Latest Bills
Bill # Title Summary January 16th, 2026 H7138 Public Utilities and Carriers -- Rhode Island Public Transit Authority RIPTA must consult with the MBTA to see if commuter rail passes can also be valid on Rhode Island buses. H7139 Public Utilities and Carriers -- The Renewable Energy Growth Program This bill requires the General Assembly to review and approve all costs and tariffs for the Renewable Energy Growth Program. H7140 Education -- Curriculum This bill requires Rhode Island schools to adopt state-approved high-quality science and technology curriculum materials by 2026. H7141 State Affairs and Government -- Department of Environmental Management This bill requires the state to track the installation, removal, and disposal of artificial turf fields to ensure proper handling. H7142 Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals -- Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Accountability and Oversight Act This bill creates a government committee to monitor mental health clinics and requires them to report their finances and performance annually. H7143 Health and Safety -- Determination of Need for New Healthcare Equipment and New Institutional Health Services This bill repeals the law requiring healthcare providers to get state approval before expanding facilities or buying expensive equipment. H7144 Courts and Civil Procedure -- Procedure Generally -- Jury Lists Individuals seventy years of age or older are now exempt from mandatory jury duty but may choose to serve. H7145 Criminal Offenses -- Weapons This bill requires gun owners to lock up firearms when not in use and establishes penalties for unsafe storage. H7146 Labor and Labor Relations -- Division of Professional Regulation Creates a $20 "retirement status license" for older professionals, allowing them to pause active practice while retaining credentials. H7147 Public Property and Works -- Labor and Payment of Debts by Contractors This bill adds a specific legal definition for school transportation services to the state laws governing government contractors. H7148 Health and Safety -- Rehabilitation Building and Fire Code for Existing Buildings and Structures This bill applies the state's rehabilitation building and fire code to existing one, two, and three-family homes. H7149 Towns and Cities -- Relief of Injured and Deceased Fire Fighters and Police Officers This bill mandates that the Workers’ Compensation Court handle benefit disputes for certain injured state employees starting July 2025. H7150 Towns and Cities -- General Powers This bill prevents towns from enacting new bans on landscaping equipment based on fuel type, while preserving existing bans. H7151 Taxation -- Property Subject to Taxation This bill expands property tax breaks for seniors in Jamestown by raising the income limit for eligibility. H7152 Taxation -- Property Subject to Taxation This bill increases the property tax exemption for veterans from $1,000 to $6,000 and removes outdated caps for certain towns. H7153 Towns and Cities -- Zoning Ordinances This bill significantly increases fees developers pay to avoid building affordable housing and mandates towns spend those funds quickly. H7154 Public Records -- Access to Public Records Expands public records laws to include private businesses and entities that perform work on behalf of government agencies. H7155 State Affairs and Government -- Departments of State Government This bill requires state agencies and the Governor to certify that their testimony to the General Assembly is factually accurate. H7156 Courts and Civil Procedure -- Courts -- Superior Court Allows retired Superior Court magistrates to return to work and receive full pay without forfeiting their pension benefits. H7157 Towns and Cities -- Relief of Injured and Deceased Fire Fighters and Police Officers This bill removes a strict definition of disability used to determine if police families qualify for free college tuition. H7158 Public Officers and Employees -- Insurance Benefits This bill extends state health insurance benefits to adjunct college professors who teach at least half of a full-time schedule. H7159 Public Officers and Employees -- Organ-Donation Leave Act Provides state employees with paid leave to donate organs or bone marrow without using their sick or vacation time. H7160 Education -- Teachers' Retirement This bill allows teachers and public employees to retire when their age plus years worked equals 85, starting in 2026. H7161 Education -- Teachers' Retirement Lowers pension COLA funding thresholds, grants a 2026 COLA, increases spousal benefits, and raises