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Rhode Island Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 25,118 Active 5 In committee 20,549 Passed 5,917 Signed 4,510 Failed 6,972

died · Rhode Island · Senate May 20, 2026

SB 2530: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BIODIESEL PRODUCTS

SB 2530 requires all No. 2 distillate heating oil sold in the state for residential, commercial, or industrial use to contain increasing minimum percentages of bio-based products over time. It directly affects heating oil sellers and distributors, mandating specific compliance dates: starting at 2% in 2014, rising to 5% by 2021, and reaching 50% by 2035. The bill sets a phased schedule with annual or biennial increases, requiring adherence to B5, B10, B20, and B50 biodiesel blend standards by specified dates. This establishes concrete, time-bound requirements for heating oil composition without specifying enforcement mechanisms or exemptions.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

died · Rhode Island · Senate May 20, 2026

SB 2655: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION SITING AND REGULATORY ACT

Requires applications for energy facilities to take into consideration the 2021 Act on Climate and how the facility may advance or delay the greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

died · Rhode Island · Senate May 19, 2026

SB 3276: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT

This bill modifies the Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act by removing the cap that limits reductions to local per-pupil funding for charter schools at 14% starting in fiscal year 2026. It directly affects charter public schools, the William M. Davies Jr. Career and Technical High School, and the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center, as well as the school districts that host their students. Under the current law, districts can reduce funding by up to 14% to offset costs like non-public textbooks and retiree health benefits, but this measure would allow for reductions exceeding that percentage once the fiscal year 2026 limit expires. The legislation also outlines how enrollment changes and state share calculations are handled and specifies that districts failing to make required payments could face withholding of state aid.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

died · Rhode Island · Senate May 19, 2026

SB 3295: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY

Provides that motor vehicle rental companies be entitled to establish non-liability for toll violations, administrative fees, and fines by providing a rental or lease agreement as prima facie evidence that a lessee was the vehicle operator.

died · Rhode Island · House May 19, 2026

HB 8511: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT

Amends the school funding formula to ensure that local education authorities do not lose funding due to disruptions in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

died · Rhode Island · House May 19, 2026

HB 8530: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES--LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION

HB 8530 amends Rhode Island's sales and use tax laws to exempt parking fees for municipally operated beach lots in the town of Tiverton. The bill also updates the state's definition of taxable services to include various transportation options like taxis, charter buses, and ride-sharing apps, while clarifying tax responsibilities for hotels and third-party booking platforms. Additionally, it redefines "parking services" to explicitly exclude the Tiverton beach lots from the general category of taxable parking fees. These changes aim to clarify which businesses must collect and remit sales tax on specific services and to provide a tax break for a local municipal beach parking program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · Rhode Island · House May 19, 2026

HR 8533: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $320,000 FOR BETTER LIVES RHODE ISLAND

This bill proposes allocating $320,000 from the state budget to Better Lives Rhode Island for the 2026 fiscal year. The funds are intended to support a transitional housing program specifically designed for women who are leaving prison. If passed, the money would be used to provide housing assistance as part of the reentry process for this specific group of individuals.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Housing

died · Rhode Island · House May 19, 2026

HR 8534: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $850,000 FOR NEW BRIDGES FOR HAITIAN SUCCESS

Authorizes the appropriation of $850,000 for New Bridges for Haitian Success for the purpose of residential property acquisition for transitional housing to support immigrants with TPS and asylum status, for the fiscal year ending 6/30/2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing ✓ Immigration

died · Rhode Island · House May 19, 2026

HB 8522: AN ACT RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- RECIPROCAL ENFORCEMENT OF FISHING LAWS

Provides reciprocal enforcement of boating and fish and game laws with the state of Connecticut on any part of waters lying between Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Topics ✓ Environment

died · Rhode Island · House May 19, 2026

HB 8531: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE

HB 8531 amends Rhode Island's compulsory attendance laws to give school committees the authority to deny or defer approval of homeschooling plans under specific circumstances. The bill requires schools to implement due diligence interventions, such as consulting with parents and support teams, before referring truant students to family court. It also establishes a formal process for approving alternative learning plans and extended withdrawals, which allow students to take breaks or reduce their coursework while remaining enrolled, particularly considering pandemic-related disruptions. Additionally, the legislation prohibits schools from using truancy as the sole reason for out-of-school suspensions and mandates that private schools and at-home instruction meet specific attendance and curriculum standards.

Topics ✗ Education

died · Rhode Island · House May 19, 2026

HB 8512: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION

HB 8512 amends the state sales and use tax code to exempt food and beverage purchases made during designated summer and winter restaurant weeks. This change directly affects restaurant customers who would no longer pay sales tax on their meals during these specific promotional periods. The bill achieves this by adding a new provision to the existing list of tax exemptions, which currently includes items like school meals, newspapers, and charitable organization purchases. While the text of the bill contains extensive details on other existing exemptions, the primary new policy introduced is the temporary tax relief for dining during the specified restaurant weeks.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

died · Rhode Island · House May 19, 2026

HB 8386: AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT

This bill amends the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to require landlords to give tenants a receipt whenever rent is paid in cash. The rule applies directly to residential property owners and tenants who use cash for rent payments. Landlords must provide the receipt at the exact moment they receive the payment, ensuring there is immediate proof of the transaction. The law would become effective immediately after it is passed by the legislature.

Topics ✓ Housing