State Legislative Updates

Some of the 2023 Bills We Supported

H5637: The Bright Today Scholarship And Open Enrollment Education Act
This act would provide parents of kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) students in Rhode Island with an opportunity to enroll their child in an educational program of their choosing, either via open enrollment in a traditional public school in their own district or any other public school district, or by receiving a scholarship, with designated public monies to follow the student to a participating private school or private curriculum program selected by the parent. The program combines aspects of what are sometimes referred to as "school choice" and "school voucher" programs. The program would begin August 1, 2023. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/HouseText23/H5637.pdf

H5642: Sales And Use Taxes -- Liability And Computation
This act would reduce the sales tax rate to five percent (5%). http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/HouseText23/H5642.pdf

H5774: Failing School Choice Act
This act would establish the Failing School Choice Act, to permit students at failing schools to enroll in any public school. This act would also establish the Rhode Island education revitalization fund to provide funding to the school choice program. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/HouseText23/H5774.pdf

H5817: Joint Resolution Making An Appropriation Of Approximately $30,000,000 To Rhode Island's Public Schools For Safety And Security Improvements (this Resolution Would Authorize The Appropriation Of The Sum Of $100,000 To Each Public School In Rhode Island For School Safety And Security Improvements.)
http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/HouseText23/H5817.pdf

H5956: Mail Ballots
This act would modify the timeline that an elector must submit an application to receive a mail-in ballot from twenty-one (21) days prior to the day of election to fourteen (14) days prior to the day of election. This act would also modify the application for any qualified elector to vote by emergency mail ballot from twenty (20) days prior to the day of election to thirteen (13) days prior to the day of election. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/HouseText23/H5956.pdf

H6080: Covid-19 Vaccination Mandate Prohibited
This act would prohibit a private employer from mandating a COVID-19 vaccination upon any full-time, part-time, or contract employee without providing individual exemptions that allow an employee to opt out of such mandate on the basis of medical reasons, religious reasons, COVID- 19 immunity, periodic testing, or the use of employer-provided person protective equipment. An employer who violates this requirement, following an investigation by the attorney general’s office, may be subject to fines of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation of employers employing fewer than one hundred (100) employees, and fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per violation of employers employing one hundred (100) or more employees. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/HouseText23/H6080.pdf

H5941: An Act Relating to Towns and Cities- Low and Moderate Income Housing

This Act would provide another method for municipalities to identify and calculate private residences as low and moderate income housing. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/HouseText23/H5941.pdf

Companion Senate Bill 0588- http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0588.pdf

H5940: An Act relating to Towns and Cities- Low and Moderate Income Housing

This act would allow municipalities without public transportation extending to urban service boundaries to reduce the low- or moderate-income housing requirements from ten percent (10%) to six percent (6%).) http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/HouseText23/H5940.pdf

Companion Senate Bill 0593- http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0593.pdf

S127: An Act Relating to Military Affairs and Defense- Emergency Management

This Act would limit the governor to one thirty (30) day renewal of a declaration of emergency without a joint resolution of the general assembly. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0127.pdf

S179: An Act Relating to Education- Rights of Parents and Guardians in Public Educational Instruction Act

Would enable parents to review public school learning materials/object if the parent decides that the material is harmful. Also a parent may withdraw their student from the activity or class where the material is used and request an alternative assignment. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0179.pdf

S265: An Act Relating to Taxation- Surplus Funds Tax Credit Act

Mandates that any surplus state tax revenue received in any fiscal year would be refunded to the taxpayers of this state on a proportional basis in relation to the personal income tax liability incurred by the taxpayers in that fiscal year. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0265.pdf

S480: An Act Relating to Education- Council on Postsecondary Education

Prohibits discrimination in postsecondary education of students, faculty, and staff based upon medical or religious vaccine exemptions. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0480.pdf

S499: An Act Relating to State Affairs and Government- 2021 Act on Climate

Incorporates ethical energy standards to the 2021 Act on Climate.http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0499.pdf

S569: An Act Relating to Health and Safety- COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate Prohibited

Prohibits a private employer from mandating a COVID-19 vaccination upon any full-time, part-time, or contract employee without providing individual exemptions that allow an employee to opt out of such mandate.http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText23/SenateText23/S0569.pdf