pension tax exemptions. H7162 Taxation -- Personal Income Tax This bill allows retired government employees to stop paying Rhode Island state income taxes on their public pension payments. H7163 Education -- Foundation Level School Support Requires the General Assembly to pass a law authorizing participation before the Governor can opt the state into federal school voucher programs. S2073 Taxation -- Property Subject to Taxation This bill exempts the nonprofit Community MusicWorks in Providence from paying property taxes on its building and assets. S2074 Public Utilities and Carriers -- Regulatory Powers of Administration Electric companies must include a visual illustration on bills showing the specific costs for every part of the service. S2075 Public Utilities and Carriers -- Public Utilities Commission Mandates an annual report starting in 2027 analyzing if the electric grid can support electric cars and home heating. S2076 Towns and Cities -- Councils and Governing Bodies This bill mandates that municipal insurance pools be regulated by the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. S2077 Education -- Council on Elementary and Secondary Education This bill adds members to the Board of Education and grants the high school student representative a voting seat. S2078 Education -- The School Libraries Act No summary available S2079 Education -- Health and Safety of Pupils This bill requires middle and high schools to establish cardiac emergency plans, accessible defibrillators, and CPR-trained staff by 2027. S2080 State Affairs and Government -- 2021 Act on Climate This bill completely repeals the 2021 Act on Climate, removing state mandates for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. S2081 Education -- Postsecondary Tuition Assistance for Shortage Teaching Fields This bill provides financial aid for college students who commit to teaching high-need subjects like math and science in Rhode Island. S2082 Taxation -- Sales and Use Taxes -- Liability and Computation This bill gradually reduces the local tax on restaurant meals starting in 2027 until it is eliminated in 2030. S2083 Education -- Federal Aid No summary available S2084 Human Services -- Medical Assistance This bill raises the monthly personal-needs allowance for Medicaid recipients in nursing homes from $75 to $100. S2085 Human Services -- The Rhode Island Works Program This bill makes free childcare permanent for eligible childcare workers and expands childcare assistance for parents attending public colleges. S2086 Taxation -- Sales and Use Taxes -- Liability and Computation This bill removes the state sales tax on the purchase of gun safes, locks, and other firearm safety equipment. S2087 Towns and Cities -- State Aid This bill requires the state to reimburse towns for lost taxes on property owned by the Pokanoket Tribe Land Trust. S2088 Education -- Career and Technical Education Requires the state to create a standard formula for calculating tuition costs for career and technical education students. S2089 Public Officers and Employees -- Retirement System -- Contribution and Benefits Sets rules and exceptions allowing retired public employees to return to government work without losing their pensions. S2090 Towns and Cities -- Optional Retirement for Members of Police Force and Firefighters This bill increases the pension benefit calculation rate to 2.5% for police and firefighters for service years starting in July 2026. S2091 Human Services -- Public Assistance Act This bill exempts IRAs from public assistance asset limits and prevents the state from seizing ABLE account funds upon death. S2092 Motor and Other Vehicles -- Rideshare or Transportation Network Company Vehicle Surcharge This bill creates a $0.75 surcharge on rideshare trips to fund local street repairs and public transit projects. S2093 Education -- Rhode Island Promise Scholarship Expands RI Promise Scholarship eligibility to include certain transfer students, allows enrollment deferment, and excludes College Crusade grants from aid calculations. S2094 Education -- The Onward We Learn Scholarship Act Mandates that surplus funds from state college scholarship programs be used to reimburse "Onward We Learn" for student costs. S2095 Public Utilities and Carriers -- Transportation Investment and Debt Reduction Act of 2011 This bill increases the percentage of state highway maintenance funds allocated to RIPTA from 5% to 20% by 2026. S2096 Taxation -- Sales and Use Taxes -- Liability and Computation Exempts the trade-in value of a motorcycle from the taxable purchase price when buying a new or used motorcycle.
