Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

State House view from the southThis week at the

 

General Assembly

 

 

 

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.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease

 

 

 

 

 

§  House passes Maldonado bill securing right to counsel in municipal court
The House of Representatives has passed legislation (2017-H 5187aa) introduced by Rep. Shelby Maldonado (D-Dist. 56, Central Falls) that would require cities and towns to comply with certain procedures when prosecuting defendants, such as the right to counsel, and would amend the penalties imposed for ordinance violations. The bill now moves to the Senate, where similar legislation (2017-S 0071) has been introduced by Sen. Stephen R. Archambault (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Providence, Johnston).
 Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

§  House OKs Serpa bill requiring reports of infants affected by substance abuse
The House of Representatives has passed legislation (2017-H 5819) introduced by Rep. Patricia Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick) that would require physicians, nurses and other health care professionals to report to DCYF when a newborn has been exposed to illegal substance abuse, experiences withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure, or has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where similar legislation (2017-S 0672) has been introduced by Sen. Adam J. Satchell (D-Dist. 9, West Warwick).
 Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

§  House approves Edwards bill allowing children below 18 into voting booth
The House of Representatives has passed legislation (2017-H 5448) introduced by Majority Whip John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Portsmouth, Tiverton) that would allow children below the age of 18 to accompany adults into the voting booth. The legislation would amend the existing law, which currently allows adults to be accompanied by children below the age of 13.
 Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

§  Williams bill that exempts natural hair braiders from license passes House

 

Rep. Anastasia P. Williams’ (D-Dist. 9, Providence) legislation (2017-H 5436) that would exempt natural hair braiders from the state’s requirement for hairdressers and cosmeticians to be licensed with the state passed the House of Representatives. 

 

Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

§  House OKs child-proof packaging for e-cig liquid, ban on use on school property

 

The House approved legislation (2017-H 5876A) filed by Rep. Teresa Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett) on behalf of Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin to require child-resistant packaging for e-liquid used in electronic nicotine-delivery systems such as e-cigarettes and to ban e-cigarette use on school grounds. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) is sponsoring similar legislation (2017-S 0402).
 Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

§  Rep. Amore bill on care for medically fragile students passes House

 

Rep. Gregg Amore’s (D-Dist. 65, East Providence) legislation (2017-H 5327aa) that would establish standards of practice for school nurses who provide one-on-one care for medically fragile students was passed by the House of Representatives. The bill now moves to the Senate, where similar legislation (2017-S 0152) has been introduced by Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick).

 

Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

§  House OKs Rep. Azzinaro bill to designate RI Nine Beirut Marines Day

 

Rep. Samuel A. Azzinaro’s (D-Dist. 37, Westerly) bill (2017-H 6061aa) that designates Oct. 23 as a day to commemorate the nine Rhode Island marines killed in the 1983 terrorist attack in Beirut, Lebanon was passed by the House of Representatives.

 

Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

§  House OKs Canario bill to make left lanes on highways passing only

 

The House passed Rep. Dennis M. Canario’s (D-Dist. 71, Portsmouth, Little Compton, Tiverton) legislation (2017-H 5398) that would fine drivers for using the far-left lane on three-lane highways when not passing another vehicle. The legislation would fine drivers $85 if they are caught driving in the far-left lane without passing cars in the other lanes. 

 

Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

§  Rep. Keable seeks improvements for power plant siting process
 Rep. Cale P. Keable (D-Dist. 47, Burrillville, Glocester) testified on bills he is sponsoring to expand the membership of the Energy Facility Siting Board (2017-H 6051) and bar the board from approving any application if any state or municipal agencies that have been asked to provide advisory opinions are unable to do so as a result of the applicant’s failure to provide necessary information (2017-H 5897). He was joined by numerous Burrillville citizens and other concerned community members who testified in support of the legislation, which he filed in response Burrillville’s experience with the proposed Invenergy power plant. Sen. Paul W. Fogarty (D-Dist. 23, Glocester, Burrillville, North Smithfield) is sponsoring the measures (2017-S 0769, 2017-S 0756) in the Senate.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Sens. Calkin, Metts, Quezada call for public info on Providence gas rupture
 Sen. Jeanine Calkin (D-Dist. 30, Warwick), Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence) and Sen. Ana B. Quezada (D-Dist. 2, Providence) are calling on the Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Management to release information to the public about the health and environmental impacts of the March 29 gas transmission rupture on Allens Avenue in Providence, which released 19 million cubic feet of natural gas, enough to heat 190,000 homes for a day.
 Click here to see news release.

 

           

 

           

 

 

 

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Former President Trump is back in a New York City court for his criminal hush money trial. Jurors again heard testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker who has explained this week how he protected Trump from negative stories leading up to the 2016 presidential election. Trump faces felony charges of falsifying business records to cover up payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged affair.       The clock is ticking for pro-Palestinian protesters on the campus of Columbia University. University administrators said they need to clear out the encampment in less than 24 hours or they will be forced to take action. Students want amnesty for any students who may have been arrested or suspended as a result of the protests.        Salvage and recovery crews are marking a new milestone at the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse site in Baltimore. Thursday morning, a new deep-water channel opened and the first ship was able to pass by the bridge wreckage en route from the Port of Baltimore to Canada. The Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel is one of several ships being allowed to leave the port since being stranded following the March 26th collapse.        A federal judge is denying former President Trump's bid for a new trial in E. Jean Carroll's defamation lawsuit. Judge Lewis Kaplan said that the over 83-million-dollars in damages were not excessive and that Trump's comments when denying Carroll's claims that he sexually assaulted her in a department store in the 1990s "endangered [her] health and safety." Judge Kaplan noted that his continued attacks against her and her credibility "derailed her career" as a columnist and author.       The national average price for a gallon of regular gas is down slightly today. Triple A reports it dropped a penny to three-dollars-and-65-cents. That's also two cents less than a week ago.        The NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs continue tonight with two games. The Florida Panthers will travel to Tampa to take on the Lightning for game three. Then, the Carolina Hurricanes will face off against the New York Islanders for game three of their series.        

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