Woonsocket Radio News Room

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.rilin.state.ri.us/News/.

 

§  Assembly approves bill requiring notification of police in gun buyer’s hometown
The General Assembly approved the Julie Lynn Cardinal Act (2020-H 7103Baa, 2020-S 2154Aaa), sponsored by Rep. Daniel P. McKiernan (D-Dist. 7, Providence) and Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere (R-Dist. 38, Charlestown, South Kingstown, Westerly), to require gun sellers to forward firearm applications to the police department of the city or town where the buyer resides. The bill now goes to the governor.
Click here to see news release.

§  Assembly OKs Fair Chance Licensing legislation
The General Assembly approved the Fair Chance Licensing Act (2020-S 2824A, 2020-H 7947A) sponsored by Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence) and Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence) to prevent Rhode Islanders from being denied an occupational license because of an unrelated criminal conviction. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk.
Click here to see news release.

§  Voters will be asked to remove ‘Plantations’ from state name
Rhode Island voters will be asked in November whether to remove “and Providence Plantations” from the state’s official name. The joint resolution (2020-S 2902aa, 2020-H 8077) putting the question on the ballot was sponsored by Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence) and Rep. Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence), who said it’s neither necessary nor any longer acceptable for the state to cling to an outdated reference that conjures an image of a time and place when slavery was widely accepted.
Click here to see news release.

 

 

§  Rhode Island Parentage Act passes General Assembly
Legislators approved the Rhode Island Parentage Act (2020-H 7541Aaa, 2020-S 2136Baa), sponsored by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett) and Sen. Erin Lynch Prata (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston), which would repeal archaic and inequitable state law regarding parentage and replace it with a uniform act that provides procedures establishing parentage, genetic testing, surrogacy agreements and assisted reproduction. The bill heads to the governor.
Click here to see news release.

§  Emergency mail ballot legislation passes the General Assembly
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly OK’d legislation (2020-H 8102A, 2020-S 2598A) sponsored by Rep. Evan P. Shanley (D-Dist. 24, Warwick) and Sen. Erin Lynch Prata (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston) to allow emergency mail ballot applications to be processed at local boards of canvassers in person on electronic poll pads that will allow the voter to then cast their ballot themselves into a state-approved voting machine on site. That bill heads to the governor. The House also passed a separate measure (2020-H 7200A) sponsored by House Deputy Majority Whip Christopher R. Blazejewski (D-Dist. 2, Providence) to send mail ballot applications to every Rhode Island voter ahead of both the September primaries and the November election this year. That bill heads to the Senate.
Click here to see news release on emergency ballots.
Click her to see news release on mail ballot applications.

§  Lawmakers drop in-person signup requirement for online sports wagering
The General Assembly approved a measure sponsored by Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) and House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) to make it easier to participate in mobile sports gaming in Rhode Island. The bill (2020-S 2919, 2020-H 8097), which now heads to the governor’s desk, will allow people to register online to use Rhode Island’s mobile app for sports wagering, rather than having to sign up in person at Twin River in Lincoln or Tiverton. 
Click here to see news release.

§  Assembly adds antitrust review for proposed hospital conversions
Legislators approved legislation sponsored by Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) and Rep. David A. Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston) to strengthen the Hospital Conversions Act by requiring a review of each proposed hospital conversion to ensure that it complies with antitrust laws. The bill (2020-S 2572, 2020-H 7652), which is backed by Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, will go to the governor.
Click here to see news release.

§  Senate OKs bill on nursing home staffing, House to study issue
The Senate approved legislation Nursing Home Staffing and Quality Care Act (2020-S 2519) sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence) to protect the health care of Rhode Islanders by setting standards for nursing home care. Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence) is sponsoring companion legislation (2020-H 7624). Senator Goodwin’s bill now goes to the House, which approved a separate measure (2020-H 8106) sponsored by House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) creating a special legislative commission to study and provide recommendations on the status and requirements for Rhode Island’s nursing homes. 
Click here to see Senate news release.

Click here to see House news release.

§  Senate backs bill requiring full coverage of colorectal cancer screening
The Senate approved a bill (2020-S 2317A) sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence) to require health insurers to cover preventive colorectal cancer screening, without cost-sharing, for all colorectal cancer examinations and laboratory tests in accordance with American Cancer Society guidelines. The bill now goes to the House, where Rep. Mia A. Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln) is sponsoring companion legislation (2020-H 7396).

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Lawmakers celebrate Colombian Independence Day
Sen. Sandra Cano (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket) and Rep. Karen Alzate (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket) introduced resolutions (2020-S 2922, 2020-H 8109) to celebrate the 210th anniversary of Colombian Independence Day on July 20.  
Click here to see news release.

Two of the seated seven jurors in President Trump's hush money criminal trial are being removed from the panel. One was let go after being questioned about his arrest record and another was excused when she expressed concerns about her identity being made public by the media. The number of chosen jurors is now down to five, as Trump remains in the New York court, and off the campaign trail.       New York police are clearing out anti-Israel protesters at Columbia University. The students built tents on a campus lawn Wednesday and refused to leave. Police in riot gear are clearing out the camp and arresting students for trespassing. The action comes after the President of the university faced a grilling by lawmakers yesterday on Capitol Hill regarding antisemitism on campus.        It looks like Republican Mike Johnson will need Democrats in order to pass his foreign aid package. The House Speaker plans for separate votes on aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and a separate bill for the border. The conservative flank argues the border should be tied to Ukraine to force Democrats to vote for its passage, and warn they may oust him if he continues with his plan.        Officials are still investigating the cause of last year's Maui fires that killed 101 people. A State Attorney General report says a major windstorm toppled power lines in Lahaina [[ lah-HYE-nah ]], sparking the first fire on that fateful August day. That fire was extinguished, but was reignited by strong winds, and eventually there were four major wildfires breaking out. The official cause is being handled by the ATF.       Black inmates sentenced to death by lethal injection suffer botched procedures at higher rates than white prisoners. According to a new report from the anti-death penalty group Reprieve, Black prisoners had a 220-percent greater chance of suffering a botched execution than white prisoners.       The RBC Heritage is underway in South Carolina. Last year's winner was Matt Fitzpatrick and he's back in the field again this year. World number one and last week's Masters winner Scottie Scheffler is also playing again this week.       

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