| Bill # | Title | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| January 16th, 2026 | ||
| H7138 | Public Utilities and Carriers -- Rhode Island Public Transit Authority | RIPTA must consult with the MBTA to see if commuter rail passes can also be valid on Rhode Island buses. |
| H7139 | Public Utilities and Carriers -- The Renewable Energy Growth Program | This bill requires the General Assembly to review and approve all costs and tariffs for the Renewable Energy Growth Program. |
| H7140 | Education -- Curriculum | This bill requires Rhode Island schools to adopt state-approved high-quality science and technology curriculum materials by 2026. |
| H7141 | State Affairs and Government -- Department of Environmental Management | This bill requires the state to track the installation, removal, and disposal of artificial turf fields to ensure proper handling. |
| H7142 | Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals -- Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Accountability and Oversight Act | This bill creates a government committee to monitor mental health clinics and requires them to report their finances and performance annually. |
| H7143 | Health and Safety -- Determination of Need for New Healthcare Equipment and New Institutional Health Services | This bill repeals the law requiring healthcare providers to get state approval before expanding facilities or buying expensive equipment. |
| H7144 | Courts and Civil Procedure -- Procedure Generally -- Jury Lists | Individuals seventy years of age or older are now exempt from mandatory jury duty but may choose to serve. |
| H7145 | Criminal Offenses -- Weapons | This bill requires gun owners to lock up firearms when not in use and establishes penalties for unsafe storage. |
| H7146 | Labor and Labor Relations -- Division of Professional Regulation | Creates a $20 "retirement status license" for older professionals, allowing them to pause active practice while retaining credentials. |
| H7147 | Public Property and Works -- Labor and Payment of Debts by Contractors | This bill adds a specific legal definition for school transportation services to the state laws governing government contractors. |
| H7148 | Health and Safety -- Rehabilitation Building and Fire Code for Existing Buildings and Structures | This bill applies the state's rehabilitation building and fire code to existing one, two, and three-family homes. |
| H7149 | Towns and Cities -- Relief of Injured and Deceased Fire Fighters and Police Officers | This bill mandates that the Workers’ Compensation Court handle benefit disputes for certain injured state employees starting July 2025. |
| H7150 | Towns and Cities -- General Powers | This bill prevents towns from enacting new bans on landscaping equipment based on fuel type, while preserving existing bans. |
| H7151 | Taxation -- Property Subject to Taxation | This bill expands property tax breaks for seniors in Jamestown by raising the income limit for eligibility. |
| H7152 | Taxation -- Property Subject to Taxation | This bill increases the property tax exemption for veterans from $1,000 to $6,000 and removes outdated caps for certain towns. |
| H7153 | Towns and Cities -- Zoning Ordinances | This bill significantly increases fees developers pay to avoid building affordable housing and mandates towns spend those funds quickly. |
| H7154 | Public Records -- Access to Public Records | Expands public records laws to include private businesses and entities that perform work on behalf of government agencies. |
| H7155 | State Affairs and Government -- Departments of State Government | This bill requires state agencies and the Governor to certify that their testimony to the General Assembly is factually accurate. |
| H7156 | Courts and Civil Procedure -- Courts -- Superior Court | Allows retired Superior Court magistrates to return to work and receive full pay without forfeiting their pension benefits. |
| H7157 | Towns and Cities -- Relief of Injured and Deceased Fire Fighters and Police Officers | This bill removes a strict definition of disability used to determine if police families qualify for free college tuition. |
| H7158 | Public Officers and Employees -- Insurance Benefits | This bill extends state health insurance benefits to adjunct college professors who teach at least half of a full-time schedule. |
| H7159 | Public Officers and Employees -- Organ-Donation Leave Act | Provides state employees with paid leave to donate organs or bone marrow without using their sick or vacation time. |
| H7160 | Education -- Teachers' Retirement | This bill allows teachers and public employees to retire when their age plus years worked equals 85, starting in 2026. |
| H7161 | Education -- Teachers' Retirement | Lowers pension COLA funding thresholds, grants a 2026 COLA, increases spousal benefits, and raises pension tax exemptions. |
