Monday, March 8, 2021

2pm House Committee on Corporations

SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION

• H5203 by Phillips, Caldwell, Noret, O’Brien, Serpa, Hawkins, Lima ENTITLED, 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.)
• H5507 by Kazarian ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF MC SOUSA TRUCKING & EXCAVATION INC.
• H5906 by Noret ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF WARWICK NECK AVENUE INC.

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

• H5326 by Place, Roberts, Quattrocchi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PARKS AND RECREATIONAL AREAS – GENERAL PROVISIONS (Provides for the authorized taking of mushrooms from public lands.)
• H5490 by Place ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – COMPOSITION OF FIRE DISTRICT AND PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT BOARDS OF COMMISSIONERS (Allows individuals receiving a state pension to serve on fire district boards, Block Island utility board, and Pascoag utility board.)
• H5508 by Lombardi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – REGULATORY POWERS OF ADMINISTRATION (Provides that any rate increase with respect to electric distribution companies would be no greater than the increase in the Consumer Price Index or 5.5%, whichever is greater, unless there is approval of a higher rate by the general assembly.)
• H5642 by Solomon ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS – THE ELDER ADULT FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION PREVENTION ACT (Requires employees of regulated financial institutions to report suspected financial exploitation of elder adults to the office of healthy aging and provide authority to the regulated financial institution to place a temporary hold on transactions.)
• H5643 by Solomon ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE — INSURERS’ REHABILITATION AND LIQUIDATION ACT (Updates a portion of the Insurance Receivership statute to the current National Association of Insurance Commissioners standards.)
• H5644 by Solomon ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY – CONDOMINIUM LAW – RESALE OF UNITS (Allows a condominium association to impose a fee of up to $125 for preparation of a resale certificate.)
• H5645 by Solomon ENTITLED, RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE LICENSING OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS (Creates a 13 member commission to study and provide recommendations regarding the licensing of residential builders and contractors, and who would report back no later than February 9, 2022, and whose life would expire on April 9, 2022.)
• H5673 by Morales, Potter, McGaw, Tanzi, Giraldo ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – OFFICE OF ENERGY RESOURCES INTERCONNECTION STANDARDS (Transfers from the electric distribution companies to the Infrastructure Bank planning and administration of the interconnection of renewable energy to the electric distribution system.)
• H5765 by Casey, Solomon, Vella-Wilkinson, Lima, Kennedy, Edwards ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – EXCAVATION NEAR UNDERGROUND UTILITY FACILITIES (Requires any public utility or its contractor to reimburse an excavator for lost time expense incurred, including manpower and equipment from the utility’s incorrect marking of underground utilities.)
• H5766 by Williams, Hull, Barros, Alzate, Batista, Henries, Biah, Morales, Giraldo, Perez ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS – ARCHITECTS (Allows superior court to require person affixing architectural stamp within five years, to provide evidence that services were performed by entity named in the “certificate” or “certificate of authorization.”)

4pm House Committee on Small Business

Update on Small Business Initiatives

• The Honorable Seth Magaziner, Treasurer of the State of Rhode Island
  • Rep. McEntee thanks General Treasurer Magaziner for Small Business Committee presentation
• Mark S Hayward, Director, Rhode Island District Office, United States Small Business Administration
• Dale Venturini, President and CEO of the RI Hospitality Association
• Sarah Bratko Esq, VP of Government Affairs of the RI Hospitality Association

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

• H5457 by Cortvriend, Carson, Cassar, Nardone, Ruggiero, McEntee ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION – STATE TAX OFFICIALS – SALES AND USE TAXES – ENFORCEMENT AND COLLECTION (Allows any tax payments to be paid by midnight of the date the tax is due. This act also provides for a twenty-four (24) hour extension of time to pay the tax.)
• H5758 by McEntee, Cortvriend, Speakman, Caldwell, Carson ENTITLED, AN ACT FOOD AND DRUGS – SANITATION IN FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS – HOME FOOD MANUFACTURE ACT (Amends the current law that allows farmers to sell produce directly to consumers by directing the department of health to permit home food manufacture and sales direct to consumers.)

