo
• House companion: H6129

• S0251: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINALS – CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS – STATION HOUSES FOR WOMEN
• Requires that as of January 1, 2022, all inmates whom menstruate shall have access to feminine hygiene products at no cost to the inmate.
• Sponsored by: Lawson, Kallman, Murray, Euer, Mack, DiMario, Mendes, Cano, Valverde, Quezada, Calkin

• S0282: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS
• Provides students attending public schools enrolled in grades K-12 with a students’ bill of rights prohibiting discrimination based on race, sex, gender, economic status or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disabilities
• Sponsored by: Quezada, Cano, Calkin, Kallman
• House companion: H5233

• S0283 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY
• Provides that school construction projects approved after July 1, 2021, that fail to utilize a project’s architectural services and project educational design services would only be eligible to receive five (5) incentive points
• Sponsored by: Gallo, Lombardo, Cano

• S0285: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL-TO-CAREER TRANSITION ACT OF 1996
• Implements an individual career and academic plan graduation requirement for each student enrolled in public schools in the sixth through twelfth grade, starting with students entering the sixth grade in the 2023-2024 school year
• Sponsored by: Gallo, DiPalma, Seveney
• Context: Controversial because it is an unfunded mandate and could increase stress and pressure on students.

• S0286: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — CURRICULUM
• Direct the council on elementary and secondary education to provide professional support and assistance to LEAs regarding effective ways to use data such as the LEA’s budget and demographics, school culture, and assessments to improve student performance
• Sponsored by: Pearson, Gallo, Cano, Seveney

• S0287: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — ESTABLISHING A CLASS SIZE MAXIMUM FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE TWO
• Mandates public school classroom size be limited to twenty (20) students for kindergarten through grade two (2)
• Sponsored by: Gallo, Cano

• S0302: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES — STEP THERAPY PROTOCOLS
• Requires health insurers that issue prescription drug coverage to use step therapy protocols
• Sponsored by: Gallo, Lombardo
• House companion: H5704

• S0305: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — ALCOHOLISM
• Requires the dept of behavioral healthcare/developmental disabilities/hospitals to coordinate with the DOH to propose revisions to chapter 1.10 and 10.1 of title 23, including updates and revisions of statutory language and evidence-based best practices
• Sponsored by: Miller, Coyne, DiPalma, Goodwin, McCaffrey, Valverde, Lawson, Goldin, Calkin, DiMario

• S0306: AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS – UNIFORM CONTROL SUBSTANCES ACT
• Requires that professionals authorized to prescribe opioid drugs discuss addiction risks and when appropriate alternative treatments with patients upon the second refill and/or upon the third prescription
• Sponsored by: Archambault, DiPalma, Miller, Valverde, Lawson

• S0322: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
• Requires children who seek a special limited work permit to successfully complete a worker rights’ training program established and funded by the department of labor and training
• Sponsored by: Gallo, Ciccone, Lawson
• Context: Controversial because the student workers would not be paid for completing this professional development module.

• S0338 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION — SALES AND USE TAXES–ENFORCEMENT AND COLLECTION
• Provides that any person who has a retail sales permit would not be required to pay a separate registration fee to make sales at flea markets; provided, however, the person would remain responsible to pay all taxes due as a result of sales at a flea mkt
• Sponsored by: Goldin, Pearson
• House companion: H5110

• S0342 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS — NET NEUTRALITY

• Requires Internet service providers to follow Internet service neutrality requirements
• Sponsored by: DiPalma, Picard, Anderson, Seveney, Lombardo, Felag, Valverde, Euer, Burke
• House companion: H5054

• S0344 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES — RETAIL LICENSES–SMALL BUSINESS–OMNIBUS
• Omnibus act regarding caterers, hide and leather inspection, constables, sterilization of bedding, mixed-martial arts and pool halls
• Sponsored by: Gallo

• S0355: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — CURRICULUM
• Requires the department of education to create a model policy and timeline to assist local education agencies in implementing a dual language immersion program
• Sponsored by: Quezada, Pearson

• S0373 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION
• Amends the local share of education funding to be paid to charter public schools based on a comparison of performance data between the specific school from which the student is coming and the specific charter school that will be receiving the student
• Sponsored by: Pearson, DiPalma, Seveney, Gallo, Murray

• S0381 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS
• Provides that health insurance policies that provide prescription drug coverage not include an annual or lifetime dollar limit on drug benefits
• Sponsored by: McCaffrey, DiPalma, Quezada, Miller

• S0391 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITY
• Increases the number of members of the transit authority from eight to nine and would make the mayor of Providence or designee an ex officio member with voting privileges
• Sponsored by: Quezada

• S0428: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION
• Requires office of diversity, equity and opportunity to create material for annual government employee training
• Sponsored by: Cano, Miller, Goldin, Goodwin, McCaffrey, Lawson, Raptakis, Quezada, Seveney, DiMario

• S0429: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS — BUILDING SERVICE WORK
• Requires that janitors and security guards employed, pursuant to state contracts worth more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) of janitorial or security services, be paid a standard compensation rate
• Sponsored by: Cano, Goodwin, Miller, Goldin, McCaffrey, Coyne, Lawson, Quezada, Kallman, Burke, F Lombardi
• House companion: H6013

