Veterans

Authorizes the town of Middletown to adopt by ordinance, a veterans’ property tax exemption to any veteran, who was honorably discharged, or discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, regardless of dates or periods of service.

This bill is a House resolution from the State of Rhode Island that urges the U.S. Congress to authorize the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or similar recognition for U.S. service members who served in Honduras between 1981 and 1992. The resolution states that these service members faced hostile conditions, terrorist threats, and dangerous circumstances during their deployment, with at least one receiving the Purple Heart and others losing their lives. It requests that the Secretary of State send copies of this resolution to key federal officials, including Senate and House leaders and the Secretary of Defense. The measure does not directly change federal law but serves as a formal recommendation from the Rhode Island House of Representatives to the U.S. Congress.

HB 7007 allows eligible disabled voters and military/veteran voters (covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) to receive and return mail ballots electronically. The bill amends election laws to permit secure electronic transmission of ballots through systems meeting NIST cybersecurity standards, with independent security reviews required. It specifically extends the existing electronic ballot process - previously for military voters - to include disabled voters who meet accessibility criteria (e.g., blindness, mobility impairment). Voters submitting ballots electronically will not need to witness or notarize signatures, aligning with federal accessibility standards under the Rehabilitation Act. The bill expires December 31, 2025.