General Assembly powerhouses
By Will Collette
In case you haven’t noticed it, most of South County’s
General Assembly members are Democratic women. Among the few exceptions are
Charlestown-connected Rep. Bob Craven of No. Kingstown, one of the body’s most
powerful members, and two Westerly DINOcrats, Sen. Sam Azzinaro and Rep. Brian
Patrick Kennedy. 
Thank you Tina and Victoria
Then there’s MAGA outlier Sen. Elaine Morgan (R) whose
contribution this session has consisted of embarrassing MAGA stunts including one where she impersonated a DOGE agent to try to get into a homelessness
program in Providence.
The dominance of South County’s Democratic women shows in
their remarkable output of significant legislation and, this year in particular,
their ability to get these bills passed.
Now that this year’s General Assembly has closed, my inbox
is filled with notices of bills passed. Sponsors of these bills include
Charlestown’s Senator Victoria Gu and Tina Spears, South Kingstown’s Rep. Carol
Hagan McEntee, Sen. Sue Sosnowski, Reps. Teresa Tanzi and Kathy Fogarty, and
Sen. Alana DiMario.
Today’s roundup only includes bills passed at the end of the
session, not the bills passed earlier. I’ve usually posted notices about those
bills as they happened.
Rep. Megan Cotter (Richmond, Hopkinton, Exeter) scored her
impressive achievements on bills to protect lives, land and homes in the past
few weeks.
The greatest achievements are in the areas of affordable
housing, land use and health care.
I congratulate them all. Trying to get anything done in the
General Assembly is hard and often disappointing work but they can all take
pride in their ability to get things done to benefit South County and the rest
of Rhode Island.
Below, I’ve pasted in the reports on the bills that passed at the session’s close.
Assembly passes Chairwoman
Gu’s legislation to allow for co-housing options
Legislation is part of
Speaker Shekarchi’s 2025 housing package
STATE HOUSE – The General
Assembly today passed legislation sponsored by Senate Artificial Intelligence
and Emerging Technologies Chairwoman Victoria Gu that would enable
municipalities to allow for the use of co-housing arrangements as
energy-efficient, low-cost housing options. The bills now head to the
governor for consideration.
The developments would be
similar to dorms, in which there are common spaces, amenities and facilities,
but residents would have separate private bedrooms.
The legislation is part of
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) package of
legislation regarding housing issues, his fifth comprehensive suite of housing
bills since becoming Speaker in 2021.
"This bill will expand
Rhode Island’s housing options, particularly for young adults and seniors.
Residents in cohousing and cooperative communities across the United
States frequently cite increased social interaction
and a sense of belonging as major benefits. The architectural design encourages
socialization, which helps reduce social isolation,” said Chairwoman Gu
(D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown).
The legislation (2025-S 1085) would add a definition for “co-living
housing” to the zoning ordinance provisions of the General Laws and would
include such housing as a special provision to be included in a zoning
ordinance.
This housing model has been
adopted by other states as a cost-effective option to address the housing
crisis.
Assembly passes bill to
clarify local zoning opinions
Legislation is part of
Speaker Shekarchi’s 2025 housing package
The General Assembly today
passed legislation introduced by Rep. Tina L. Spears and Sen. Victoria Gu to
allow those purchasing property to rely on the zoning certificates or opinions
they receive from local officials. The bill now goes to the governor.
The legislation is part of
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) package of
legislation regarding housing issues.
“The specific zoning status
of a parcel can be complex and difficult to understand for property owners and
prospective buyers,” said Representative Spears (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New
Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly). “That’s why it’s so important that the
zoning opinions issued locally are reliable enough for owners and buyers to
make informed decisions about their development plans for their properties.
This bill ensures that they will be, removing an unneeded area of ambiguity in
our state zoning law.”
Said Senator Gu (D-Dist. 38,
Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown), “To address our housing crisis, Rhode
Island needs to remove roadblocks to development. The uncertainty surrounding
local zoning certificates is one of them. This bill removes ambiguity and
clarifies that zoning certificates can be appealed to the zoning board5795.”
The bill (2025-H 5795A, 2025-S 1084A) will allow purchasers to reasonably rely on
zoning opinions issued by local officials. Presently, when a current or
prospective property owner obtains a zoning certificate, the certificate is for
instructive purposes only and not binding; this amendment would remove the
non-binding nature of zoning certificates to allow property owners to rely on
the municipal determination of the legality of the present use.
