This bill appropriates $1,167,100 to the Rhode Island Auditory Oral Program for fiscal year 2026-2027. The program, based in the Foster School Department, provides specialized auditory-oral instruction using hearing technology to support children with hearing loss, helping them achieve academic success and social inclusion. The funds will directly support this educational service for affected children and their families.
This resolution appropriates $2,000,000 from the state treasury for the Elisha Project, a Pawtucket-based nonprofit serving food-insecure families across Rhode Island, particularly in the Blackstone Valley. The funding supports the organization's existing operations, including providing meals and necessities to vulnerable communities, with specific programs for children, veterans, and families. The Elisha Project has previously served over 20 million meals, and this resolution authorizes the state controller to disburse the funds upon verified requests. It directly affects the Elisha Project's ability to expand services as food insecurity needs grow, without creating new policy or altering existing programs.
SB 2037 authorizes the town of Barrington to provide a property tax credit of up to $16,000 for legally blind residents through a local ordinance. It directly affects legally blind individuals who are legal residents of Barrington and own property there. The bill specifies that this credit applies to real property and requires residents to provide certified proof of blindness and residency to claim the exemption. This change would allow Barrington to offer a specific tax reduction for eligible residents, consistent with similar provisions for other towns in the state.
Includes municipal detention facility corporations as exempt from taxation, and requires that an amount equal to 27% of all tax that would have been collected if the property was taxable be paid to the municipality annually.
HB 7151 allows the town of Jamestown to create a new property tax exemption program for seniors aged 65+ who own and occupy their primary residence. The bill establishes income-based exemption tiers (ranging from 10% to 60% of property value) based on household income relative to federal poverty guidelines, with strict residency requirements (5 years in Jamestown). It explicitly excludes income-producing properties (like home offices or rental units) and requires applicants to provide income documentation. This bill directly affects eligible Jamestown seniors meeting the income, residency, and property-use criteria.
Gradually phases in modifications to federal adjusted gross income over a five (5) year period for social security income, from twenty percent (20%) up to one hundred percent (100%), beginning on or after January 1, 2027.
HB 7313 creates a new 3% tax rate on Rhode Island taxable income exceeding $640,000 (adjusted for inflation in 2026 dollars) for tax years beginning in 2027 and later. This applies specifically to high-income earners, including individuals, estates, and trusts with annual income above this threshold. The bill amends existing tax code to add this rate to the current progressive brackets, which already include rates up to 9.9% for income over $349,700. It does not affect past tax years and will be adjusted for inflation annually as required by law.
HB 7127 is a state budget bill allocating hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for Rhode Island's fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. It directs specific funding amounts to state agencies and programs, including Central Management, Health Benefits Exchange, Debt Service Payments, and infrastructure projects like building renovations and facility upgrades. The bill establishes concrete funding levels for departments such as Health and Human Services, Education, and Information Technology, with detailed allocations for both general revenue and restricted funds. This legislation directly affects state agencies and programs that will receive these designated funds to operate during the 2027 fiscal year.
SB 2246 establishes a Rhode Island tax credit to help unpaid family caregivers offset out-of-pocket costs for caring for eligible relatives. It provides a 50% credit (up to $1,000 annually) for qualifying expenses like home modifications, medical equipment, hired aides, respite care, or adult day care, directly benefiting caregivers with household incomes under $50,000 ($100,000 for couples). To qualify, the caregiver must provide unpaid support for a relative aged 65+ or with Social Security Disability, who needs assistance with at least two daily living tasks (e.g., bathing, feeding) and resides with them in Rhode Island for six+ months. The credit applies to taxable years starting after December 31, 2026, and excludes costs covered by insurance or general home maintenance.
SB 2231 exempts the trade-in value of pickup trucks weighing 14,000 pounds or less from sales and use taxes. This means when a customer trades in a qualifying pickup truck toward a new vehicle purchase, the trade-in value is excluded from the taxable amount for the new vehicle. The bill directly affects car dealers and consumers involved in such trade-in transactions, reducing the tax burden on the new vehicle purchase. The exemption applies specifically to the trade-in value portion of the transaction, not the full purchase price.