5pm Senate Committee on Finance

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

• S0041 by DiPalma, Seveney, Paolino, Pearson, Murray ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE – MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASELOAD ESTIMATING CONFERENCES (Requires the participation and input of the EOHHS, DHS, DCYF and BHDDH in medical assistance and public assistance caseload estimating conferences and the generation of monthly data to the members of the case load estimating conference.)
• S0046 by Bell, Mack, Anderson, Calkin, Mendes ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION (Creates an agreement to limit corporate incentives.)
• S0095 by de la Cruz, Paolino, Morgan, Rogers, Raptakis ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE – STATE BUDGET (Requires that the governor submit a zero-based budget to the general assembly. The zero-based budget shall be phased in over a five (5) year period.)
• S0097 by Calkin, Anderson, Bell, Acosta, Valverde, Quezada ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION (Establishes a surtax on the business corporation tax for publicly traded corporations subject to SEC disclosure and reporting requirements, if corporation’s ratio of compensation for its CEO to median worker is equal to or greater than 100 to 1.)
• S0161 by Bell ENTITLED, RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE AND APPROVE A REFERENDUM TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION FOR BLANKET AUTHORITY FOR THE GENERAL TREASURER TO REFINANCE BONDS (Joint resolution authorizing treasurer to refinance bonds.)
• S0225 by Bell, Mendes ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION — DEFINITION OF CORPORATE NET INCOME {LC290/1} (Repeals a state corporate income tax deduction to allowable income for federal tax purposes for investment property held for at least seven years.)
• S0361 by Bell, Ciccone, Calkin, Mack, Mendes, Acosta, Anderson, Kallman, Cano, Sosnowski ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS – STATEWIDE REFERENDUM (Provides for $1,000,000 in bonds to improve local roadways, pedestrian spaces, bikeway paths and municipal parks.)
• S0372 by Raptakis, de la Cruz, Anderson, Bell, Paolino, Morgan ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION – BUSINESS CORPORATION TAX AND FRANCHISE TAX (Refunds the minimum tax paid by corporations with annual gross income of less than $400; but caps the amount refunded at four hundred dollars $400.)
• S0376 by Bell, Quezada, Mendes, DiMario, Mack, Goodwin, Seveney, Anderson, Calkin ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES – GENERAL POWERS (Authorizes municipalities to tax school tuition and school meals. Contains exemptions from taxation.)

6pm House Committee on Health & Human Services

SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION

• H5462 by Edwards, Serpa ENTITLED, 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.)
• H5431 by Ackerman, Chippendale, Hawkins, Baginski, McNamara ENTITLED, 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.)

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

• H5019 by Lombardi, Potter, Morales ENTITLED, RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND ASSESS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN IMPROVED MEDICARE-FOR-ALL-TYPE SINGLE PAYER PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND (Creates a 19 member commission to study and assess implementing an improved Medicare-for-all-type single payer program in RI, and who would report back to the Senate and House 1 year from the date of passage, and expire 2 years from the date of passage.)
• H5373 by Carson, McNamara, Ackerman, Ruggiero, Handy ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – CEMETERIES – CEMETERY PERPETUAL FUNDS REPORTING {LC655/1} (Requires 25% of price of cemetery lot be deposited in perpetual care fund (PCF). PCF to file annual report with AG.)
• H5375 by Vella-Wilkinson, Ruggiero, Donovan, Caldwell, Knight, Perez, Casimiro, Noret ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Increases mandatory insurance coverage for hearing aids from $1,500 to $2,000, per ear, every three (3) years. In addition, the amount of insurance coverage would no longer be based on the age of the recipient.)
• H5441 by Speakman, Casey, Ruggiero, Donovan, Kislak, Morales ENTITLED, 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.)
• H5460 by Edwards, Kazarian, Williams, Alzate, Felix, Kislak, Ruggiero, Caldwell, McEntee, Shanley ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY & SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE KITS (Requires any entity that receives, maintains, stores or preserves sexual assault evidence kits to submit a report to the department of health, annually, setting forth the total number of untested kits in possession of such entity.)
• H5461 by Edwards, Kennedy, Tobon ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Requires that a participant or beneficiary incur no greater out-of-pocket costs for emergency services than they would have incurred with an in-network provider other than in-network cost sharing.)
• H5463 by McGaw, Vella-Wilkinson, Baginski, Fellela, Alzate, Shekarchi, Kislak, Ackerman, Ajello, Cassar ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – MEDICAL INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR EPINEPHRINE INJECTORS (Requires group health plans and health insurance issuers that provide prescription benefits to cover prescribed epinephrine injectors and cartridges. No copayment or deductible would be required to obtain a prescribed epinephrine injector or cartridge.)
• H5464 by Williams, Messier, Ajello, Vella-Wilkinson, Felix, Alzate ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – LICENSING OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES (Mandates a patient shall not be denied appropriate care on the basis of age/sex/gender identity/sexual orientation, race/color/marital status/familial status/disability/religion/national origin/source of income/source of payment or profession.)
• H5494 by Ackerman, McNamara, Ajello, Potter, Morales, Filippi, Henries, Alzate ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS – DRUG COST TRANSPARENCY (Provides drug cost transparency by requiring reports be submitted by drug manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers and health benefit plan insurers to the director of the department of business regulation regarding drug prices and increases the prices.)
• H5543 by Speakman, McNamara ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – RIGHTS OF NURSING HOME PATIENTS (Department of health to promulgate rules and regulations for essential caregivers at nursing homes during a declared emergency.)
• H5544 by Fogarty, Shallcross Smith, Fenton-Fung, Tanzi, Carson, Henries, Speakman, Donovan, McEntee, Alzate ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS – BOARD OF MEDICAL LICENSURE AND DISCIPLINE {LC204/1} (Includes in the definition of unprofessional conduct performing a pelvic examination without consent of an anesthetized or unconscious female patient.)
• H5545 by Casimiro, Alzate, Bennett ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS – NURSES (Authorizes certified nurse practitioners to sign a written certification stating that in their professional opinion, the potential benefits of use of medical marijuana to their patient outweigh their potential health risks.)
• H5546 by Craven ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE (Increases reimbursement rates for behavioral health providers.)
• H5547 by Nardone, Chippendale, Hull ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – PATIENT VISITATION RIGHTS (Entitles all residents of health care and assisted living facilities, nursing homes, group homes and veterans’ homes, to designate a person to provide them with companionship, personal health care guidance and advocacy.)
• H5548 by Casimiro, Noret, Vella-Wilkinson, Alzate ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (Regulates the manufacture, distribution and retail sale of vapor products in Rhode Island.)
• H5549 by Casimiro, Noret, McGaw, Alzate ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – LICENSING OF HEALTHCARE FACILITIES (Prohibits licensed health care facilities from reusing personal protective equipment.)
• H5763 by Kazarian, Kislak, Fogarty, Alzate, Potter, Casimiro, Henries, Handy, Felix, McGaw ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Prohibits insurance companies from varying the premium rates charged for a health coverage plan based on the gender of the individual policy holder, enrollee, subscriber, or member.)
• H5843 by Cassar, Kislak, Ajello, Cortvriend, Donovan, Speakman, Tanzi, Messier, Casimiro, Potter ENTITLED, 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 categories of essential health benefits listed in the act.)
• H5651 by Kislak, Speakman, Cassar, Donovan, Tanzi, Felix, Morales, Giraldo, Potter ENTITLED, 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.)

