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.
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
House Committee on State Government
UP FOR CONSIDERTATION
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