This Week at the General Assembly

This week at the

General Assembly

STATE HOUSE — Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly this week. For more information on any of these items visit http://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease

§ Speaker Shekarchi announces 2024 housing legislation

Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) announced a 15-bill package of legislation regarding housing issues, his fourth comprehensive suite of housing bills since becoming Speaker in 2021. Much of the legislation stems from testimony and discussions of both the Special Legislative Commission on Affordable Housing and the Special Legislative Commission to Study the Entire Area of Land Use, which have been meeting regularly since July 2022 to address ways Rhode Island can meet its affordable housing needs in a manner that is sustainable and equitable.

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§ Senate leaders unveil Rhode Island HEALTH Initiative
Senate leaders unveiled a 25-bill legislative package aimed at improving health care access and affordability in Rhode Island. To address the challenges facing the state’s health care system, the Rhode Island HEALTH Initiative (Holistic Enhancement and Access Legislation for Total Health) focuses on four key pillars: consumer protection, provider availability and care quality, cost containment, and health system financial stability.
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§ Senate passes bill to protect patients’ pharmacy options
The Senate passed a bill (2024-S 2086) sponsored by Sen. Linda Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol) that prohibits insurers from requiring patients to get their prescriptions from insurer-affiliated pharmacies, which are often mail order-only. That practice, referred to as “white bagging,” can delay treatment, and causes problems for chemotherapy patients in particular. Rep. Justine A. Caldwell (D-Dist. 30, East Greenwich, West Greenwich) is sponsoring the bill (2024-H 7365) in the House.
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§ McNamara introduces package of bills that targets chronic school absenteeism
Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston) has submitted a package of bills that seeks to curb chronic school absenteeism. The first (2024-H 7289) would direct the Department of Education to establish a two-year pilot outreach and tracking program at two public high schools. The second (2024-H 7290) would direct each local education agency to adopt a program to monitor absenteeism data. The third (2024-H 7195) would authorize a pilot program to address issues of asthma and attendance among students. Sen. Sandra Cano (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket) has introduced companion bills (2024-S 2527, 2024-S 2533, 2024-S 2515) in the Senate.
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§ East Bay Senate delegation introduces Washington Bridge update legislation

Senate Majority Whip Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) and other East Bay lawmakers have introduced legislation (2024-S 2727) that would require regular monthly reports from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation on the status of the Washington Bridge. House Majority Whip Katherine S. Kazarian (D-Dist. 63, East Providence, Pawtucket) introduced similar legislation (2024-H 7759) in the House.

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§ Gu, Cortvriend introduce package of bills to strengthen shoreline access

Sen. Victoria Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown) and Rep. Terri Cortvriend (D-Dist. 72, Portsmouth, Middletown) are sponsoring legislation to increase disclosure of shoreline access rights and conditions during the purchase of oceanfront property (2024-S 2185, 2024-H 7376), allow towns to preserve recreation easements on abandoned roads (2024-S 2641, 2024-H 7645), and allow the Coastal Resources Management Council to designate historical footpaths as rights-of-way (2024-S 2634, 2024-H 7750).

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§ Sanchez bill would pay health care workers overtime on Sundays and holidays

Rhode Island hourly workers earn time-and-half when they work Sundays and holidays, unless they work in an exempt industry, such as health care. Rep. Enrique George Sanchez (D-Dist. 9, Providence) has introduced legislation (2024-H 7789) to remove that exemption for health care workers.

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§ Solomon, LaMountain look to protect likeness rights for intercollegiate athletes
Rep. Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) and Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston) have introduced legislation (2024-H 7644, 2024-S 2674) that would prevent colleges and universities from adopting rules that limit a student athlete’s right to compensation from their image or likeness.
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§ Alzate, Cano bills would require coverage for diagnosing and treating infertility

Rep. Karen Alzate (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket, Central Falls) and Sen. Sandra Cano (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket) have introduced two pieces of legislation that would mandate all insurance contracts, plans or policies to provide coverage for the expense of diagnosing and treating infertility. The first bill (2024-H 7878, 2024-S 2396) requires coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility for women between the ages of 25 and 42 years, and the second bill (2024-H 7877) strikes out the eligibility provision that designates only women between the ages of 25 and 42 years are eligible for the reimbursement. It also includes language that would prohibit precluding any individual or couple, including same-sex couples, who are otherwise qualified for reimbursement for a test or treatment of infertility.

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§ Forest Commission drafts report suggesting increased funds, coordination
A House commission led by Rep. Megan L. Cotter (D-Dist. 39, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton) that has studied forest management in Rhode Island is recommending, among other things, increased funding for forest management; mapping of public and private roads in forested areas; and increased collaboration between the state, local fire officials and landowners to better plan for fire response.

Students at a pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University face a deadline to move out. The president gave the students until 2pm New York time to disperse after negotiations broke down. This comes after a group of House Democrats called on Columbia University leaders to take action. The protest has sparked similar encampments on college campuses across the country. Tornadoes and severe storms that tore through four states over the weekend are being blamed for at least five deaths. That includes a four-month-old that was one of four people killed in Oklahoma. Another person lost their life in Iowa due to storm-related injuries. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging Hamas to accept Israel's latest proposal for a ceasefire deal that includes the release of hostages. While in Saudi Arabia today, Blinken called the deal "extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel" and called on the militant group to quickly accept it. This comes as Hamas negotiators are meeting Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo to discuss the proposal. Texas is suing to stop changes to Title-nine over new transgender issues. The federal regulation is supposed to protect against sex-based discrimination in schools. But it's being expanded by the Biden White House to include gender identity. The Texas attorney general says that destroys protections for women. Elon Musk is stuck with the terms of an agreement he reached with the SEC, requiring a lawyer to review his posts to social media about Tesla. He's been fighting the deal, saying it's unconstitutional. But the U-S Supreme Court, today, refused to take up the challenge. The so-called "Twitter sitter" provision came back in 2018, when Musk was trying to take Tesla private. Actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are becoming part owners of another soccer team. Variety reports the pair have bought a stake in the century-old Mexican team Club Necaxa. This comes after they purchased Welsh club Wrexham AFC in 2020.