5 new laws that will make it easier to build the homes Rhode Island needs

Three of the five laws were co-sponsored by Charlestown state Rep. Tina Spears

By Greg Miller and Monica Teixeira de Sousa, Rhode Island Current

Anyone who has tried to buy or rent a home lately in Rhode Island has seen firsthand the impacts of the state’s housing shortage, including bidding wars to access homeownership or significant yearly rent increases for tenants. The median sales price of a single-family home in Rhode Island rose to $520,000 as of June, 2025, according to the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, and rental costs in the Providence metro area climbed at one of the fastest rates in the nation, reflected in a median asking rent of $2,145.

A root problem is that Rhode Island is building fewer homes per capita than any other state in the nation. We need 24,000 homes just to meet today’s needs. With an average household size of 2.4, and a lower median household income than our neighboring states, new housing production must include smaller and more affordable options. 

A recent Stateline story in Rhode Island Current detailed the impacts of the lack of homes for sale that are affordable options for teachers, highlighting that the housing crisis does not discriminate. Workers across all sectors and all educational backgrounds are impacted. The lack of homes in Rhode Island prevents teachers, child care workers, and retail workers from living in the communities they serve. 

There is a profound irony in the fact that even builders of homes are priced out. Consider that someone earning the average income of a skilled trades worker with four-plus years of experience — $68,717 — is unable to afford most homes on the market in Rhode Island. A family of four now needs an annual income of $151,067 to purchase a home. This is dispiriting news for our state’s hardworking residents trying to secure a future for themselves and their families.  

The status quo has consequences; it pushes young people out of the communities they grew up in, as they move away in search of more affordable housing options. The lack of home choices stops older adults from downsizing into a more accessible home, putting them in a situation of maintaining a home that is too large, too expensive, or too difficult to move around in. 

General Assembly gives Charlestown authorization to create a Homestead Tax break

Goes to Governor for signature

By Will Collette

Thank you to our State Rep. Tina Spears (D) for getting H6247 passed in the House and Sen. Victoria Gu (D) for shepherding it through the Senate. And thank you, Council President Deb Carney for getting the ball rolling. All the bill needs now is the Governor’s signature and there’s no doubt he will sign it.

This bill gives the Charlestown Town Council the authority to craft an ordinance so those of us who make Charlestown our home can get a break on our property taxes in what’s called a “Homestead Exemption.” The legislation allows the town to exempt up to 10% of your assessed value.

For a house assessed at $500,000, that would knock the assessment down by $50,000. At the anticipated July 1 tax rate of $5.93, that would save around $300.

Many coastal communities offer permanent residents this tax break because we pay year-round for an infrastructure that can accommodate absentee landowners and other summer people.

Summer people also take their toll on our nerves through increased traffic, trash and noise. Other than their taxes, they contribute little to Charlestown’s economy other than the occasional meal at our few local restaurants and grocery shopping at Rippy’s and the Mini-Super.

Out of state landowners have been buying up Charlestown beach properties at unheard prices. Most recently, 18 Ninigret Avenue just sold for $5.5 million to a buyer who lives on Park Avenue in Manhattan. They paid more than $2.2 million above the home’s assessed value of $3,292,600.

So far this year, almost a dozen posh homes have sold to non-residents all at premium prices well over their assessed value. While none match the $2.2 million premium paid for 18 Ninigret Avenue, all but two of the other high-rollers paid more than $350,000 above assessed value. In second place after Ninigret Avenue are the Massachusetts buyers of 14 Highland Road who paid $718,900 above assessed value.

These folks seem to have money to burn.

Here’s the complete list of $1 million+ Charlestown sales in 2025 from our Tax Assessor’s office. Note that Starett Road is a duplicate entry:

Eight buyers live in Massachusetts and Connecticut (4 each). New York, New Jersey and Florida each had one.

During the years the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) ruled Charlestown, they stifled any notion of giving local homeowners any tax break that would come at the expense of non-resident landowners.

The issue crested in December 2011 and ended in what I dubbed “The Riot of the Rich.” Town Hall was packed with rich non-residents, CCA devotees, right-wing nuts like Jim Mageau and Harry Staley and a few sadly misinformed locals who denounced the Charlestown Democratic Committee proposal for a Homestead Tax Credit as the opening salvo in a class war.

It was unfair to the wealthy, they said, and claimed that raising their taxes would drive them to move out, make them boycott local businesses and not give to local charities. They said all this with a straight face.

