Rep. Arthur Handy

Authorizes the city of Cranston to issue not more than Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000) general obligation bonds and temporary notes for the acquisition, improvement, renovation and repair of fire and public safety equipment in the city.

Authorizes the city of Cranston to issue not more than $8,000,000 general obligation bonds and temporary notes for the design, construction, repair, rehabilitation and improvement of streets, sidewalks and bridges in the city.

Authorizes Cranston to issue no more $25,000,000 obligation bonds, notes, evidences of indebtedness to finance the purchase and/or acquisition of land/buildings, construction, renovation, improvement, alteration, repair, landscaping, furnishing, equipping

Authorizes Cranston to issue not more than $2,000,000 general obligation bonds and temporary notes for the acquisition, demolition, construction, improvement, renovation, repair, alteration, furnishing and equipping of public buildings in the city.

Authorizes the city of Cranston to issue not more than $4,000,000 general obligation bonds/temporary notes for the acquisition, construction, improvement, renovation, repair and alteration of playgrounds, athletic fields and related equipment in the city.

Authorizes Cranston to issue not more than $4,000,000 general obligation bonds and temporary notes for the repair, construction and rehabilitation of storm drains and drainage improvements, and remediation and mitigation of drainage and flooding problems.

Maddy summaryHB 8437 changes how veterans receive tax relief in the city of Cranston by converting a property tax exemption into a tax credit. Under this new provision, eligible veterans and their unmarried widows or widowers will receive a credit of up to $182.90 per year instead of having $3,000 removed from their property value. This adjustment is designed to be updated every three years based on property revaluations and changes in the consumer price index. The bill directly affects military service members who served honorably in various conflicts and the surviving spouses of those who have passed away.

Facilitates the study of thermal energy technology to determine if these goals can be met by the implementation of thermal energy networks in Rhode Island.

Maddy summaryHB 7183 requires owners of large Rhode Island buildings (25,000+ gross square feet) to annually track and report energy use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. Buildings over 50,000 sq ft must report starting May 15, 2028, while those between 25,000-49,999 sq ft begin reporting May 15, 2030. The Office of Energy Resources will collect this data, publish it publicly to increase market transparency, and host annual information sessions for building owners. Exemptions are available for unoccupied properties, ongoing demolition, or lack of energy service during the reporting year.

Requires a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company, as defined, to provide a consumer with certain information regarding the company’s policies and procedures regarding use of genetic data.