2018 Legislative Agenda
ECRI has considered these bills and has decided to support or oppose them at hearings. People interested in tracking legislation during the session are encouraged to sign up for an account in the General Assembly's Bill Tracker system.
FYI, all blue-headed columns are sortable, e.g., by bill number, topic, support/oppose, etc.
Legislative Topic | Title and Description | House Bill# | Senate Bill # | Link(s) to Bill text pdfs | ECRI's Position | 2018 Pro-Con-Neutral | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Budget |
Green Economy and Clean Water Bond. Passage of Article 5 of the proposed FY2018-19 budget will place several bond questions before the voters in the 2018 Fall Election relating to Capital Development. Approval of this proposed question on the upcoming Fall 2018 ballot will allow the State of Rhode Island to issue general obligation bonds, refunding bonds, and/or temporary notes in an amount not to exceed $48,500,000 for environmental and recreational purposes, to be allocated as follows:
|
7200 | H7200, H7200subA, H7200subAamended, Budget Article 5, Budget Art 5 SubA | Support | Support | Legislative Priority | |
Climate |
Global Warming Solutions Act. This act would establish the Rhode Island global warming solutions act to reduce carbon emissions across various sectors of the local economy. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7827 | 2747 | H7827, S2747 | Support | Legislative Priority | |
Conservation |
Energy Efficiency Cap Legislation. This act would cap the system benefit charge, relative to system reliability and energy efficiency, at the annual published Consumer Price Index or two and one-half percent (2.5%), whichever is greater. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7808 | 2499 | H7808, S2499 | Oppose | Oppose | Legislative Priority |
Energy |
Energize Rhode Island: Clean Energy Investment and Carbon Pricing Act. Establishes a fee on companies that sell fossil fuels in Rhode Island and also establishes a receipt account to disburse the funds from. |
7400 | 2188 | H7400, S2188 | Support | Legislative Priority | |
Waste |
Plastic Waste Reduction Act. This act would prohibit large retail sales establishments from providing plastic checkout bags and all retail establishments from providing expanded polystyrene disposable food containers enforced by municipal police departments or other municipal designees with an opt-out provision. |
7851 | 2354 | H7851, S2354 | Support | Support | Legislative Priority |
Legislative Topic | Title and Description | House Bill# | Senate Bill # | Link(s) to Bill text pdfs | ECRI's Position | 2018 Pro-Con-Neutral | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservation |
The Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling and Exploration Activities Control Act. This act would regulate activities related to any offshore oil and gas drilling, including exploration in federal waters of the Atlantic Ocean in an effort to minimize any adverse effects resulting therefrom within the territorial waters and coastline of the state. |
7250 | 2116 | S2116, H7250 | Support | Legislative Agenda | |
Conservation |
The Energy & Consumer Savings Act of 2005. This act would establish minimum energy and water efficiency standards for certain products sold or installed in the state. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7828 | 2362 | H7828, H7828subA, H7828subAaa, S2362 | Support | Legislative Agenda | |
Conservation |
Forest Siting Bill. This bill establishes the Rhode Island Forest Conservation Act which prohibits any state economic and other incentives to develop or convert forest land for renewable energy uses. |
8141 | H8141 | Oppose | Legislative Agenda | ||
Conservation |
Pollinator Working Group. This bill is a Resolution requesting that D.E.M. continue to collaborate with the Pollinator Working Group. |
8138 | Resolution H8138 | Support | Legislative Agenda | ||
Energy |
Solar Industry Economic Investment Act. This act would establish a revolving fund to provide low interest loans and grants to support the installation of solar energy panels. The act would also establish a tax credit for companies involved in solar energy production. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7219 | H7219 | Oppose | Legislative Agenda | ||
Energy |
Energy Efficiency Study Bill. This act would require the office of energy resources to conduct a study to verify the energy savings measures from the state energy efficiency programs. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7807 | 2500 | S2500, S2500subA, S2500subB, H7807, H7807subA | Neutral | Legislative Agenda | |
Energy |
Biomass fuels eligible for net metering. The bill would expand the definition of eligible net metering resources by including "eligible biomass fuels". |
8020 | 2652 | H8020, S2652 | Oppose | Oppose | Legislative Agenda |
Land |
Right of Footway. Clarifies that § 34-7-4 ("right of footway denied") applies only to private rights of footway. |
7978 | 2758 | H7978, H7978subA, S2758 | Support | Legislative Agenda | |
Land |
Increase Penalty for Protected Lands. This act would prohibit encroachment upon open space land and would allow the owner of open space land or the holder of a conservation easement to bring a civil action in superior court to remedy the encroachment of that land, and to recover damages resulting from this encroachment. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7383 | 2682 | H7383, H7383subA, S2682 | Support | Legislative Agenda | |
Land |
Disbands Smithfield Land Trust. This act would disband the Smithfield Land Trust and would transfer all function and real estate held by the Smithfield Land Trust to the town of Smithfield and Smithfield town council. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7425 | H7425 | Oppose | Oppose | Legislative Agenda | |
Outdoor Recreation |
Eliminate Liability Protection for Outdoor Recreation. This act would change the definition of "owner" to exclude the state and municipalities for the purposes of liability limitations relating to public use of private lands. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7524 | H7524 | Oppose | Legislative Agenda | ||
Planning and Development |
RI Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program. This act would create a municipal infrastructure grant program within the department of administration (DOA) to issue grants and provide assistance for municipal and other public infrastructure projects that support job creation and expansion, housing development and rehabilitation, community development, and for the accommodation of future growth and redevelopment. |
7102 | 2239 | S2239, S2239subA, H7102, H7102subA | Support | Support | Legislative Agenda |
Planning and Development |
Resolution Opposing President Trump's Offshore Drilling Proposal. The Resolution expresses opposition to President Trump's decision to allow offshore drilling in most of America's coastal waters. |
7179 | 2360 | Resolution S2360, Resolution H7179 | Support | Legislative Agenda | |
Planning and Development |
Renewable Energy Siting Bill. This act would require, by July 1, 2019, the establishment of renewable energy siting ordinances in all cities and towns which would meet the standards set by a working group within the office of energy resources. This act would take effect upon passage. |
7793 | H7793 | Neutral | Legislative Agenda | ||
Waste |
School Waste Recycling and Refuse Disposal. This act would require schools to comply with composting and recycling laws, would promote the donation of unspoiled nonperishable food by schools and would promote the selection of local food service companies for school food service contracts. |
7699 | H7699, H7699subA | Support | Legislative Agenda |