Assembly OKs creation of
Housing Champion program for municipalities
STATE HOUSE — The General
Assembly today approved a bill sponsored by Sen. Victoria Gu and Rep. June S.
Speakman to create a Housing Champion program to reward municipalities that are
actively working to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis. The bill now heads
to the governor’s desk.
“For the longest time our
state housing policy has been missing an incentive for cities and towns to
proactively adopt policies to encourage the production of housing,” said
Senator Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown). “This bill
would provide that incentive through a program that is modeled after successful
ones in Massachusetts and other states. Addressing our housing crisis is a team
effort, and this program would encourage a collaborative and productive
approach to addressing Rhode Island’s housing needs.”
Said Representative Speakman
(D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol), who leads the House Commission on Housing
Affordability, “In our commission, we often hear from municipal leaders that
Rhode Island needs incentives that encourage affordable housing — carrots rather
than sticks. The Housing Champion designation would foster cooperation between
municipal and state agencies, rewarding the communities that work on zoning
reform and encourage development of the ‘missing middle’ of housing — starter
homes, development that is a bit more dense, multifamily homes and other homes
that Rhode Islanders can afford. The program would be voluntary, but it would
motivate communities to say yes more often to the development of the homes we
need.”
The legislation (2025-H 5229Aaa, 2025-S 0495A) establishes a voluntary designation of Rhode
Island Housing Champion granted by the Department of Housing to municipalities
that choose to apply. Cities and towns granted this designation would receive
preferential access to state resources, including discretionary state funds.
Criteria for acquiring this
designation would be determined by the Department of Housing, which would
develop a scoring system that includes factors such as land use regulations and
ordinances designed to promote housing, the training of planning and zoning
board members, planned or completed sewer and water infrastructure improvements
and planned or completed sidewalks, bike lanes or other infrastructure intended
to support walkable or bikeable neighborhoods and public transportation.
The legislation is supported
by Rhode Island Secretary of Housing Deborah J. Goddard, who testified that “by
encouraging collaboration and recognizing achievement, [this bill] provides an
important tool in addressing Rhode Island’s housing needs.”
Assembly OKs bill to
ensure housing development within urban bounds isn’t limited to single-family
STATE HOUSE – The General
Assembly today approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight and Sen.
Alana M. DiMario to ensure that some multi-family housing development is
allowed in areas within Rhode Island’s Urban Services Boundary that have available
public water and sewer capacity. The legislation now goes to the governor.
The legislation (2025-H 5796aa, 2025-S 1092), which is part of Speaker K. Joseph
Shekarchi’s 2025 legislative package to address housing, requires that local
zoning ordinances provide options that aren’t limited to detached single-family
housing in those areas.
“Rhode Island desperately
needs more housing units to be developed, and in particular, we need housing
that ordinary people can afford. That means we need all kinds of housing, not
just single-family homes on large lots,” said Representative Knight (D-Dist.
67, Barrington, Warren). “Areas that are within the Urban Services
Boundary and have available water and sewer lines shouldn’t be limited to
single family housing development. Allowing other options will put roofs over
the heads of more Rhode Islanders more quickly and more affordably, and can
contribute to vibrant, walkable neighborhoods while also preventing urban
sprawl.”
Said
Senator DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham),
“This bill encourages smart development that allows more homes that meet the needs of Rhode Islanders
across ages and incomes to be built affordably and efficiently in places
that are already developed neighborhoods. This can help encourage development
of more sustainable communities and livelier main streets — the kinds of
neighborhoods where people want to live.”
The Urban Services Boundary is identified by the
Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program, and it includes the more densely
populated areas, almost all of which are in the eastern half of the state,
stretching from Woonsocket through the area surrounding Providence and down the
coast to parts of Narragansett, as well as parts of the East Bay and Aquidneck
Island. A few densely developed pockets in other areas are also included.
The requirement in the bill
would apply only to the areas of cities and towns that are within the Urban
Services Boundary, and only in those areas that have public water and sewer
service with available capacity. It would not prohibit single-family housing
development there; it would require only that municipal zoning codes allow
other options there as well.
Legislators vote to
require insurers to cover youth crisis response services
STATE HOUSE — The General
Assembly today voted to approve legislation sponsored by Sen. Alana M. DiMario
and Rep. Teresa A. Tanzi to provide stable funding for mobile youth crisis
response teams by requiring private insurance to cover their services. The bill
now goes to the governor.
