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Writer's pictureSamantha Weiser

This Week in the General Assembly: June 28th-July 2nd

Updated: Jul 1, 2021


As we approach the end of session, fewer bills of interest are up for hearing, but many are scheduled for consideration. Scheduled for consideration means these bills get a vote in committee, but you cannot testify on them. However, you can always call or email your senators and reps directly!


Some highlights: we have a bunch of gun bills up this week, including the straw purchase ban and a limit on who can carry weapons on school grounds. However, the two biggest gun bills (H5554 and S414), those limiting high capacity magazines, have still not been scheduled! If you want these bills to move forward this year, call Speaker Shekarchi at 401-222-2466 and Senate President Ruggerio at 401-222-6655 and tell them you support these reforms.


There’s also some complicated stuff going on with telemedicine in the House Health and Human Services committee: they introduced a sub B version of the senate bill, S4, to match the House sub A, 6032, neutering the bill by allowing insurers to decide what care is “clinically appropriate,” excluding most specialty care, among other issues. Not good!

 

MONDAY, JUNE 28th

House Committee on Education

UP FOR HEARING:

Requests for verbal testimony must be submitted by 4:00pm on June 27th. Written testimony may be submitted by email to HouseEducation@rilegislature.gov by 2:00 on the 28th.

  • H6469/S796: Amends definition of dating violence to include abusive, coercive behaviors used to exert control and power and provides that abuse may be physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, financial, or psychological and includes threats, isolation, and intimidation - support

House Committee on Finance

UP FOR CONSIDERTATION

  • S688: Increases temporary caregiver benefits to six (6) weeks in a benefit year starting January 1, 2022 and would increase temporary caregiver benefits to eight (8) weeks in a benefit year beginning January 1, 2023 - support

House Committee on Judiciary

UP FOR CONSIDERTATION

  • H5386: Prohibits obtaining/purchasing/transferring a firearm on behalf of another person if other person prohibited from possessing firearm with increase in penalties for those offenses and applications amended to state number of firearms purchased (aka the straw purchase bill)– support

  • H5555: limits who can carry firearms on school grounds – support

  • H5553 Sub A: changes the bill making it a felony to store firearms unlocked to a gun safe tax credit (thread on this from Mom’s Demand activist Jennifer Boylan here) – oppose

  • S964: creates a statewide body camera program for police – support

House Committee on Labor

UP FOR CONSIDERTATION

  • H5855/S550: Prohibits an employer from reporting an employee's immigration status for whistle blowing - support

House Committee on State Government

UP FOR CONSIDERTATION

  • H5289/S60: Permits campaign funds to be used to pay all childcare expenses that are incurred as a direct result of campaign activity - support

Senate Committee on Health and Human Services

UP FOR CONSIDERTATION

  • S378 Sub A: Rhode Island Child Care is Essential Act – expands eligibility for childcare among low-income people and increases rates of reimbursement – support

  • S5544: includes in the definition of unprofessional conduct performing a pelvic examination without consent of an anesthetized or unconscious female patient – support

Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government

UP FOR HEARING:

Requests for verbal testimony must be submitted by 4:00pm on June 27th. Written testimony may be submitted by email to slegislation@rilegislature.gov by 2:00 on the 28th.

  • H6331: creates a new charter for the Hope Valley and Wyoming Fire district which allows people who own property but are not residents to vote in local elections – oppose

Senate Committee on Judiciary

UP FOR CONSIDERTATION

  • S416: Prohibits obtaining/purchasing/transferring a firearm on behalf of another person if other person prohibited from possessing firearm with increase in penalties for those offenses and applications amended to state number of firearms purchased (aka the straw purchase bill)– support

  • S73: limits who can carry firearms on school grounds – support





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