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State of Rhode Island, Office of Library & Information Services , An agency of the Department of Administration

Legislative Updates

2021

S 0143:

Provides increases in the minimum wage commencing July 1, 2021,to $13.00 per hour with a $1.00 increase to that amount on July 1, 2022,and on July 1, 2023.

Read the full text for S 0143 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Frank A. Ciccone, III
Actions:
  • 01-26-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Labor

  • 02-01-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/03/2021)

  • 02-03-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Companion Bill: H 5938
S 0205:

Amends the constitution to guarantee Rhode Island residents with equal opportunity to receive an education and provide judicial enforcement of this provision.

Read the full text for S 0205 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
Actions:
  • 02-10-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Education

  • 04-09-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/14/2021)

  • 04-14-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study.

  • 06-25-2021

    Scheduled for consideration

  • 06-25-2021

    Meeting postponed (06/30/2021)

  • 06-25-2021

    Scheduled for consideration (06/28/2021)

  • 06-28-2021

    Committee recommends passage

  • 06-28-2021

    Placed on Senate Calendar (06/30/2021)

  • 06-30-2021

    Senate read and passed

S 0289:

Amends various sections of RI General Laws Chapter 29 - Relating to Libraries - to delete outdated provisions and update language to reflect current practices, and would increase from two (2) years to five (5) years the award of the statewide reference resource center contract

Read the full text for S 0289 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Hanna M. Gallo
  • Senator Maryellen Goodwin
  • Senator Michael McCaffrey
Actions:
  • 02-18-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Education

  • 03-05-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/10/2021)

  • 03-10-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  • 05-14-2021

    Scheduled for consideration (05/19/2021)

  • 05-19-2021

    Committee recommends passage

  • 05-20-2021

    Placed on Senate Calendar (05/25/2021)

  • 05-25-2021

    Senate read and passed

  • 05-27-2021

    Referred to House Finance

  • 06-26-2021

    Scheduled for consideration (06/28/2021)

  • 06-28-2021

    Committee recommends passage in concurrence

  • 06-28-2021

    Placed on the House Consent Calendar (06/30/2021)

  • 06-30-2021

    House passed in concurrence

  • 07-07-2021

    Transmitted to Governor

  • 07-09-2021

    Signed by Governor

S 0342:

Requires Internet service providers to follow Internet service neutrality requirements.

Read the full text for S 0342 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Louis P. DiPalma
  • Senator Roger A. Picard
  • Senator Kendra Anderson
  • Senator James Seveney
  • Senator Frank Lombardo III
  • Senator Walter S. Felag, Jr.
  • Senator Bridget G. Valverde
  • Senator Dawn Euer
  • Senator John P. Burke
Actions:
  • 02-25-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Commerce

  • 04-23-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/29/2021)

  • 04-29-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  • 06-04-2021

    Scheduled for consideration (06/10/2021)

  • 06-09-2021

    Proposed Substitute

  • 06-10-2021

    Committee recommends passage of Sub A

  • 06-16-2021

    Placed on Senate Calendar (06/22/2021)

  • 06-22-2021

    Senate passed Sub A

  • 06-24-2021

    Referred to House Innovation, Internet, & Technology

S 0512:

Requires that all meetings closed to the public be recorded by audio tape or other audio recording device.

Read the full text for S 0512 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Thomas J. Paolino
  • Senator Jessica de la Cruz
  • Senator Louis P. DiPalma
  • Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis
  • Senator James Seveney
  • Senator Walter S. Felag, Jr.
  • Senator Steve Archambault
  • Senator Dennis Algiere
Actions:
  • 03-04-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

  • 04-09-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/15/2021)

  • 04-15-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study.

S 0543:

Amends multiple sections relating to "open meetings" including utilizing advances in technology for observing meetings, how quorums are calculated, procedures for closed meetings and notice requirements.

Read the full text for S 0543 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Michael McCaffrey
Actions:
  • 03-04-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

  • 04-09-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/15/2021)

  • 04-15-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study.

S 0783:

Senate Resolution commemorating April 4-10, 2021 as "National Library Week" in RI

Read the full text for S 0783 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Hanna M. Gallo
Actions:
  • 04-06-2021

    Recommended for Immediate Consideration

  • 04-06-2021

    Senate read and passed

S 0896:

Establishes a twelve member broadband council to create a plan to increase the use of broadband service in the state.

Read the full text for S 0896 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator James Seveney
  • Senator Dawn Euer
  • Senator Louis P. DiPalma
  • Senator V. Susan Sosnowski
Actions:
  • 05-14-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Commerce

  • 05-21-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/27/2021)

  • 05-27-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

2020

H 7085:

Prohibits the manufacturing, sale, or possession of any firearm that is undetectable by metal detectors including 3D printed firearms.

Read the full text for H 7085 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Patricia A. Serpa
  • Representative Mia A. Ackerman
  • Representative Justine A. Caldwell
  • Representative Daniel McKiernan
  • Representative June Speakman
Actions:
  • 01-10-2020

    Introduced, referred to House Judiciary

  • 01-26-2020

    Withdrawn at sponsor's request

Companion Bill: S 2004
H 7096:

Resolution requesting the governor to designate a state-wide broadband coordinator and establish a Rhode Island broadband advisory council.

Read the full text for H 7096 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Deborah Ruggerio
  • Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi
  • Representative Terri Cortvriend
  • Representative Michael W. Chippendale
  • Representative June Speakman
Actions:
  • 01-10-2020

    Introduced, referred to House Corporations

  • 02-17-2020

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration

  • 02-19-2020

    Committee postponed at request of sponsor (02/25/2020)

  • 03-06-2020

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/10/2020)

  • 03-10-2020

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

H 7465:

Amends sections of Title 29 to delete outdated provisions and update language to reflect current practice; would increase award of the statewide reference resource center contract from 2 to 5 years.

Read the full text for H 7465 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Robert Jacquard
  • Representative Terri Cortvriend
  • Representative William W.O'Brien
  • Representative Stephen Ucci
  • Representative Camille F.J Vella-Wilkinson
Actions:
  • 02-06-2020

    Introduced, referred to House Finance

Companion Bill: S 2740