• S0430: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AND PREGNANT WOMEN
• Extends the benefits given to eligible women under title XIX state plan commencing for twelve (12) months after one month post-birth.
• Sponsored by: Goodwin
• House companion: H6075

• S0439 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES — RETAIL LICENSES
• Requires Class B licensees to offer to the public the opportunity to purchase and consume food in conjunction with the sale of alcoholic beverages, at all times while alcohol is consumed on the premises.
• Sponsored by: Murray, Seveney, Raptakis, E Morgan, Lawson, Kallman, Mendes, Valverde

• S0443 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — THE HOSPITAL CONVERSIONS ACT
• Requires the transacting parties/new hospital seeking conversion to supply additional information in application for review by the DOH/DAG relating to staffing levels/pension plans/community impact
• Sponsored by: McCaffrey, Ruggerio, Goodwin, Miller, Coyne, Bell, Gallo, Lombardo, Cano, Archambault
• House companion: H6337

• S0457: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — THE WORLD LANGUAGE AND DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION ACT
• Establishes and require funding for a world language and dual language immersion program
• Sponsored by: Ciccone, Euer, Calkin, Acosta, Valverde, Bell
• House companion: H5239

• S0462 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — THE COLLEGE CRUSADE SCHOLARSHIP
• Provides that scholarships received directly from the College Crusade Scholarship Program would not be considered financial aid pursuant to the Rhode Island Promise Scholarships and provides the program with access to certain student data
• Sponsored by: Cano, Murray, Anderson, Acosta, Bell, Calkin, Ciccone, Mack, Valverde
• House companion: H6312

• S0485 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES
• Requires health insurance contract plans or policies to provide coverage for a backup battery for at-home medical devices
• Sponsored by: DiMario, Kallman, Euer, Goldin, Valverde
• House companion: H5708

• S0487 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS — PHARMACIES — PRESCRIPTIONS
• Requires pharmacists to notify their customers whether their cost sharing benefits exceed the actual retail price of the prescription sought
• Sponsored by: Burke, Goodwin, DiMario, Miller, Murray, Cano
• House companion: H5611

• S0494 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE
• Requires drug companies disclose to office of the health insurance commissioner acquisition costs of drugs approved by FDA, if acquisition cost is at least $100 for 30 day supply and requires disclosure of rebates, price protection payments.
• Sponsored by: Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Miller, Coyne

• S0518: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — GENERAL PROVISIONS
• Delineates the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor.
• Sponsored by: McCaffrey, Anderson, Ciccone, Quezada

• S0541: AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY — FISCAL NOTES
• Establishes special requirements for fiscal impact statements relative to the department of corrections.
• Sponsored by: McCaffrey

• S0544: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — MUNICIPAL POLICE ARBITRATION
• Provides all provisions in collective bargaining agreement continue until successor agreement reach or interest arbitration award rendered
• Sponsored by: Ciccone, McCaffrey, Goodwin
• Context: Although contract continuation is an important right for workers, this bill would make it difficult to achieve necessary reforms to police union contracts.

• S0547: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — FIREFIGHTERS’ ARBITRATION
• Provides all provisions in collective bargaining agreement continue until successor agreement reach or interest arbitration award rendered
• Sponsored by: Ciccone, F Lombardi, Bell, McCaffrey, Goodwin

• S0568 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS — CANNABIS AUTHORIZATION, REGULATION AND TAXATION
• Establishes Cannabis Control Commission to regulate all aspects of cannabis production and distribution
• Sponsored by: Miller, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Ruggerio, Coyne, Felag, Euer, Sosnowski, Pearson, Acosta

• S0591 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — COVERAGE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
• Increases reimbursement rates for behavioral health providers over a five (5) year period. The minimum increase per year would be four percent (4%) resulting in a total increase of twenty-three and four tenths percent (23.4%
• Sponsored by: Miller, Lawson, DiPalma, DiMario, Valverde, Archambault, Bell
• House companion: H6268

• S0603 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — OPEN MEETINGS
• Provides that public bodies not be required to hold open-forum sessions on any topic not on the meeting notice and limits comment on any topic not previously posted
• Sponsored by: McCaffrey, Goodwin
• House companion: H6180

• S0611 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — RHODE ISLAND PARENTAL AND FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
• Increases the amount of parental or family leave available to an employee from thirteen (13) weeks to twenty-six (26) weeks in any two (2) calendar years
• Sponsored by: Cano, DiMario, Quezada, F Lombardi, Lawson, Goldin, Murray, Seveney, Miller, Euer
• House companion: H5720

• S0613: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — REAL JOBS RHODE ISLAND ACT
• Establishes the real jobs Rhode Island program in order to create an industry led system to advance the skills of the state’s workforce, grow the state’s economy and increase sustainable employment for middle class working families
• Sponsored by: Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Ciccone, Lombardo, F Lombardi, Pearson, Lawson, DiPalma
• Context: Codifies a notorious corporate welfare program with remarkably few controls to prevent abuses.

