Budget & Taxes

HB 7005 authorizes the town of Barrington to create a tax credit reduction of $16,000 for legally blind residents through local ordinance. This policy directly affects legally blind individuals who reside in Barrington and own real property, providing them with a reduction in their property tax bill. The bill requires Barrington to establish this credit via town ordinance, specifying it applies to real property and is separate from other existing exemptions. It does not change the current exemption amounts for other towns but grants Barrington the specific authority to implement this tax credit.

HB 7408 authorizes Rhode Island to set aside up to $18 million in a debt service reserve fund to support financing for the sale of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital to CharterCARE Health of Rhode Island, Inc. The bill creates a financial backup fund to enhance the creditworthiness of bonds used to purchase the hospitals, ensuring the sale process can proceed without state debt obligations. This funding mechanism directly supports the transfer of ownership to CharterCARE while preserving hospital services and approximately 2,700 jobs. The state’s contribution is limited to the reserve fund, with no obligation to replenish it, and any remaining funds would revert to the state budget. The bill focuses on enabling the hospital sale through bond financing, not altering hospital operations or patient care.