Since absentee landowners provide a substantial portion of the CCA’s election fund, there was no way the CCA leadership would support the idea. They stomped the homestead credit to death for the duration of their reign.

Then the CCA was finally beaten by Charlestown Residents United (CRU) in 2022 and in 2024 when an all-CRU Town Council slate was elected. That made it safe to talk about issues banned by the CCA.

The Council is currently chaired by Deb Carney (D) who was one of the few brave voices to speak out for the homestead credit in 2011. It was after her Council resolution that state Representative Tina Spears (D) introduced a bill modelled on the recently passed South Kingstown legislation.

Here’s the official timeline for the bill’s quick passage:

House Bill No. 6247

BY Tina Spears

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES (Grants the town council of the town of Charlestown the authority to enact a homestead exemption ordinance.)

04/23/2025 Introduced, referred to House Municipal Government & Housing

04/25/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/01/2025)

05/01/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

06/06/2025 Scheduled for consideration (06/10/2025)

06/10/2025 Committee recommends passage

06/13/2025 Placed on House Calendar (06/16/2025)

06/16/2025 House read and passed

06/16/2025 Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar (06/18/2025)

06/18/2025 Senate passed in concurrence

06/18/2025 Transmitted to Governor

Once McKee signs, the action shifts back to the Town Council who must craft and present a new ordinance for public hearing. They will need to decide whether to do it (and I hope they will) and if so, at what percentage of assessed value. If they act quickly, we could have an ordinance in place when the legislation kicks in on December 31, plenty of time for applying the exemption to next year's tax bills.

The legislation details what properties are eligible.

Here’s the text of the bill:

AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES

Introduced By: Representative Tina L. Spears

Date Introduced: April 23, 2025

Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 44-5 of the General Laws entitled "Levy and Assessment of Local Taxes" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

44-5-89. Charlestown homestead exemption.

(a) The town council of the town of Charlestown is authorized to annually fix the amount, if any, of a homestead exemption, with respect to assessed value, from local taxation on taxable real property used for residential purposes or mixed purposes, defined as a combination of residential and commercial uses, in the town of Charlestown, and to grant homestead exemptions to the owner, or owners, of residential real estate, or combination residential and commercial real estate, in an amount not to exceed ten percent (10%) of the assessed value. The exemption shall apply to property used exclusively for residential purposes, and improved with a dwelling containing less than five (5) units, or real property used for a combination of residential and commercial uses. When real property is used for mixed purposes, the percentage of the assessed value shall be a prorated amount. The prorated amount shall be the percentage of square feet of the parcel used for residential purposes, multiplied by the percentage of the homestead exemption. In order to determine compliance with the homestead exemption as outlined in this section, the town council shall provide, by resolution or ordinance, rules and regulations governing eligibility for the exemption established by this section.

(b) In the event property granted an exemption under this section is sold or transferred during the year for which the exemption is claimed, the town council of the town of Charlestown, 19 1 upon approval of the town council, may provide for a proration of the homestead exemption in 2 3 4 cases where title to property passes from those not entitled to claim an exemption to those who are entitled to claim an exemption.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on December 31, 2025.

Democratic South County women win passage of lots of good legislation

General Assembly powerhouses

By Will Collette

Thank you Tina and Victoria

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.

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.

House passes Rep. Spears bill to clarify local zoning opinions

Legislation is part of Speaker Shekarchi’s 2025 12-bill housing package 

The House passed legislation introduced by Rep. Tina Spears to allow those purchasing property to rely on the zoning certificates or opinions they receive from local officials.

The legislation is part of House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) 12-bill package of legislation regarding housing issues, his fifth comprehensive suite of housing bills since becoming Speaker in 2021.

“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.”

The bill (2025-H 5795) would 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.

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

May 4 in Richmond: Stand up for democracy!

May 4, take a stand in Richmond

 

Rep. Tina Spears bill would help to quickly find missing disabled people

“PURPLE alert” legislation for missing individuals with disabilities 

Rep. Tina L. Spears has introduced legislation to establish a “PURPLE alert” system to help quickly find missing adults with serious disabilities that put their own health and safety at risk. Sen. Todd M. Patalano will shortly introduce companion legislation in the Senate.

“As recent events have shown, this is a missing piece in our statewide system of care for the health and safety of adults with disabilities,” said Representative Spears (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly), who serves as the executive director of the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island, which represents providers who support people with disabilities. 