• S0629 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS-RENEWABLE ENERGY
• Increases the percentage of retail electricity sales from renewable energy sources
• Sponsored by: Ruggerio, Euer, Goodwin, McCaffrey, Pearson, Miller, Gallo, DiPalma

• S0631 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — CREDIT FOR REINSURANCE ACT
• Updates the credit for reinsurance chapter of the general laws to conform to the current standard set by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
• Sponsored by: F Lombardi
• House companion: H5510 Sub A

• S0632 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — QUONSET DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
• Authorizes the Quonset development corporation to borrow up to one million dollars ($1,000,000) for operational purposes; however, the debt would not be a debt of the state and would be secured only by the Quonset development corporation’s assets
• Sponsored by: DiMario, Valverde
• Context: Funding for Quonset was included in the budget, but this line of credit that provides flexibility was not, and Quonset officials would still like the line of credit.

• S0643: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES
• Requires insurance providers to seek recoupment or set off of insurance payments made to health care providers within twelve (12) months and require health care providers to seek reimbursement for underpayment within twelve (12) months
• Sponsored by: DiMario, Miller, Lawson, Valverde, Goldin, Mendes

• S0646 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE
• Requires coverage for treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, including, but not limited to, the use of intravenous immunoglobin therapy
• Sponsored by: Lawson, Lombardo, Seveney, Quezada, Miller, Sosnowski, Cano, Pearson, Euer, Burke
• House companion: H6209 Sub A

• S0647: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — THE RHODE ISLAND HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT OF 2004–HEALTH INSURANCE OVERSIGHT
• Requires the health insurance commissioner to adopt a uniform set of medical criteria for prior authorization and create a required form to be used by a health insurer
• Sponsored by: DiMario, Miller, Lawson, Valverde, Goldin, Mendes
• House companion: H5772

• S0670: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — EXPLOITATION OF ELDERS
• Changes the definition of “elder person” for purposes of exploitation of elders from a person sixty-five (65) years of age or older to a person sixty (60) years of age or older
• Sponsored by: Coyne, Quezada, Sosnowski, Miller, Euer

• S0673 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS — UNIFORM PARTNERSHIP ACT
• Enacts the Uniform Partnership Act of 1997, last amended in 2013, to govern the law of partnerships in this state and would repeal chapter 12 of title 7 entitled “Partnerships”
• Sponsored by: F Lombardi, Coyne

• S0687: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES’ ARBITRATION
• Establishes new factors for the interest contract arbitration board for municipal employee unions to consider in rendering a decision the board power to render an award over all negotiated matters, including the expenditure of money
• Sponsored by: Lawson, F Lombardi, Miller, Goodwin, Burke, McCaffrey, Archambault, Sosnowski, Cano

• S0712: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES — LIFETIME LIMITS
• Revokes the authority of the health insurance commissioner’s ability to enforce a ruling of the federal government or federal court that revokes the prohibition on limits on health insurance
• Sponsored by: Goodwin
• House companion: H5651

• S0724: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE – STATE FUNDS
• Adds the Judiciary’s Indirect Cost Recovery/Supreme Court, Victims’ Rights Information, RI Supreme Court Disciplinary Counsel and Small Claims Mediation accounts to the list of restricted receipt accounts which are not subject to indirect cost recovery
• Sponsored by: McCaffrey
• House companion: H6024

• S0729: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE — PROCEDURE GENERALLY — CAUSES OF ACTION
• Expands and creates civil causes of action for certain protected groups who experience threats or intimidation
• Sponsored by: Quezada, Cano, Euer
• House companion: H5860

• S0731: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — INTERCEPTION OF WIRE AND ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
• Authorizes wire tap application for Human Trafficking offense investigations
• Sponsored by: Coyne
• House companion: H5724

• S0734: AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES — ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN
• Establishes a military family advocacy program to address child abuse and neglect in military families
• Sponsored by: DiMario, Felag, Euer, Sosnowski, Valverde, Mendes, Coyne, Raptakis, Murray
• House companion: H6235

• S0744: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES — TYPES OF VEHICLES
• Creates new section for electric bicycles, mandates manufactures to provide label of classification of electric bike
• Sponsored by: Goodwin

• S0749: AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY — JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
• Provides for amendments to statutes by the director of law revision to comply with the state name change approved by way of statewide referendum in November, 2020
• Sponsored by: Goodwin

• S0757: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS – EDUCATION – PSYCHOLOGISTS
• Creates minimum qualifications for school psychologists and establishes the scope of their practice within schools and establishes state support for school-based mental health services.
• Sponsored by: Cano, Quezada, Seveney, Kallman, Valverde, Pearson, DiMario, Lawson, Murray, DiPalma

• S0769 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – COMPREHENSIVE DISCHARGE PLANNING
• Requires coverage for residential/inpatient mental health services for detox/stabilization/substance abuse disorders without preauthorization or be subject to concurrent review during the first 28 days
• Sponsored by: Miller, Lawson, Goodwin, Goldin, Calkin, Bell, Kallman, Euer

• S0781 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND CARRIERS
• Requires electric and gas distribution companies, with exceptions, to remit fifteen percent (15%) of the amount of demand-side charge collections to the Rhode Island infrastructure bank for any energy-related financing programs
• Sponsored by: Pearson, Murray, Seveney, Cano, DiPalma

