Coffee autocrat wants to push them out to MAGAtize South County
By Will Collette
To further his dream, Levesque set up the “League of Rhode
Island Businesses (LORIB)” with a statewide political action committee and a local
version in all 39 Rhode Island cities and towns. Don’t bother looking for the “Charlestown
LORIB” or the “Westerly LORIB” because they only exist on paper filed with the
Board of Elections.
This panoply of PACs serve the useful purpose of allowing
Levesque to get around state law that limits PAC donations to $2000 per
candidate. His clever solution: set up each of his candidates with multiple
donations from his array of PACs.
Charlestown’s challenger to our state Rep. Tina Spears,
self-described “sex crimes defense attorney” Leah Boisclair, received her
initial cash from five different Levesque PACs.
According to declarations filed with the Board of Elections,
Levesque is challenging these incumbent Democrats:
- Rep. Tina Spears (Charlestown, So. Kingstown, Westerly and Block Island) faces a Sept. 9 primary challenge
- Rep. Megan Cotter (Hopkinton, Richmond, Exeter and West Warwick)
- Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee (South Kingstown et al.)
- Rep. Kathy Fogarty (South Kingstown et al.)
- Open seat left by Rep. Julie Casmiro
- Open seat left by Rep. Bob Craven Sr.
- State Sen. Alana DiMario faces a Sept. 9 primary challenge
- Sen. Victoria Gu (Charlestown, Westerly and South Kingstown)
- Plus conservative Democrat Rep. Sam Azzinaro (Westerly)
Levesque supported Laura Turini to
challenge Sen. Bridget ValVerde in the Sept. 9 Democratic Primary, but Turisi didn’t
file a declaration. He also failed to find candidates to challenge one of his
prime targets, Rep. Teresa Tanzi as well as Sen. Sue Sosnowski. Tanzi,
Sosnowski and ValVerde are now running unopposed.
If records make any difference, Levesque bevy of challengers
will have to confront the incredibly productive General Assembly session these Democrats
achieved as well as their earlier achievements.
Just before the Assembly closed this session, the following bills were passed. I am using the descriptions produced by the State House News Bureau.
Assembly OKs Sen. Lauria, Rep. Tanzi bill to disclose AI
use in healthcare visits
The General Assembly today voted to approve legislation from
Sen. Pamela J. Lauria and Rep. Teresa A. Tanzi to require healthcare providers
and facilities to notify patients if they use artificial intelligence tools to
document visits and to review this documentation for accuracy after the visit.
The bill (2026-H 7538A, 2026-S 2570A) was supported in committee by the Senior
Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island and the Rhode Island ACLU.
Assembly approves Sen. Gu, Rep. Cortvriend shoreline
access education bill
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly today approved
legislation from Sen. Victoria Gu and Rep. Terri Cortvriend to educate tenants
and short-term rental guests about public shoreline access rights.
“This bill expands upon the work we’ve done to codify
shoreline access and educate buyers of shoreline property about the public’s
right to access the shore,” said Senator Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown,
South Kingstown). “Many Rhode Islanders have called our attention to online
listings for beachfront rental properties that incorrectly advertise a “private
beach. This is an important consumer protection and education measure to ensure
that people renting ocean front real estate understand the public’s right to
access the shoreline.”
Senator Gu and Representative Cortvriend sponsored a new law in 2024 that requires similar disclosure to
buyers of shoreline property. This year’s bill (2026-S 2734B, 2026-H 8110A) would extend this disclosure to tenants of
shoreline properties, requiring landlords to provide renters with written
shoreline access disclosure before the start of tenancy.
Assembly OKs Sen. Gu, Rep. Read bill to add suicide and
substance abuse crisis hotline numbers to school IDs
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly today approved
legislation from Sen. Victoria Gu and Rep. Earl A. Read III to include the
phone numbers of suicide prevention and substance abuse crisis hotlines on
student ID cards.
The legislation (2026-S 2348A, 2026-H 7026A) would require that all middle and high
schools that issue ID cards to students, teachers or staff include on those
cards both the telephone number for a state or national suicide prevention
hotline and substance abuse crisis center. Both requirements may be met if the
phone number is for an organization that provides both suicide and substance
abuse assistance services.
Assembly OKs ‘Food as Medicine’ pilot program legislation
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly today passed legislation
from Sen. Victoria Gu and Rep. Justine Caldwell to create a Medicaid pilot
program that leverages medically tailored meals and other
nutritional supports to improve the health of those with chronic, diet-related
conditions. The legislation now goes to the governor for his
consideration.
“Food insecurity is strongly linked to many of the most
costly preventable chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular
disease, and obesity, which drive enormous health care spending,” said Senator
Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown). “Medicaid accounts for
about one-third of our state budget and is growing at an estimated 6% per
year. Our budget will have a growing deficit unless we look at evidence-based
programs like food as medicine”
The bill (2026-S 2892A, 2026-H 8171A) would establish a task force to design
and develop funding strategies for a food as medicine pilot program in
Rhode Island.