“It’s time to treat mobile
crisis response as essential components of our state’s health care system,”
said Senator DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham),
who works as a licensed mental health counselor in private practice. “Our state
pilot program has been enormously successful in providing better outcomes for
children while saving money and resources by diverting patients from emergency
rooms. We want to make sure that anyone who is calling to help a child in
crisis is able to access this care, no matter what type of insurance they
have.”
The legislation (2025-S 0263A, 2024-H 6118A) requires private insurers to cover the
costs of mobile crisis response and stabilization services (MRSS) for youth.
These services provide trained behavioral health clinicians in response to
behavioral health crisis calls, who are better able than local emergency
medical services to deescalate crises and provide the crisis counseling and
follow-up needed to keep youth out of emergency rooms. This provides better
patient outcomes for youth in crisis and reduces the strain on overburdened
emergency departments.
“Our experience with MRSS has
demonstrated that it is a much more effective approach to helping kids their
families in a mental health crisis. Why send kids to a setting like an
emergency room when there’s another route available that is more appropriate
and supportive, more successful and more cost-effective?” said Representative
Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett). “All children in crisis
should have access to this resource, and with this legislation, they will.”
The Rhode Island Executive
Office of Health and Human Services began a MRSS pilot program in November
2022, during which 92% of youth were stabilized and diverted from local
emergency departments. Medicaid now covers youth MRSS in Rhode Island, but Blue
Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island is currently the only private insurer
that voluntarily covers these services. The legislation aims to incorporate
youth MRSS into the standard continuum of care by funding these services
directly through all private insurers in the state.
“MRSS is considered the ‘gold
standard’ in crisis care for children and youth,” said Susan Orban, director of
the Washington County Coalition for Children. “[This] bill assures more
families with commercial insurance will be able to access these quality crisis
services for their children.”
Assembly approves McEntee,
Raptakis bill to increase insurance coverage for hearing aids
STATE HOUSE – The General
Assembly today passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and
Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis that would increase insurance coverage for hearing
aids.
“Daily costs are still rising
across the board, and that includes the price of hearing aids. People
need their hearing aids, it is not a choice, and this bill will help cover the
costs of these essential devices. This bill will be helpful for our
state’s aging population, especially since hearing loss has been linked to
dementia, depression and social isolation. It will also be beneficial for
parents with children who have hearing loss, with children possibly losing
their expensive hearing aids more than adults,” said Representative McEntee
(D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett).
“Too many Rhode Islanders are
struggling these days and the people of Rhode Island need some assistance and
support. Hearing aids are critical to individuals who need them and rely
upon them to go about their day. This legislation will keep more money in
individuals’ pockets by increasing the amount insurance companies will pay to
buy hearing aids,” said Senator Raptakis (D-Dist. 33, Coventry, West
Greenwich).
The legislation (2025-H 5218, 2025-S 0120) would increase insurance coverage for hearing
aids from $1,500 to $1,750, per ear, for all people regardless of age.
The legislation allows hearing aid purchases every year instead of every three
years, and applies to everyone, including children. It now heads to the
governor for consideration.
General Assembly OKs
Sosnowski bill to include casinos in workplace smoking ban
STATE HOUSE — The General
Assembly today approved legislation introduced by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski that
would include casinos in the state’s law prohibiting smoking in workplaces. The
measure now moves to the governor’s office.
The bill (2025-S 0188Aaa) would repeal the exemption granted to
pari-mutuel facilities and casinos from the smoke-free workplace requirement
contained in the Public Health and Workplace Safety Act, commencing July 1, but
granting an exemption to a “pari mutual facility smoking lounge,” which is
defined as an enclosed area, including, but not limited to, a cigar bar, within
any pari mutual facility with a proper ventilation system that will prevent the
migration of smoke to nonsmoking areas.
“Everyone deserves to breathe
clean air in the workplace,” said Senator Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South
Kingstown), who sponsored the original Rhode Island Workers’ Safety Act, which
banned smoking in places of employment in 2004. “Yes, we want a casino that’s
making money because we depend on that revenue; but we want our workers to be
strong, healthy and vibrant as they’re making money for our state. I appreciate
all the workers who have been there for years waiting for a smoke-free
atmosphere.”
Casinos are currently
exempted from the 2004 Public Health and Workplace Safety Act, which workers
and advocates say has a detrimental impact on casino workers. When Rhode
Island’s two casinos reopened in June 2020 following the COVID 19 shutdown,
they prohibited indoor smoking as a safety measure. In March of 2022, they
reinstated smoking in designated gaming floors.