• S0802: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — UNIFORM UNSWORN DECLARATION ACT
• Gives an “unsworn” declaration given under the penalty of perjury the same effect as “a sworn” declaration, and subject to the criminal penalties for perjury.
• Sponsored by: Archambault, Coyne
• House companion: H5597

• S0803: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — SENTENCE OR EXECUTION
• Amends Hate Crimes Sentencing Act. Adds gender identity, expression to protected groups. Clarifies sentencing enhancements for hate crimes against victims in a protected group. Permits sentencing to community service or educational classes
• Sponsored by: Archambault
• House companion: H6147 Sub A
• Context: ACLU raised concerns

• S0826: AN ACT RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS — UNIFORM LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ACT
• Enacts the Rhode Island Limited Partnership Act to govern the law of limited partnerships in this state and repeal chapter 12 of title 7 entitled “Limited Partnerships”. Effective 1/1/2022
• Sponsored by: F Lombardi, Coyne
• House companion: H6265

• S0832: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION — LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES
• Requires cities and towns to assess renewable energy resources to be taxed as tangible property and the real property on which it is located shall not be reclassified, revalued or reassessed
• Sponsored by: DiPalma, F Lombardi, Miller, Seveney, Sosnowski
• House companion: H5634

• S0833 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — SIZE, WEIGHT, AND LOAD LIMITS
• Transfers all responsibility for oversize/overweight permitting to the department of transportation and amends and increases fines for all oversize and overweight infractions
• Sponsored by: Lombardo, F Lombardi
• House companion: H6470

• S0851: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT
• For purposes of teachers’ retirement benefits, amends the definition of “former spouse divorced” to include someone who was married to a deceased member for 10+ years and the deceased member was required by court order to contribute support post-divorce
• Sponsored by: Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Pearson
• House companion: H6311

• S0872 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS AND MOBILE (TEAM) COMMUNITY ACT
• Establishes the Transportation Emission and Mobile (Team) Community Act intended to limit and reduce indirect carbon dioxide emissions throughout the state while promoting the purposes of the transportation climate initiative program
• Sponsored by: DiMario, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Euer, Quezada, Miller, Valverde, Goldin, Kallman
• House companion: H6310

• S0874: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS – CORROSION PREVENTION AND MITIGATION WORK REQUIREMENTS
• Requires all contractors and subcontractors who perform construction, alteration, demolition, installation, repair or maintenance work, pursuant to public works contracts, to comply with industry standards for infrastructure corrosion prevention
• Sponsored by: Quezada, Euer, Seveney, Sosnowski, Pearson, McCaffrey, Miller, Valverde, Goldin
• House companion: H6393

• S0887: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR — ORGANIZATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES
• Requires that if state employee unions are engaged in contract negotiations and/or utilizing the dispute resolution process, all terms and conditions in the collective bargaining agreement shall continue to remain in effect
• Sponsored by: McCaffrey
• House companion: H5402

• S0898 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES — RHODE ISLAND PATHWAYS PROJECT
• Requires the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) to conduct a study to assess the impact of using Medicaid funds to provide coverage for the treatment of the chronically homeless
• Sponsored by: Miller, Kallman, Sosnowski, Quezada, Valverde, DiMario, Goodwin
• House companion: H5153

• S0959: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE — PROCEDURE IN PARTICULAR ACTIONS — RHODE ISLAND COMMERCIAL RECEIVERSHIP ACT
• Creates temporary non-liquidating receivership program for businesses with substantial revenue decline after declared emergency/suspended/ceased substantial part of operation resulting by emergency police/regulatory powers
• Sponsored by: F Lombardi, McCaffrey, Euer

• S0960: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — CANVASSING THE LISTS OF QUALIFIED ELECTORS
• Replaces the requirement that the notice for the final canvass be posted in a newspaper and instead this act would require the notice for the final canvass to be published on the official website maintained by the city or town
• Sponsored by: F Lombardi
• Context: Removes a subsidy that local media may need.

• S0961: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — ELECTIVE MEETINGS
• Allows local board of canvasser’s discretion to substitute the physical posting in each voting district of senatorial district meetings, representative district meetings, and voting district meetings with publication in newspaper of local circulation
• Sponsored by: F Lombardi
• House companion: H6400

• S0962: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — CANVASSING THE LISTS OF QUALIFIED ELECTORS
• Allows audio recording to be taken at the local board of canvassers’ proceedings and be maintained as a permanent record of the board
• Sponsored by: F Lombardi
• House companion: H6399

• S0984: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — THE HEALTH SPENDING TRANSPARENCY AND CONTAINMENT ACT
• Imposes funding contribution per health insurer enrollee to program to use health care claims data to help reduce health care costs. The program provides annual reports to the public and recommendations to governor and general assembly. Sunsets 7/1/26
• Sponsored by: Miller
• Context: This is a highly controversial bill that would continue a program where health insurance executives and healthcare executives sit on an official state commission that unconstitutionally oversees a half million dollar budget to provide advice on health insurance policy.