Lawmakers approve DiMario, Valverde bills for moratorium
on Quonset sewage pyrolysis project, sludge disposal study
STATE HOUSE – The General Assembly has put a hold on any
proposal for high-heat sewage solids processing at Quonset Business Park while
a commission studies potential answers to the question of how the state can
safely dispose of such byproducts.
Lawmakers gave final approval today to bills sponsored by
Sen. Bridget Valverde and Sen. Alana M. DiMario to enact the yearlong
moratorium and create a special legislative commission to study the issue.
Senator Valverde’s bill (2026-S 3224A), which is cosponsored by Senator DiMario and
Sen. Dawn Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown), places a moratorium on the
operation of any thermal waste conversion facility within the Quonset Business
Park until June 1, 2027. The bill is aimed at a proposal to construct a $150
million facility at the business park to convert sewage solids — the bioproduct
of sewage processing that is left after water is extracted, sometimes called
biosolids or sludge— into fertilizer using the high-heat process known as pyrolysis.
Assembly approves bill to set insurance reimbursement
floor for youth crisis response services
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly today voted to approve
legislation from Sen. Alana M. DiMario and Rep. Teresa A. Tanzi to strengthen
coverage and reimbursement for mobile youth crisis response teams.
The bill is part of the Senate’s 17-bill package of healthcare legislation. The legislation
(2026-S 3065A, 2026-H 7630A) sets a reimbursement floor by requiring
private insurers to reimburse youth MRSS services at no lower than the
prevailing Medicaid rate set by the Executive Office of Health and Human
Services.
It would also expand youth eligibility from 18 up to 21
years old.
General Assembly passes bill to create grant framework
for home hardening programs
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly today passed legislation
introduced by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski and House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian
Patrick Kennedy that would provide a framework through which the Department of
Business Regulation can seek grants to fund a home hardening program. The
measure now moves to the governor’s office.
The bill (2026-S 3150A, 2026-H 7865A) would establish a “Strengthen Rhody Homes”
program, which would be used to apply for and receive financial grants or gifts
to construct or retrofit insurable property to resist loss due to a hurricane
or other catastrophic events. The legislation was developed with the assistance
of the Department of Business Regulation and modeled on legislation that was
passed in Alabama.
Assembly approves President Lawson, Rep. Cotter bill to
establish limits on grocery self-checkouts
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly today approved
legislation from Senate President Valarie J. Lawson and Rep. Megan L. Cotter to
establish limits on the use of self-checkout lanes at grocery stores in Rhode
Island.
The legislation (2026-S 2342B, 2026-H 7290A) now goes to the governor for his
consideration.
The legislation would require grocery stores with
self-checkouts to have a minimum of one staffed checkout for every three
self-checkouts operating, with at least one of the self-checkout stations
meeting the accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Assembly OKs legislation that would require certificates
of authority for pharmacy benefit managers
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly today approved
legislation introduced by Sen. Peter A. Appollonio Jr. and Rep. Tina L.
Spears that would require a form of licensing for pharmacy benefit
managers. The bill is part of the Senate’s 17-bill package of healthcare
legislation centered on supporting Rhode Islanders in crisis, protecting
patients and providers, and strengthening the state’s health workforce. The
measure now moves to the governor’s office.
The Pharmacy Benefit Managers Act (2026-S 3060B, 2026-H 8579A) would require pharmacy benefit managers
to apply for a certificate of authority from the Department of Business
Regulation to operate such a business in this state. It would also empower the
health insurance commissioner to oversee all pharmacy benefit managers and
penalize violations.
Assembly passes bill that grants Eagle Scouts, Gold Award
recipients automatic admission to public colleges
STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly has passed legislation
introduced by Majority Whip David P. Tikoian and Rep. Tina L.
Spears that would grant Eagle Scouts and Girl Scout Gold Award recipients
automatic admission to the state’s public colleges and universities. The
measure now moves to the governor’s office.
The bill (2026-S 2432A, 2026-H 7416A) would apply to any Rhode
Island resident who has earned the rank of Eagle Scout from Scouting
America or the Gold Award from the Girl Scouts of the USA and meets all minimum
application submission requirements of the institution.
Assembly approves McEntee, DiPalma bill that revokes
pension benefits for individuals convicted of sex crimes
STATE HOUSE – The General Assembly today approved
legislation sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan
McEntee and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Louis P. DiPalma that would
revoke or reduce state pension benefits for state workers convicted of sex
crimes.
The legislation (2026-H 7656, 2026-S 3296) would authorize the State Retirement Board to
revoke or reduce an individual’s pension benefits if that individual is
convicted or pleads guilty or no contest to a felony sex crime related to their
public office or public employment.
These are just the end-of-session bills enacted through the
work of these remarkable women. Throughout the session, I’ve reported on their
earlier achievements in this session.
I draw your attention to the last legislation noted above, Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee's bill to ding the pensions of state workers convicted of sex crimes. I have
to wonder how many of these alleged offenders will be represented by LORIB Charlestown challenger Leah
Boisclair whose law practice is focused on defending people accused of sex
crimes?
In her own website, Boisclair lists this menu of crimes she is offering to defend:
