2014 Legislative Agenda
ECRI has considered these bills and has decided to support or oppose them at hearings.
Legislative Topic | Title and Description | House Bill# | Senate Bill # | Link(s) to Bill text pdfs | ECRI's Position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Budget |
RGGI - Budget Article 7. Would increase the use of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) proceeds for administrative functions of Office of Energy Resources (OER) and DEM. |
7133 | Budget, Article 7, Budget, Art. 7 SubA | Support | |
Budget |
DEM Budget - FTE Cap. Article 1, Section 10: RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is capped at 399 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) positions. Which represents status quo from FY 2014. |
7133 | Budget Article 1 , Budget Art 1 SubA, Budget Art 1 SubAaa | Oppose | |
Budget |
Budget Article 5 - Nov 2014 Ballot Question 3. Article 5 would create ballot questions for the November 2014 state general election. Question 3 would authorize the issuance of bonds for Mass Transit Hub Infrastructure ($40 million). |
7133 | Budget, Article 5, Budget Art 5 SubA, Budget Art 5 SubAaa | Support | |
Budget |
Budget Article 5 - Nov 2014 Ballot Question 4. Article 5 would create ballot questions for the November 2014 state general election. Question 4 would authorize the issuance of bonds for Clean Water, Open Space, and Healthy Communities ($75 million), Brownfield Remediation and Economic Development ($5 million), Green Streets and Green Neighborhoods ($4 million), Flood Prevention ($3 million) and many more environmentally important projects. |
7133 | Budget Article 5, Budget Art 5 SubAaa | Support | |
Climate |
Climate Change Council- Senate Climate Bill. This is the Senate's bill to comprehensively address climate change. The strategy of this bill is essentially to codify the Executive Climate Change Council, which would be aided by the input of an advisory council whose members would be appointed by the Executive Council members themselves (2 for each). The mitigation targets in this bill are much weaker than the Resilient RI Act targets in the near term but do call for an 80% reduction by 2050. |
2952 | S2952, S2952 SubA | Support | |
Climate |
Resilient Rhode Island Act of 2014. The bill addresses climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience. It makes DEM the coordinating agency for climate change mitigation and the division of planning in the department of administration as the lead agency on climate change adaptation. For mitigation, the bill establishes targets for greenhouse gas emissions, ending in 85% reduction by 2050. A science advisory council is established within DEM to review and consider current climate change science and to review RI's mitigation and adaptation programs. |
7904 | H7904, H7904 SubA | Support | |
Composting |
Food Residuals Recycling Initiative. This act would create a food residuals recycling program to establish a safe and environmentally sound method to dispose of food residuals. |
7033 | 2315 | H7033, H7033 SubA, S2315, S2315 SubA, S2315SubA Amended | Support |
Composting |
Requiring Composting of Food Scraps by Certain Large Businesses. This act would require certain large commercial food scrap generators to divert food residuals to composting facilities. |
7482 | 2436 | H7482 | Support |
Energy |
Renewable Energy Tax Credit. This legislation would restore the Renewable Energy Tax Credit, which provides a tax credit for 25% of the cost of a residential renewable energy project up to $3500. |
7083 | 2213 | H7083, S2213 | Support |
Energy |
Distributed Generation .