Bills that passed the House but died in the Senate:

• H5038: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE – PROCEDURE GENERALLY – LEVY AND SALE ON EXECUTION
• Exempts from attachment five hundred dollars ($500) in savings or deposits in financial or banking institutions
• Sponsored by: Corvese

• H5039: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — EXPLOSIVES, FIREWORKS, AND PYROTECHNICS
• Prohibits the use of display fireworks/aerial consumer fireworks without a permit between 12:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on any day and would make a violation of this permit requirement a civil violation punishable by a fine of $75.00 and court costs
• Sponsored by: Corvese, Noret

• H5067: AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES – THE PROMOTING ACCESS TO INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT
• Directs that services provided by school social workers and certified school psychologists would be included as health care related services eligible for federal Medicaid reimbursement
• Sponsored by: McNamara, Casimiro, Noret

• H5073: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — SECURING THE FINANCIAL FUTURE FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT
• Provides that the council on elementary and secondary education be encouraged to maintain, publish and update statewide standards for instruction of personal finance in public high schools
• Sponsored by: McNamara

• H5077: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — TREATMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH TERMINAL ILLNESS — THE NEIL FACHON TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS’ RIGHT TO TRY ACT OF 2021
• Creates the “Neil Fachon Terminally Ill Patients’ Right To Try Act of 2021,” which establishes the conditions for the use of experimental treatments for terminally ill patients
• Sponsored by: McNamara, Ackerman

• H5082: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION – COMPENSATION FOR STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
• Expressly allows college athletes, while they are students, to personally profit from the use of their name, image, and likeness, and prohibits the NCAA from preventing these practices
• Sponsored by: Solomon

• H5100: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS
• Prohibits any development of land contiguous to the State House unless approved by the general assembly
• Sponsored by: Solomon, Noret

• H5106: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION — LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES
• Allows the town of Johnston to adopt a tax classification plan independent of the provisions of § 44-5-11.8.
• Sponsored by: Fellela

• H5141: AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — SEXUAL ASSAULT
• Increases the age of children able to utilize a recorded forensic interview for cases of sexual abuse in grand jury testimony — child assault from age fourteen (14) to age eighteen (18).
• Sponsored by: McEntee, Craven, Caldwell, Casimiro
• Senate companion: S0411

• H5147 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS — GENETIC COUNSELORS LICENSING ACT
• Provides a statutory framework for the licensing and regulation of genetic counselors
• Sponsored by: McEntee, Ruggiero, Kazarian, Caldwell, Craven
• Senate companion: S0111

• H5148 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — THE RHODE ISLAND BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
• Establishes the 11 member broadband council to create a plan to increase the use of broadband service in the state. A broadband coordinator is to be designated in Commerce RI to access federal funds and coordinate with the council
• Sponsored by: Ruggiero, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Cortvriend, Carson, McGaw, Morales
• Senate companion: S0896

• H5177 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE — RHODE ISLAND VETERANS’ HOME
• Changes the service requirement for admissions to RI Veterans’ Home from 90 days to 2 years, and gives priority to veterans defined as war veterans
• Sponsored by: Azzinaro, Vella-Wilkinson, Noret
• Context: Removing eligibility from some veterans while expanding it to others raised some questions about this bill.

• H5183: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
• Creates special motor vehicle registration plates for the nonprofit entity Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight Hub
• Sponsored by: Azzinaro, Vella-Wilkinson, Noret, Corvese

• H5188 Sub A:AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — TRADE IN ANIMAL FUR ACT
• Prohibits the sale, offer of sale, trade or distribution of fur products as defined and makes any violation punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500) up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) and up to one year in jail
• Sponsored by: Serpa, O’Brien, Phillips, S Lima
• Senate companion: S0806
• Context: This bill is controversial because of the draconian penalties and the imposition on individual liberty.

• H5191 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS — BOARD OF MEDICAL LICENSURE AND DISCIPLINE
• Prohibits the board of medical licensure and discipline from requiring specialty board certification as a condition of licensure
• Sponsored by: Serpa, Bennett, Phillips, S Lima
• Senate companion: S0830

• H5203: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
• Permits the division of motor vehicles to suspend the registration privileges of motor carriers upon receipt of notice from the department of labor and training that the motor carrier has not secured workers’ compensation insurance
• Sponsored by: Phillips, Caldwell, Noret, O’Brien, Serpa, Hawkins, S Lima

• H5204: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND CARRIERS
• Requires every electric distribution company and natural gas distribution company to submit to the division of public utilities and carriers an emergency response plan for review and approval
• Sponsored by: Kennedy, Abney, Ruggiero, Carson, Azzinaro
• Senate companion: S0570

• H5210 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE POLICIES
• Requires that Medicare supplement policies be made available to Medicare eligible disabled individuals under the age of sixty-five (65)
• Sponsored by: Kennedy, Azzinaro, Bennett, Diaz, Potter

• H5241: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS — PHARMACIES
• Authorizes a pharmacist to prescribe and dispense hormonal contraceptive patches and self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives, provided that the pharmacist has completed a training program approved by the state board of pharmacy
• Sponsored by: Vella-Wilkinson, Williams, Ajello, Noret, Kazarian, Ackerman, Ruggiero
• Senate companion: S0488

• H5252: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
• Creates a special motor vehicle registration plate for The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, Inc
• Sponsored by: Carson

• H5254 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
• Authorizes administrator DMV to issue special license plates to Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
• Sponsored by: Amore, Henries, Cassar
• Senate companion: S0276