“This legislation would bring together law enforcement, disability advocates, media outlets and state agencies in a collaborative effort to build a system that works similarly to the alert programs that we already have to get out the word to our communities when a person goes missing whose disability and the circumstances of their disappearance place them in danger.”

Last month, a nonverbal autistic woman went missing for several days in Cranston before being found alive in the back of a parked vehicle.  

Local state Reps support South County Hospital reform movement

They decry management's unwillingness to listen 

Save South County Hospital

Below is a letter received today from five local legislators who had the courage to stand up to the entrenched leadership of South County Hospital and its Board of Trustees. Despite these legislators’ good-faith efforts to mediate and drive much-needed change, they were met with resistance and outright dismissal by hospital leadership and trustees.

These lawmakers are now issuing a stark warning. We are deeply grateful for their unwavering support for Save South County Hospital, former Board of Trustees chairs leading change efforts, donors, patients, medical staff, hospital employees, physicians - and every South County resident who deserves better than the hospital leadership and trustees are willing to give.

These lawmakers’ voices, like all of ours collectively, will not be silenced in the face of obstinate and unaccountable leadership. A special thanks to State Rep. Carol McEntee for briefing her colleagues listed below on our current efforts to hold our South County Hospital Healthcare System Endowment Special Member meeting on April 3. It is open to Members and the public, who are encouraged to attend, at 6 p.m. in South Kingstown High School’s auditorium.

South County legislators host session with RI Energy on March 24

Charlestown's Senator Gu and Representative Spears among co-hosts

State lawmakers representing South and North Kingstown, Charlestown, Westerly, Block Island and Narragansett will hold a public forum with representatives from Rhode Island Energy regarding electrical and natural gas prices on Monday, March 24, at 6 p.m. at the South Kingstown High School Auditorium at 215 Columbia St. in Wakefield. 

They will discuss programs to assist ratepayers who are having trouble paying their bills and address questions and concerns from members of the public.

The hosts, all Democratic women representing South County communities are: 

Rep. Spears introduces bill to clarify local zoning opinions

Legislation is part of Speaker Shekarchi’s 2025 12-bill housing package 

Charlestown state Rep. Tina Spears has introduced legislation to allow those purchasing property to rely on the zoning certificates or opinions they receive from local officials.

The legislation is part of House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) 12-bill package of legislation regarding housing issues, his fifth comprehensive suite of housing bills since becoming Speaker in 2021.

“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.”

The bill (2025-H 5795) would 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.

The bill would take effect upon passage and has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Congratulations to Charlestown’s new Town Council

You can do great things, Part 1

By Will Collette

This is the first of a two-part series. Part 2 will run tomorrow night.

For the second straight election, Charlestown voters rejected the Charlestown Citizens Alliance (CCA) and voted continued confidence in the leadership from Charlestown Residents United (CRU). This time voters picked an all-CRU slate led by newly sworn in Council President Deb Carney and Vice-President Rippy Serra. For the first time since 2008, there is no one from the CCA on the Town Council.

They held their first business meeting tonight (Dec. 9) of the new term.

The CCA’s traditional power base on the Planning Commission is no longer filled with commissioners who snap “jawohl” to every command from CCA leader and Planning Commissar Ruth Platner. In addition to newly elected CRU-endorsed Glenn Babcock, CCA stalwart Lisa St. Goddard who was just re-elected but now just resigned and will be replaced by the CRU-controlled Town Council.

CRU-endorsed Patricia Stamps is already on the Planning Commission. With the addition of Glenn Babcock and whoever is picked to replace Lisa St. Goddard, the cracks in Platner’s platform of obstructionism are becoming evident.

So Charlestown has a substantially changed power structure led by an all CRU Council. Can we hope to see some action on issues that have long been dismissed by the CCA?

Charlestown’s Town Council has a broad array of powers it can use to make change. It can pass ordinances. It can repeal ordinances. It can issue resolutions. It can direct town staff to make administrative changes. It can make recommendations to our General Assembly representatives for legislation that would help the town.

I’m particularly interested in fair taxation and believe tax reform in town is long-overdue to address these issues:

Property tax relief for volunteer firefighters.

We should not only show them our gratitude but provide incentives for recruitment and retention. This would require General Assembly approval. South Kingstown provides us with a recent example of what to do in legislation that Rep. Teresa Tanzi got passed last year.

