Woonsocket Radio News Room

 


WEEKLY MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

 

Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz : It's time to vote on pay raises
When Governor Dan McKee requested pay raises for his cabinet directors for the second time in barely a 6-month span, Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz and Senate Minority Whip Gordon Rogers were quick to respond by calling for an up or down vote by the General Assembly.  Read the full press release here.

WEEKLY  LEGISLATIVE  HIGHLIGHTS

Morgan bill would limit who can mail voters’ mail ballots.
Senator Elaine Morgan (R-Dist. 34, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond, West Greenwich) introduced the legislation (S-0395), ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS – MAIL BALLOTS. The bill Requires that only the mail ballot voter or their spouse/court appointed guardian/cohabitant/or adult person related to the voter by blood or marriage, be allowed to physically mail the voted mail ballot. The bill was referred to Senate Judiciary.  On March 7, the committee recommended the measure be held for further study.

Paolino bill would increase aggregate limit for tax credits.
Senator Thomas Paolino (R-Dist. 17, Lincoln, North Providence, North Smithfield) introduced the legislation (S-0267), ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- TAX CREDITS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATIONS.  The legislation would increase the aggregate amount of tax credits for contributions to scholarship organizations to $5,000,000 for 2024.  The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

SESSION  HIGHLIGHTS

The Senate Minority Caucus was excited to welcome Leader Emeritus Dennis L. Algiere back to the Senate chamber on Thursday, March 16, as the General Assembly honored Irish and Italian cultures with their traditional celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day.  The Senate session included an Irish heritage address delivered by former Senate Majority Leader Michael J. McCaffrey and an Italian heritage address delivered by former Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere. 

Read the Senate Resolution honoring Senator Dennis L. Algiere for his service to the people of the state of Rhode Island here. 

SENATE MINORITY NEWS

The Senate Minority Office extends proud congratulations to Senate Minority Whip Gordon Rogers on his appointment to the Rhode Island Emergency Management Advisory Council. Read full release here.
 

COMMUNITY  ENGAGEMENTS

Senator Anthony DeLuca welcomed students from Tollgate High School in Warwick to visit the Senate Minority Office during their tour of the State House March 16th.  

President Trump is preparing to head to Europe later today as he marks one-year since taking office for the second time. He's set to attend this week's World Economic Forum in Davos. Trump will be arriving against the backdrop of increasing tensions over the control of Greenland. The president has threatened tariffs on European allies that oppose his plans and the EU is considering retaliatory tariffs.        The National Championship is heading to Bloomington, Indiana - home of the Hoosiers - for the first time ever. IU took down the Hurricanes 27-21 in Monday's College Football Playoff title game from Miami. The top-ranked Hoosiers finished a perfect, 16-and-0 on the season.        The Department of Justice is appealing a judge's order dealing with how federal agents can and can not act when it comes to anti-ICE protesters in Minnesota. The ruling issued late last week following the death of Renee Good bars federal agents from retaliating against peaceful protesters or using "pepper-spray or similar nonlethal munitions." It also bars agents from stopping vehicles that are following them as long as they're maintaining a safe distance.        An Indiana judge and his wife are recovering after being shot in their home on Sunday afternoon. It reportedly happened when Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer [[ My-er ]] and his wife, Kimberly, went to answer the door after someone knocked and said they had the couple's dog. The shooter is still on the loose and the FBI has now joined the investigation. No word on a motive.        The massive nurses strike in New York City has now reached Day Nine. Some 15-thousand nurses remain off the job and on the picket lines as they continue to call for better pay, better benefits and safer working conditions. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders are joining the striking nurses to show their support.        A boiler explosion at the studio of video game developer Rockstar North seems unlikely to cause any additional delays for Grand Theft Auto 6. The explosion was reported Monday at the studio in Edinburgh [[ ED-in-burra ]], Scotland. There were no injuries. The game, after several delays, is now slated for release this November.       

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