• H5276: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – THE RHODE ISLAND CESSPOOL ACT OF 2007
• Allows DEM to extend certain deadlines for required sewer construction in the replacement of cesspools, which deadlines would not extend beyond January 1, 2026
• Sponsored by: Edwards

• H5283 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — LICENSING AND MONITORING OF CHILD PLACING AGENCIES, CHILD CARING AGENCIES, FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE HOMES, AND CHILDREN’S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAMS
• Requires all foster parents to undergo sensitivity training regarding the culture of their foster child.
• Sponsored by: Williams, Vella-Wilkinson, McEntee, Alzate, Felix

• H5318: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS — STATE PURCHASES
• Permits certain volunteer firefighters to purchase motor vehicles by utilizing state purchasing provisions.
• Sponsored by: Quattrocchi, Place, Filippi, Chippendale, Price

• H5325 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
• Permits Dyslexia Advocacy Rhode Island plates to be issued for passenger or commercial vehicles. A minimum of six hundred (600) preordered plates would be required
• Sponsored by: Quattrocchi, Place, Filippi, Chippendale, Price

• H5327 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — NET METERING
• Increases the maximum aggregate amount of community remote net-metering systems from 30 MW to 90 MW and requires the allocation of a minimum of twenty percent (20%) of the generated power to low- or moderate-income households commencing July 1, 2021
• Sponsored by: Potter, Baginski, Felix, Batista, Ruggiero, Speakman, Knight, Kislak, Shallcross Smith, Fogarty
• Senate companion: S0472

• H5356 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – PFAS IN FOOD PACKAGING
• Prohibits PFAS, a class of fluorinated organic chemicals, from being used in food packaging
• Sponsored by: Cortvriend, Speakman, Bennett, Carson, Cassar, McGaw, Morales, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Donovan
• Senate companion: S0110

• H5392 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES — LOCAL PLANNING BOARD OR COMMISSION
• Requires initial, biennial, and continuing education in land use law and planning for local planning and zoning board members.
• Sponsored by: Carson, Shekarchi

• H5418: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES — APPOINTMENT, QUALIFICATION, AND TENURE OF OFFICERS
• Requires that all persons serving on boards and commissions appointed by the governor have a connection to the statethrough residence or licensure
• Sponsored by: Amore, Noret
• Context: Raises constitutional questions.

• H5431: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — RESTROOM ACCESS ACT
• Requires retail establishments with 3 or more employees on the premises without accessible public restroom to allow customers suffering from eligible conditions access to their employee restrooms
• Sponsored by: Ackerman, Chippendale, Hawkins, Baginski, McNamara
• Senate companion: S0714

• H5462: AN ACT RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
• Provides that the trapping and subsequent release of any unowned feral or free roaming cat for the purpose of spaying or neutering of the cat shall not be considered abandonment
• Sponsored by: Edwards, Serpa

• H5485 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — OPEN MEETINGS
• Allows school committees to add item(s) to their agendas for the purposes of discussion only without having to publish notice of the additional item(s)
• Sponsored by: Edwards

• H5496 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — CANVASSING THE LIST OF QUALIFIED ELECTORS — HEALTH AND SAFETY — VITAL RECORDS
• Requires notification of the name and address of the deceased on a death certificate with the office of secretary of state and the chairperson of the board of canvassers for the purpose of removal from the rolls of registered voters
• Sponsored by: Roberts, Chippendale
• Senate companion: S0598

• H5506 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — RESPONSIBLE RECYCLING, REUSE AND DISPOSAL OF MATTRESSES
• Requires copies of auditor’s documents relative to evaluation and opinion about fees to be filed with the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation and be considered public records pursuant to chapter 2 of title 38, access to public records
• Sponsored by: Vella-Wilkinson, Azzinaro, Shanley

• H5517: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — CURRICULUM
• Requires that commencing with the graduating class of 2023 all high school students attending public schools demonstrate proficiency in computer science
• Sponsored by: Tobon, Caldwell, Baginski, Alzate, Edwards, Barros, Corvese, Amore, Craven
• Context: Would deny high school diplomas to many Rhode Islanders and force them to rearrange their course schedule.

• H5522 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — ACCESS TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES FOR ALL STUDENTS ACT
• Establishes a process for CCRI, RIC and URI to accept for college credit an advanced placement subject test score of three (3) (“qualified”) or better in an advanced placement course
• Sponsored by: Amore, J Lombardi, Potter, Alzate, Giraldo, Morales

• H5568 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES — SUBDIVISION OF LAND — ZONING ORDINANCES
• Provides planning board approval votes require majority of members present at time of vote/quorum of zoning review board would authorize voting members including alternatives.
• Sponsored by: C Lima, McLaughlin, McNamara

• H5580: AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS — DIVORCE AND SEPARATION
• Creates a custody procedure for pets in divorce and separation proceedings based on the best interests of the animal. This act would not apply to assistance/service animals
• Sponsored by: C Lima

• H5600: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES
• Includes the general assembly elections within the category of elections subject to the risk- limiting audits within the jurisdiction of the board of elections
• Sponsored by: Ajello, Tanzi, Felix, Batista, Handy, Speakman, Kislak, Cassar, Knight, Fogarty

• H5602 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – VIDEO-LOTTERY GAMES, TABLE GAMES AND SPORTS WAGERING
• Established player self-exclusion program with winnings collected from self-excluded players going to RICPG for research/education/prevention of teenage gambling addiction
• Sponsored by: O’Brien
• Senate companion: S0197
• Context: Some questions raised about how this facilitates abuse of gambling addicts rather than placing an appropriate responsibility on the casino to prevent gambling addicts from entering.