6pm House Committee on Special Legislation

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

• H5415 by Cortvriend, Donovan, Speakman, Carson, McGaw, Fogarty ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – STATE EMBLEMS (This act would designate “Northern Star Coral” as the official state coral.)
• H5592 by Vella-Wilkinson, Perez, Bennett, McNamara, Williams, Knight, Azzinaro ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE – FIRST RESPONDERS (Establishes March 17 as an annual day of special observance to honor Rhode Island’s first responders.)
• H5593 by Fogarty, Tanzi, McEntee ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY – HOLLEY LANDING (Renames the landing in South Kingstown known as Wordens Pond Landing to Holley Landing.)
• H5594 by Lima ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE (Sets aside the twenty-seventh day of October annually to be known as Dr Ernest Finocchio Day.)
• H5654 by Tanzi, McEntee ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY — NAMING STATE CONSTRUCTIONS – E RICHARD DURFEE ROAD (Would name a certain portion of Sand Hill Cove Road in Narragansett, “E Richard Durfee Road”.)
• H5926 by Vella-Wilkinson, Solomon, Azzinaro, Kennedy, Noret, Filippi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE – DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE (Designates June 12 annually as Women Veterans Day as a day of special observance in the state of Rhode Island.)
• H6045 by Williams, Henries, Hull, Biah, Abney, Kislak, Ajello, Diaz, Barros, Alzate ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HOLIDAYS AND DAYS OF SPECIAL OBSERVANCE (Eliminates the state holiday of Victory Day and inserts in place thereof the state holiday of Emancipation Day to be held on August 1.)
• H5781 by Williams, Hull, Alzate, Barros, Morales, Batista, Henries, Giraldo, Felix, Diaz ENTITLED, 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.)
• H5952 by Shekarchi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES (Allows the honorable John G. Edwards to join Kelsey Kristine Edwards and David M Coletta in marriage on or about October 23, 2021, within the City of Pawtucket, Rhode Island.)
• S0074 by Goodwin, Ruggerio ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES (Allows David Raymond Thibodeau, Jr, to join Staci Rae McCabe and Brendan Edward Curran in marriage on or about June 5, 2021, within the City of Newport, Rhode Island.)
• S0266 by McCaffrey, Ruggerio ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES (Allows the Honorable Maryellen Goodwin to join Katiuska Perez and Brian Parker in marriage on or about September 3, 2021, within the City of Newport, Rhode Island.)