| H7162 | Taxation -- Personal Income Tax | This bill allows retired government employees to stop paying Rhode Island state income taxes on their public pension payments. |
| H7163 | Education -- Foundation Level School Support | Requires the General Assembly to pass a law authorizing participation before the Governor can opt the state into federal school voucher programs. |
| S2073 | Taxation -- Property Subject to Taxation | This bill exempts the nonprofit Community MusicWorks in Providence from paying property taxes on its building and assets. |
| S2074 | Public Utilities and Carriers -- Regulatory Powers of Administration | Electric companies must include a visual illustration on bills showing the specific costs for every part of the service. |
| S2075 | Public Utilities and Carriers -- Public Utilities Commission | Mandates an annual report starting in 2027 analyzing if the electric grid can support electric cars and home heating. |
| S2076 | Towns and Cities -- Councils and Governing Bodies | This bill mandates that municipal insurance pools be regulated by the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. |
| S2077 | Education -- Council on Elementary and Secondary Education | This bill adds members to the Board of Education and grants the high school student representative a voting seat. |
| S2078 | Education -- The School Libraries Act | No summary available |
| S2079 | Education -- Health and Safety of Pupils | This bill requires middle and high schools to establish cardiac emergency plans, accessible defibrillators, and CPR-trained staff by 2027. |
| S2080 | State Affairs and Government -- 2021 Act on Climate | This bill completely repeals the 2021 Act on Climate, removing state mandates for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. |
| S2081 | Education -- Postsecondary Tuition Assistance for Shortage Teaching Fields | This bill provides financial aid for college students who commit to teaching high-need subjects like math and science in Rhode Island. |
| S2082 | Taxation -- Sales and Use Taxes -- Liability and Computation | This bill gradually reduces the local tax on restaurant meals starting in 2027 until it is eliminated in 2030. |
| S2083 | Education -- Federal Aid | No summary available |
| S2084 | Human Services -- Medical Assistance | This bill raises the monthly personal-needs allowance for Medicaid recipients in nursing homes from $75 to $100. |
| S2085 | Human Services -- The Rhode Island Works Program | This bill makes free childcare permanent for eligible childcare workers and expands childcare assistance for parents attending public colleges. |
| S2086 | Taxation -- Sales and Use Taxes -- Liability and Computation | This bill removes the state sales tax on the purchase of gun safes, locks, and other firearm safety equipment. |
| S2087 | Towns and Cities -- State Aid | This bill requires the state to reimburse towns for lost taxes on property owned by the Pokanoket Tribe Land Trust. |
| S2088 | Education -- Career and Technical Education | Requires the state to create a standard formula for calculating tuition costs for career and technical education students. |
| S2089 | Public Officers and Employees -- Retirement System -- Contribution and Benefits | Sets rules and exceptions allowing retired public employees to return to government work without losing their pensions. |
| S2090 | Towns and Cities -- Optional Retirement for Members of Police Force and Firefighters | This bill increases the pension benefit calculation rate to 2.5% for police and firefighters for service years starting in July 2026. |
| S2091 | Human Services -- Public Assistance Act | This bill exempts IRAs from public assistance asset limits and prevents the state from seizing ABLE account funds upon death. |
| S2092 | Motor and Other Vehicles -- Rideshare or Transportation Network Company Vehicle Surcharge | This bill creates a $0.75 surcharge on rideshare trips to fund local street repairs and public transit projects. |
| S2093 | Education -- Rhode Island Promise Scholarship | Expands RI Promise Scholarship eligibility to include certain transfer students, allows enrollment deferment, and excludes College Crusade grants from aid calculations. |
| S2094 | Education -- The Onward We Learn Scholarship Act | Mandates that surplus funds from state college scholarship programs be used to reimburse "Onward We Learn" for student costs. |
| S2095 | Public Utilities and Carriers -- Transportation Investment and Debt Reduction Act of 2011 | This bill increases the percentage of state highway maintenance funds allocated to RIPTA from 5% to 20% by 2026. |
| S2096 | Taxation -- Sales and Use Taxes -- Liability and Computation | Exempts the trade-in value of a motorcycle from the taxable purchase price when buying a new or used motorcycle. |