• H5612 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — THE CONSUMER PROTECTION IN EYE CARE ACT
• Provides for consumer protection in eye care services by developing standards and enforcement protocols related to the utilization of assessment mechanisms in the provision of eye care services.
• Sponsored by: O’Brien
• Senate companion: S0483

• H5626: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – PROPER MANAGEMENT OF UNUSED PAINT
• Requires DEM to request proposals every 2 years to solicit representative organization to operate paint stewardship program.
• Sponsored by: Tobon

• H5641 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — PESTICIDE CONTROL
• Prohibits the use of neonicotinoids which are a class of insecticides.
• Sponsored by: Kislak, Bennett, Kazarian, Speakman, Cortvriend, Carson, Donovan
• Senate companion: S0702 
• Restricted rather than prohibited

• H5669: AN ACT TO AMEND THE LANGUAGE OF THE LEASE OF THE BENEFIT STREET ARMORY BETWEEN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND THE PROVIDENCE MARINE CORPS OF ARTILLERY
• Authorizes the Department of Administration to amend lease to Providence Marine Corps of Artillery to use hall for promotion of the arsenal and to sublease the rented space
• Sponsored by: Azzinaro, Fellela, Hull, Corvese, Casey

• H5694 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — QUADRICYCLE PASSENGER VEHICLES
• Authorizes municipalities to regulate the use of quadricycle passenger vehicles within their borders provided there is approval by the local police chief
• Sponsored by: Handy 

• H5769 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW — GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS — UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES
• A provider of a club, facility, or services to a consumer must stop automatic deductions from the consumer’s account or credit card within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving a notice to stop from the consumer
• Sponsored by: Phillips, Caldwell, Carson, Cortvriend, Fellela, Casey, Filippi, S Lima

• H5778 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO BANKING – FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS CREATION AND EXPANSION
• Amends provisions relating to receiverships/licensing. Security bonds, reporting requirements, resident agent to eliminate same requirement/clarify language to reduce burden on financial businesses
• Sponsored by: Solomon, Kennedy, Casey
• Context: Deregulation of financial institutions always raises questions.

• H5779 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – SURPLUS LINES INSURANCE
• Clarifies surplus lines licensing and eliminate an unnecessary bond requirement, eliminate the need for an “in person” hearing in an appeal of a classification and add additional lines of insurance to the Commercial Special Risks statute
• Sponsored by: Solomon, Kennedy, Casey
• Context: Deregulation of the surplus lines industry always raises questions.

• H5781 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — ESTABLISHING AN ELECTED AND APPOINTED MINORITY OFFICIALS COMMISSION
• Creates Elected/Appointed Minority Officials Commission to create record of minority officials from 1636 to present
• Sponsored by: Williams, Hull, Alzate, Barros, Morales, Batista, Henries, Giraldo, Felix, Diaz

• H5782 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES
• Authorizes the issuance of veteran plates with decals affixed to the top left corner for veterans who are recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star and Bronze medal
• Sponsored by: Caldwell, Phillips, Baginski, Azzinaro, Vella-Wilkinson

• H5783 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES — SPECIAL PLATE FOR MASONIC GRAND LODGE CHARITIES OF RHODE ISLAND
• Authorizes a special license plate for MASONIC GRAND LODGE CHARITIES OF RHODE ISLAND, specify the minimum order, and govern the amount and distribution of the fee surcharge
• Sponsored by: Phillips, Potter, Caldwell, Carson, Casey, Filippi, S Lima
• Senate companion: S0809

• H5806 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
• Reduces the required minimum number of special plates ordered from the DMV to 150 sets upon payment of $3,000 conditionally refundable fee
• Sponsored by: Shanley, McNamara, Bennett, Vella-Wilkinson, Craven, Barros, Amore
• Senate companion: S0320

• H5823: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — RESIDENCE OF CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES
• Military personnel ordered to Rhode Island may register their children for school remotely
• Sponsored by: Vella-Wilkinson, Noret, Azzinaro, Filippi

• H5827 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND SUPERINTENDENTS
• Requires the RIDE in coordination with the department of the attorney general to collect all public data concerning the use of force, arrest, and referrals to law enforcement or courts in different categories with a reasonable explanation
• Sponsored by: McNamara, Diaz

• H5844 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY
• Requires medical spas to employ or contract for the services of a licensed physician, physician assistant, or registered nurse.
• Sponsored by: Baginski, Casimiro, Bennett

• H5851: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — MINIMUM WAGES
• Repeals § 28-12-9 of the general laws which provides that the director of labor and training may approve of wages below the minimum wage for those persons whose earning capacity is impaired due to physical or mental disability.
• Sponsored by: Shekarchi
• Senate companion: S0947

