General Assembly

Posted 2/5/15

Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly last week. For more information on any of these items, visit www.rilin.state.ri.us/News.

Sen. DiPalma, Rep. …

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General Assembly

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Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly last week. For more information on any of these items, visit www.rilin.state.ri.us/News.

Sen. DiPalma, Rep. Ucci introduce

Identity Theft Protection Act of 2015

Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Tiverton) and Rep. Stephen R. Ucci (D-Dist. 42, Johnston, Cranston) are introducing the Identity Theft Protection Act of 2015 (2015-S 0134) to bring the state’s decade-old cybersecurity law up to date. Under it, those with access to personal information about Rhode Island residents will be required to implement reasonable security procedures and to provide swift notification whenever there is a breach in a security system protecting personal information that poses a risk of identity theft to any Rhode Islander.

Rep. Bennett bill would make

Narcan available in schools

Rep. David A. Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston) has introduced legislation (2015-H 5047) to require public schools with students in grades 6 through 12 to be equipped with opioid antagonists, known by the trade name Narcan, to treat overdoses of heroin and commonly abused prescription painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin. The measure is aimed at protecting teens and the general public during a regional overdose epidemic.

Rep. Solomon bill would prohibit

keeping dogs outside in extremes

Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) has introduced legislation that would regulate the treatment of dogs kept outside in extreme temperatures. The bill (2015-H 5162) would make it a violation to keep any dog outside when the ambient temperature is beyond the industry standard for the weather safety scale as set forth in the most recent adopted version of the Tufts Animal Care and Condition Weather Safety Scale if the dog is showing signs of poor health due to the weather conditions.

Rep. Picard, Sen. Kettle introduce

exemptions for financially vulnerable

Sen. Roger A. Picard (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland) has introduced legislation (2015-S 0021) to exempt from state income taxes the wages of working Rhode Islanders 21 and younger and 62 and older. Meanwhile, Sen. Nicholas D. Kettle (R-Dist. 21, Coventry, Foster, Scituate, West Greenwich) has introduced legislation (2015-S 0111) to exempt military pensions from Rhode Island state income tax.

Rep. Amore bill would

legalize ‘social gaming’

Legislation to allow “social gaming” in Rhode Island, such as office football pools, has been introduced by Rep. Gregg Amore (D-Dist. 65, East Providence). The legislation (2015-H 5244) allows a group of friends or co-workers, a liquor license holder or a nonprofit organization to conduct a social game, defined as one where no person other than those participating in the game derives a profit. Liquor license holders could operate games by paying a $100 annual fee to the state, and nonprofits would be allowed to use up to 25 percent of a pool for charitable purposes.

Sen. Sheehan reintroduces

ethics amendment

Sen. James C. Sheehan (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown) has again introduced legislation to put a constitutional amendment question before Rhode Island voters to re-establish the authority of the Ethics Commission over core legislative acts, such as voting and proposing legislation, while preserving the tradition of unfettered free speech for members of the legislature. If approved, the constitutional question would be before voters on the 2016 election ballot.

Sen. Lynch bill calls

for beach smoking ban

Smoking would not be allowed on or within 20 feet of Rhode Island’s public beaches, under legislation (2015-S 0124) introduced by Sen. Erin P. Lynch (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston). The bill would make smoking or depositing smoking products on or near state beaches punishable by a fine of between $150 and $1,000, with the minimum fine escalating for subsequent offenses. The bill, said its sponsor, addresses concerns about dangers of smoking products to humans and to beach and ocean wildlife.

Sen. Metts proposes ‘micro-zones’ in distressed communities

Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence) has introduced legislation to allow communities to create “micro-zones” in exceptionally distressed areas and to encourage revitalization of those areas through a combination of expedited permitting and tax and fee waivers for refurbishing dilapidated, abandoned structures. The bill (2015-S 0106) would require local community ordinances to establish the zones. Building owners wanting to participate in the program would need certification from the Commerce Corporation.

Bill makes dyslexia assistance part of state’s literacy program for early grades

Rep. William W. O’Brien (D-Dist. 54, North Providence) has introduced legislation (2015-H 5136) to add dyslexia-targeted assistance as a required aspect of the state’s literacy program for students at the elementary grade level. The bill directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to offer districts training and professional development services to enhance skills of elementary teachers in the use of strategies to improve literacy skills of students with dyslexia.

Sen. Crowley calls for regulations,

standards for homeless shelters

Legislation (2015-S 0097) introduced by Sen. Elizabeth A. Crowley (D-Dist. 16, Central Falls, Pawtucket) would require regulations and standards to be established for the safe, effective and proper operation of homeless shelters for individuals and families. The standards would be proposed by a committee appointed by the Housing Resources Commission and cover areas such as admission and discharge policies and health and safety issues. The committee proposal would be subject to the state’s regulatory approval process. A companion bill (2015-H 5242) has been introduced in the House by Rep. John J. Lombardi (D-Dist. 8, Providence).

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