Government
Public services and government action
RI Senate punts on rules reform - Votes to mandate public testimony under oath
The Senate passed on amendments that would bring more democracy to the Senate, such as amending the process of holding bills for further study, opting instead for the status quo, and an oath for those offering public testimony.
Rhode Island State House Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 11am Press Conference - Coalition for a Multilingual RI https://youtu.be/rP33CtWLt_o 4pm Rhode Island House https://youtu.be/GPKYYE6p9BA IN ORDER: H5696 by McEntee ENTITLED, AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF SOUTH KI...
AG Neronha: "Lifespan and CNE erred, and significantly so" in vaccinating some board members
"Lifespan and CNE should have acted differently," says AG Neronha. Adding that, though the hospitals did not violate "any specific directives, policies or laws... [t]his erosion of public confidence in the fairness of the process undermines broader willingness to follow the rules."
Rhode Island State House Monday, March 22, 2021
Monday, March 22, 2021 1pm House Committee on Oversight https://youtu.be/rmQM_g807u4 An Overview of Tourism in Rhode Island Sarah Bratko, Vice President of Advocacy and General Counsel, RI Hospitality AssociationKristen Adamo, President...
Housing for those living in their vehicles is vital - But in the meantime they need safe parking options
"That's a sad issue to deal with and unfortunately it's not necessarily a state issue," said Speaker Shekarchi. "I would hope that Mayor Elorza and the City of Providence would find an area that would be suitable temporarily..."
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Rhode Island’s High Security Correctional Facility is currently home to 78 incarcerated individuals. Colloquially known as ‘High Side,’ the facility has recently come under scrutiny for its use of long-term solitary confinement amidst the global movement to end this practice in prisons and jails.
Senator Reed, Speaker Shekarchi announce housing assistance money for Rhode Island
The influx of funds and the focus on housing "is a huge weight lifted off the shoulders of those of us who have been, over the last year, trying to protect and defend the safety of housing for people who would otherwise be put into the street and face the ravages of a global pandemic. I can't even describe to you how profound this assistance is at this time."
Rhode Island State House Friday, March 19, 2021
Friday, March 19, 2021 1pm House Committee on Judiciary House Judiciary Committee Chairman Craven outlines guidelines for public testimony ahead of gun hearings The House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony on several bills pertainin...
Rhode Island State House Thursday, March 18, 2021
Thursday, March 18, 2021 1pm Governor's COVID-19 Press Briefing https://youtu.be/3fngUkkknxQ See also: Governor McKee dodges questions about his support for the dismantling of Kennedy Plaza 3pm Senate Judiciary https://youtu.be/Q60KZIYtg...
Advocates demand a safe parking lot for those staying in vehicles
Despite repeated asks that the state designate a safe parking lot for those staying in vehicles to use, no action has been taken. This has caused those sleeping in cars, vans, and RVs to continue to be ticketed and towed. When this happens, people simultaneously lose their belongings, shelter, and transportation. It is often prohibitively expensive to retrieve vehicles from tow lots, which makes the loss permanent.