• H5853: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
• Forbids an employer to require an employee to execute a nondisclosure agreement or non-disparagement agreement regarding alleged violations of civil rights or criminal conduct as a condition of employment.
• Sponsored by: Tanzi, Vella-Wilkinson, McEntee, Shanley, Potter, Knight, Ajello, Fogarty, Ackerman, Craven
• Senate companion: S0189

• H5888: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
• Allows URI board of trustees to make small procurements up to $50,000 for construction/$10,000 for all other purchases with annual increases in the federal CPI
• Sponsored by: Fogarty, McEntee, Craven, Caldwell, Tanzi, Carson, Amore, McGaw, C Lima, Kennedy
• Senate companion: S0700

• H5890 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — MAIL BALLOTS
• Allows the board of elections to begin the certification of mail ballots 20 days prior to election day and requires notice of such certification sessions and establishes a new and more comprehensive mail ballot voter signature verification process
• Sponsored by: Shanley, Ruggiero, Craven, Barros, Amore
• Senate companion: S0623

• H5891 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — OPEN MEETINGS
• Amends the “open meetings act” to allow virtual meetings and participation by electronic communication until July 1, 2023
• Sponsored by: Marszalkowski
• Senate companion: S0804

• H5919: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS — GREEN BUILDINGS ACT
• Repeals the expiration provisions that major facility projects or other public improvements comply with green building standards, thereby requiring major facility projects of state agencies to be construed to LEED standards.
• Sponsored by: Cortvriend, Ruggiero, Carson, Handy, Potter, McGaw, Kislak, Tanzi, Fogarty
• Senate companion: S0760

• H5943: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — MAIL BALLOTS
• Repeal is to follow the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and to account for permitting voters to cast provisional ballots at the polling place.
• Sponsored by: Corvese
• Senate companion: S0622

• H5962 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — TRANSFER OF VEHICLES
• Provides that a lessee of a motor vehicle who purchases the vehicle within one year of the lease inception or any renewal thereof shall be exempt from certain registration transfer provisions.
• Sponsored by: Costantino, Corvese, Cardillo, McEntee, Batista

• H6004 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS – MAIL BALLOTS
• Entitles disabled and military voters to utilize electronically transmitted ballots
• Sponsored by: O’Brien, Baginski
• Senate companion: S0738
• Context: Raised serious election security concerns.

• H6021 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION
• Requires district and independent charter schools to use a random selection process to select eligible public school students who would be invited to attend the charter school and allows a parent to decline the invitation
• Sponsored by: Ajello, McNamara, Kislak, Felix, Williams, Barros, Amore, C Lima, O’Brien, Morales

• H6042: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS — SECRETARY OF STATE
• Authorizes the secretary of state and board of elections to conduct an extensive cybersecurity assessment of our election systems and facilities and to establish a cybersecurity review board
• Sponsored by: Ruggiero, Donovan, Abney, Hull, Morales, Shallcross Smith, Fenton-Fung, McGaw, Shanley, Serpa
• Senate companion: S0835

• H6044: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE
• Creates a special license plate for the not for profit Atlantic Shark Institute.
• Sponsored by: Fogarty, Alzate, Hawkins, Kazarian, Tanzi, Shallcross Smith, Hull, McEntee, Messier, Ajello
• Senate companion: S0615

• H6274: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — TRANSFER OF VEHICLES
• Extends from twenty (20) days to thirty (30) days, the period of time that a newly purchased motor vehicle may be temporarily operated, using the purchaser’s current licenses plates.
• Sponsored by: McGaw, Cortvriend, Potter, Baginski, Biah, Cardillo, Fenton-Fung, Messier, Chippendale

• H6289: AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES — REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES — ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION
• Allows the production of special motor vehicle registration plates for the Alzheimer’s Association, Rhode Island Chapter so long as six hundred (600) have been ordered
• Sponsored by: Williams

• H6395: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES — ZONING ORDINANCES
• Amends the definition of dimensional variance located in chapter 24 of title 45 of the general laws relating to zoning ordinances
• Sponsored by: Craven, McEntee

Bills that passed the House and died in the Senate but had a Senate companion pass (not counted in the total for House bills killed by the Senate):

• H5746 Sub A: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS — MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
• Provides an exception to the requirements of competitive sealed bidding for local, minority and woman-owned business enterprises
• Sponsored by: Giraldo
• Senate companion passed: S0549

• H6313: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION — PERSONAL INCOME TAX
• Grants an exemption from the personal income tax to writers, composers and artists residing within the East Providence arts zone.
• Sponsored by: Henries, Amore, Kazarian
• Senate companion passed: S0575

• H6377: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — BREAST CANCER PATIENT NOTIFICATION
• Allows for a summary of a mammography report be provided to the patient by mail, electronically or otherwise with abnormal result provided only upon approval by the referring provider.
• Sponsored by: Fenton-Fung, Casey, Casimiro, Chippendale
• Senate companion passed: S0651

• H6467: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – PATIENT VISITATION RIGHTS
• Department of health to promulgate rules and regulations for essential caregivers at healthcare facilities during a declared emergency.
• Sponsored by: Nardone
• Senate companion passed: S0006