House and Senate Bills are identical. |
7727 | 2690 | H7727, H7727 SubA, H7727 SubA amended, S2690, S2690 SubA, S2690 SubA amended | Support |
Energy |
An Act Relating to Public Utilities and Carriers -DG Standard Contracts. Extends current program at 20MW/year; no innovative features; no change in net metering |
7723 | 2435 | H7723, S2435 | Oppose |
Energy |
Farm Conservation and Renewable Energy Act of 2014. This legislation would establish siting guidelines to make it easier for farmers to install wind turbines on their land. The installed renewable energy facilities would also be exempt from property taxes. |
2438 | S2438, S2438 SubA | Support | |
Health |
State Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs - Minimum Funding Requirement. This act would provide that in the event of insufficient federal funds for the environmental lead program, the General Assembly shall appropriate no less than six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) per year for support and maintenance of the Department of Health's environmental lead program, and five hundred ninety thousand dollars ($590,000) per year for the state match for the lead hazard abatement program (Housing Resources Commission). |
7803 | 2674 | S2674, H7803 | Support |
Health |
Genetically Engineered Product Definitions. This act would update and refine the definition section in the statutes on food, drugs, and cosmetics, most notable a new definition for genetically engineered products. It would also set forth rules for labeling such products. |
7042 | H7042 | Support | |
Land |
Encroachment on Open Space. This act would allow the owner of open space land or holder of a conservation easement or the attorney general to bring an action in superior court to prevent further encroachment of the land and to recover damages resulting from this encroachment.
|
7684 | H7684 | Support | |
Pollution |
Non-toxic Ammunition. This bill would require DEM to phase out the use of lead ammunition by hunters by 2017, if it is practicable and if the agency has the resources to enforce it. DEM would provide coupons so hunters do not incur financial losses. It does not apply to law enforcement officers. Breaking the law is punishable by $500 fine for first offense, $1000 second offense, and $5000 third offense. |
7838 | 2628 | S2628, H7838 | Support |
Transportation |
Reducing State Gasoline Tax. This bill would reduce the state gasoline tax by five cents a gallon. |
2027 | S2027 | Oppose | |
Transportation |
RI Transportation Infrastructure Fund . Provides substantial funds for transportation, including for public transit (RIPTA) views transportation holistically to include both DOT and RIPTA. |
7432 | 2335 | S2335, H7432 | Support |
Transportation |
Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Incentive. This legislation provides a 30% tax credit for residential or commercial installations of alternative automotive fueling stations. It applies to electric charging stations, natural gas, ethanol (bio-fuel), hydrogen for fuel cells, and liquefied petroleum gas. |
7825 | 2202 | S2202, H7825 | Support |
Transportation |
Eliminating sales tax for electric vehicles. This legislation would give a tax credit to individuals who purchase plug-in electric vehicles equal to 100% of the sales tax up to $2000. |
7884 | 2197 | S2197, H7884 | Support |
Waste |
Plastic Waste Reduction. This act would establish a plan for the gradual ban on the use of disposable plastic checkout bags by retail establishments. |
7178 | 2314 | H7178, S2314 | Support |
Waste |
Overturn the Ban on Waste Incineration in RI. This bill will strike the following language from Sections 23-19-3 and 23-19-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-19 entitled "Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation" (7) The plan shall not include incineration of solid waste. and (16) That incineration of solid waste is the most costly method of waste disposal with known and unknown escalating costs that would place substantial and unreasonable burdens on both state and municipal budgets to the point of seriously jeopardizing the public's interest. |
7411 | 2437 | H7411, S2437 | Oppose |
Waste |
Waste Hauler Licensing. Would require waste haulers to be licensed by the Department of Business Regulation to ensure that they offer standard contracts that include collection of all source-separated materials required by law such as recyclables and organics. |
7720 | 2434 | Waste Hauler Licens | Support |
Water |
New Freshwater Position at DEM. This act would create a new position within the water resources division of DEM which would have oversight over all freshwater lakes, streams, and ponds within the state. |
2688 | S2688 | Support | |
Water |
Cesspool phaseout. This act would phase out the use of cesspools throughout the state, beginning with those close to tidal water areas and public drinking water supplies. It would require the identification and replacement of cesspools on all properties that are subject to sale and transfer.
|
7724 | 2684 | H7724, S2684, S2684 SubA | Support |
Water |
Repeal of Radio Frequency Water Meters in Johnston. This act would repeal the provision of the general laws that requires water suppliers that service the town of Johnston to formulate and carry out a program for installation of radio frequency reading systems. |
7627 | 2865 | H7627, S2865 | Oppose |