Homestead (or Resident) Tax Credit.

First proposed by Charlestown Democrats in 2011 and crushed by the CCA on behalf of its non-resident political donors, a Homestead tax credit would give full-time residents tax relief to make up for the costs we bear to accommodate part-time residents and visitors.

Every summer, our population grows from 8,000 to 30,000. We have to maintain a year-round infrastructure to pay for that – police, roads, trash collection at public locations, strain on water, etc. We endure heavy traffic, poor drivers, increased litter

Most of Rhode Island’s coastal towns (e.g. Newport, North Kingstown, Narragansett) have had such a tax credit program for years. South Kingstown has one that is focused on seniors and is currently working on an expanded Homestead credit. It’s time for Charlestown to step up for those of us who make Charlestown our home.

In 2011, the CCA argued a homestead tax credit would piss off non-resident property owners so much that they either leave or stop using local businesses and services. They might even boycott local charities – as if they were big local givers anyway.

None of these arguments hold water. They're buying up big ticket properties in Charlestown often for DOUBLE the assessed value. A tax hike of a few thousand dollars isn’t going to phase some New York hedge fund manager who just paid $3 million for a beachfront house assessed at $1 million. 

Further, they're not going to mow their own grass, fix their own plumbing and bring their groceries with them from Manhattan. Besides, if these new Charlestown home buyers decide to actually live here, they'd get the Homestead Credit, too.

No more tax breaks for fake fire districts.

The Quonnie Central Beach Fire District's 28 acre rec center, was
assessed at $98,000. This is the photo the Charlestown Tax Assessor
posted in 2014, not the one being used today. 

Charlestown has two wealthy homeowner associations that operate as “fire districts” even though they have no trucks, equipment, fire houses or firefighters. Quonnie resident and CCA President Leo Mainelli’s fire extinguishers don’t count.

Shady Harbor Fire District pays ZERO property tax to Charlestown despite owning six prime pieces of coastal real estate. Their 19.26 acres total includes a private beach where public access is strictly forbidden, a dock, boat launch, three vacant lots on Meyerand Drive and a pumping station for private water, all worth millions. The Fire District pays nothing.

Central Quonnie FD is not tax-exempt, but its property tax assessments are insanely low. Central Quonnie owns 10 prime coastal properties totaling 38 acres with tennis courts, a sports field, private beach docks, boat launches and a beach club as well as a private water system plus five vacant lots on Surfside Ave. 

Doing a spot comparison between similar properties, it appears that non-Quonnie property is assessed at dollar values eight times higher than Central Quonnie property.

These two fake fire districts, better understood as homeowner associations, own almost 60 prime shore acres and pay almost nothing in property tax. Given the locations, these properties could be assessed at as much as $100 million or close to $600,000 in tax underpayments. 

That means all of us Charlestown taxpayers are subsidizing these posh gated neighborhoods. That’s just wrong.

I recommend a Council resolution or directive to our Tax Assessor to tax these properties as if they were owned by any other homeowners’ association.

Tina and Victoria regularly team up to help pass bills

I also suggest the Charlestown Town Council asks our state legislators, especially Rep. Tina Spears and Senator Victoria Gu – both of whom have shown outstanding work in their first terms – to craft legislation to require that any organization bearing the title and holding the privileges of fire district must use most of its resources to actually fight fires.

Ending the fake fire districts’ tax breaks would offset the cost of a firefighter tax credit and a homestead tax credit.

These proposed tax initiatives would be a big step toward much fairer taxation in Charlestown without increasing Charlestown’s overall tax burden.

Tomorrow night, I will run “You can do great things, Part 2” with more ideas how our new town government can improve the lives of Charlestown residents.

Charlestown state Rep. Tina Spears helps with orientation of newly elected House members

 

Repairs to Damaged Section of Charlestown Breachway Seawall Complete

Thanks to Rep. Tina Spears, we got a fix instead of a patch

By Bonnie Phillips / ecoRI News staff

The repaired section of the Charlestown Breachway. (Bonnie Phillips/ecoRI News)

When a 150-foot section of the Charlestown Breachway gave way last winter after being battered by storms in late 2023 and early 2024, the results were immediate: sand from the beach washed into the channel, making it shallower and dangerous for boaters to navigate, and affecting the health of Ninigret Pond.

The breachway channel connects the Atlantic Ocean and Ninigret Pond, a vital ecosystem that acts as a nursery for a variety of fish and shellfish and is home to commercial aquaculture farms. It’s surrounded by the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, the Ninigret Conservation Area, homes, and marinas. A variety of groups, including recreational boaters, recreational anglers, shellfishers, and birders use the pond and fish from the breachway’s jetties, considered one of the best saltwater fishing areas in the state.

The town had been worried about the state of the breachway since Superstorm Sandy came through in 2012. Recognizing what could happen if the most recent damage wasn’t repaired, the town began working with the Coastal Resources Management Council to discuss ways to fix the seawall.

Rhode Island coalition honors legislators for their work on behalf of children and families

Local legislators Rep. Tina Spears, Teresa Tanzi and Sen. Alana DiMario praised for their work

The Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families honored Sens. Joshua Miller and Alana M. DiMario and Reps. Teresa A. Tanzi and Tina L. Spears for their legislative achievements at its Policy and Awards Luncheon Monday.

First held in 2018, the annual luncheon celebrates the work done to promote the success of children and families in Rhode Island. 

The event was co-chaired by Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton) and Rep. Julie A. Casimiro (D-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter). House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) also attended the event.

First held in 2018, the annual luncheon celebrates the work done to promote the success of children and families in Rhode Island. The event was co-chaired by Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton) and Rep. Julie A. Casimiro (D-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter). House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) also attended the event.

October 22: "town hall" meeting on repairs to the Charlestown Breachway, fittingly at the Breachway Grill

 

Join Rep. Tina Spears, Sen. Victoria Gu and Town Council President Deb Carney for a Town Hall on the status of the Charlestown Breachway on Tuesday, October 22nd at 5662 Post Rd, Charlestown. They will also take questions about other local issues. You can RSVP at victoria4ri.com/town-hall. - From the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee

Legislative Study Commission Hopes to Prepare R.I. for Climate Impacts

Charlestown state Rep. Tina Spears on the Commission

By Rob Smith / ecoRI News staff

Tina (left) and Charlestown state Senator Victoria Gu have
been working hard on this issue

Rhode Island’s students aren’t the only ones expected to learn this fall; a select number of lawmakers, environmental officials, and stakeholders have been summoned to assess any future impacts from supercharged storms aimed at the state.

Its official name is a mouthful — the Special Legislative Study Commission on Climate Change Impacts and Solutions — with an equally long agenda and a member roster to match. 

Over the next seven months the new commission will meet once a month to hear testimony and discuss future impacts of climate change, from storms and sea level rise impact on biodiversity and habitats, to the loss of property tax revenue from waterfront property, to increasing insurance costs related to extreme weather.

Rhode Island has been no stranger to strong, intense storms, but it’s not the infamous Hurricane of 1938 that lawmakers have been inspired by. A trio of stronger-than-usual nor’easters whacked the state last winter, causing an epidemic of coastal flooding and beach erosion in all of the state’s coastal communities.

Tina and Victoria got the job done

Coastal resiliency legislation from Rep. Spears, Sen. Gu signed into law 

Gov. Dan McKee has signed legislation sponsored by Rep. Tina Spears and Sen. Victoria Gu to mandate the creation and maintenance of a statewide coastal resiliency plan, the Act on Coasts. 

The plan will assess community vulnerabilities, recommend mitigation strategies along ocean and riverine coasts, and recommend financing strategies to implement these resiliency strategies.

“Rising sea levels aren’t just coming – they are already here,” said Representative Spears (D-Dist. 36 Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly). “The question is what we plan to do in response. This bill will ensure that the state climate resiliency plan accounts for mitigation and resiliency efforts along all our coasts and waterways.”

The 2021 Act on Climate already mandates a statewide climate change resiliency plan. This legislation (2024-H 7022Aaa, 2024-S 2298Aaa) adds a dedicated coastal resiliency plan to that mandate and ensures that it be reviewed and updated at least every two years, as coastal conditions in Rhode Island change and mitigation strategies evolve.

“In the past year we’ve seen repeated and severe flooding and erosion along our coasts and rivers statewide. We have to do more to adapt so that we don’t lose the places we love in South County,” said Senator Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown). “While work is already underway across the state to mitigate these adverse effects, we need to integrate all the federal, municipal, and state efforts into a comprehensive and actionable plan.”

Spears' bill signed by Governor

New law will study creation of state Geographic Information System

Gov. Dan McKee has signed legislation from Rep. Tina Spears and Sen. Tiara Mack to commission a report from the Department of Administration to study the creation of a statewide Geographic Information System.

The legislation (2024-H 7985A, 2024-S 2995A) is part of House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s 15-bill package of legislation to address Rhode Island’s housing crisis.

“More complete information about the geography of Rhode Island means more informed and better decisions, whether for conservation or development,” said Representative Spears (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly). 

“This report will be the first step toward a uniform and detailed statewide GIS that will give us all a much better understanding of Rhode Island’s natural resources, open spaces and buildable land. This will help municipalities, developers, conservation groups, policy-makers and the public to make more informed decisions about their communities and the state as a whole.”

Incumbents are unopposed in nearly half of General Assembly races

Charlestown rep. Tina Spears (D) unopposed

By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

Left, Rep. Tina Spears (D) and right, Sen. Victoria Gu (D)

EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm compiling analysis of the contenders for Charlestown's municipal offices. Some interesting developments and surprises. Stay tuned/ - Will Collette

Former Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt will not attempt a comeback run for the Rhode Island Legislature this year, despite commissioning a voter survey and telling local news outlets she was considering challenging Rep. Jon Brien, an independent, for the seat she once held.

In an emailed statement Wednesday afternoon, mere hours before the 4 p.m. filing deadline for state and local candidates to submit their declaration paperwork, Baldelli-Hunt cited her commitment to her health as reason for her decision not to run. Prior to winning the mayoral race in 2013, Baldelli-Hunt was a state legislator for seven years. 

“It was recently confirmed and I am now scheduled for a procedure on my heart later this summer with the hope of a successful outcome and a full recovery,” Baldelli-Hunt wrote.

Health concerns were also the reason she gave when she resigned from the mayoral post last fall, on the heels of a WPRI-12 investigation exposing her role in a controversial city land deal.  

However, controversy has not deterred former Rep. Justin Price, an Exeter Republican, from trying to regain his seat. Price, who served four terms beginning in 2014, narrowly lost the 2022 general election to Democratic challenger Megan Cotter. During his 2022 campaign, Price faced scrutiny for attending the Jan. 6 march on the U.S. Capitol, though he said he did not enter the building.

The rematch between Cotter, who is seeking reelection, and Price is one of a handful of high-profile races expected this fall.

Senate Democrat Victoria Gu will also face her 2022 Republican competitor, Westin Place, for the seat representing parts of Charlestown and Westerly. Gu bested Place in the 2022 general election by a decisive 19 percentage points. Prior to Gu’s win, however, the seat was held by Republican Dennis Algiere for 20 years.

This Year’s Environmental Hits and Misses in Legislature

PFAS ban, climate council funding bills pass; CRMC reform, bottle bill, environmental justice bills fail

Local legislators Victoria Gu, Tina Spears, Megan Cotter do well

By Rob Smith / ecoRI News staff

Victoria and Tina (Credit: The Public's Radio/Cheryl Hatch)

It’s over. While Rhode Islanders slept June 13, the General Assembly was working overtime to pass its last slate of legislation before adjourning for the year.

Lawmakers and their respective committees had been meeting daily starting last week, while the chambers wrangled over what non-budgetary bills to pass in the closing days of the session.

Environmental groups aren’t walking away from the Legislature’s session with everything on their wish list, but they aren’t walking away with nothing either. The Environmental Council of Rhode Island, a coalition of some 40 environmentally minded organizations and nonprofits, got around half of the three big named priorities passed before the end of the session.

Some high-profile misses: environmental advocates failed to secure support for reforming the Coastal Resources Management Council; a bottle deposit bill; or more stringent environmental justice requirements for the permitting industry. But environmental agencies are walking away with funding and staff increases, and the state passed a ban on forever chemicals intentionally introduced into consumer products.

A total of 34 environmental bills were considered or passed over the last week and a half of the session. Here’s the highlights of which measures made it:

Consumer PFAS Ban Act (H7356/S2152): Two years after introducing limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, lawmakers returned this year to pass a thinner version of regulations barring the chemicals from consumer products. 

The ban, expected to go into enforcement in 2027, applies to most consumer products into which PFAS is intentionally introduced for its water-resistance, grease-resistance, or other notable properties. It includes certain articles of clothing, cookware, and other items. It does not include certain industrial applications, such as some consumer electronics and photography equipment.