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This version of the bill lists in the 2019-2020 Green Report Card links to the bill texts as well as the legislative records of RI's representatives and senators going back to 2013.
| Topic | Bill Title, Numbers, Description | House Sponsors | Senate Sponsors |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2019 Planning and Development |
Support - RI Energy Resources Act: Solar Siting - (H5789), (S0661), (S0661subA) - (ECRI PRIORITY) This bill includes a suite of strategies to incentivize proper siting and minimize the size of commercial solar in environmentally sensitive areas. It also requires the establishment of comprehensive solar energy siting ordinances in each Rhode Island town and city and requires the state to develop a renewable energy siting plan. | Bennett, Handy, Edwards, Diaz, Slater | Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Conley, Lombardo, Coyne |
|
2019 Climate |
Support - Economic & Climate Resilience Act Of 2019 - (H5869), (S0662) - This act would establish a fee on companies that sell fossil fuels in Rhode Island and establish an economic and climate resilience fund to disburse the collected revenues. It requires that both Massachusetts and one additional Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative state pass a carbon fee of at least five dollars ($5) per metric ton of carbon to take effect. | Bennett, Handy, Kislak, Donovan, Carson | Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Conley, Euer, Goldin |
|
2019 Climate |
Support - RI Global Warming Solutions Act - (H5444), (S0658) - This bill would require our State to take action on climate change. It would require reducing carbon emissions economy-wide by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, with interim targets for 2020 and 2035. | Blazejewski, Carson, Solomon Jr., Ucci, Handy | Euer, McCaffrey, Sosnowski, Goodwin, Conley |
|
2019 Conservation |
Support - Energy & Consumer Savings Act: Efficiency Standards - (H5667), (S0552) - This bill would establish new energy and water efficiency standards for appliances and other products sold in Rhode Island. | Bennett, Edwards, Jacquard, Diaz | Satchell, Sosnowski, Seveney, Coyne, Valverde |
|
2019 Waste |
Oppose - Plastics Pyrolosis Solid Waste Amendments - (H5448), (H5448subA), (S0408) - (ECRI OPPOSES) This bill would exempt plastics from being considered solid waste, creating a loophole in existing state law to circumvent the prohibition of incineration of solid waste. | Ucci, Costantino, Quattrocchi, Fellela | Lombardo, Lombardi (F), Gallo |
|
2019 Pollution |
Support - Plastic Bag Bill - (S0410), (S0410subA amended), (H5671), (H5671subA) - Creates the "Plastic Waste Reduction Act" designed to reduce the use of plastic bags by retail establishments by offering recyclable bag options and providing penalties for violations. | McEntee, Fellela, Ucci, Costantino, Handy | Ruggerio, Sosnowski, Euer, Coyne, Valverde |
|
2019 Government |
Support - Energy Facilities Siting Amendments (Burrillville) - (H5446) - Makes changes to the membership of the energy facilities siting board by increasing the size of the board from three (3) to seven (7) members for certain applications, and also imposes additional requirements on applicants for energy facilities. | Place, Newberry | |
|
2019 Government |
Oppose - Energy Facility Siting Amendments (TEC-RI/OER) - (H5804) - (ECRI OPPOSES) Amends provisions relative to the energy facility siting act including designating the public utilities commission as the public advocate and creates certain pre-application requirements. | Bennett, Edwards, Jacquard | |
|
2019 Government |
Support - Green New Deal Resolution - (H5665), (S0659) - This bill requests that the Rhode Island Green New Deal Research Council report their findings and recommendations regarding the potential benefits of green new deal initiatives to the General Assembly by May 15, 2019. | Blazejewski, Carson, Vella-Wilkinson, Williams , McKiernan | DiPalma, Goldin, Murray, Euer, Sosnowski |
|
2019 Health |
Support - Eliminate PFAS from Food Packaging - (H5565), (S0218) - This bill prohibits PFAS, a class of fluorinated organic chemicals, from being used in food packaging. | Marszalkowski, Cortvriend, Caldwell | Satchell, Sosnowski, Seveney, Coyne, Quezada |
|
2019 Health |
Support - Personal Care Products Disclosure - (H5826), (S0447) - Requires the personal care product industry to more fully disclose the ingredients they use and, where applicable, identify ingredients that have been published as a chemical of concern on one or more designated lists included in the act. | Cassar, Caldwell, McEntee, Craven, Bennett | Valverde, Goldin, Coyne, Lawson, Euer |
|
2019 Climate |
Support - Climate Change Adaptation Fund - (H5628), (S0412) - Establishes OSCAR, The Ocean State Climate Adaptation and Resilience fund, a fund which provides grants to support projects that adapt infrastructure to address climate change; assess eligibility of projects, allocation, disbursements and the fund's financing. | Maldonado, O'Brien, Blazejewski, Serpa, Carson | Lynch Prata |
|
2019 Land |
Support - Conservation Easement Restrictions - (S0170) - Requires conservation and preservation restrictions to be liberally interpreted in favor of the grants awarded. | DiPalma, Sosnowski, Seveney, Coyne, Archambault | |
|
2019 Planning and Development |
Support - Woodland Preservation & Stewardship Act - (H5813), (S0663) - Establishes and implements woodland stewardship and preservation programs managed by the Department of Environmental Management administered by cities and towns through local comprehensive planning and zoning. | Handy, Barros, Alzate, Bennett | Valverde, Sosnowski, Coyne, Euer, Conley |
|
2019 Pollution |
Support - Polystyrene Ban / Plastic Bag Bill - (S0268) - Prohibits retail sales establishments from providing plastic checkout bags and all retail establishments from providing expanded polystyrene disposable food containers and would be enforced by municipal designees, with an opt out provision. | Miller, Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Ruggerio, Goldin | |
|
2019 Transportation |
Support - Vulnerable Road User Protections - (S0596) - Provides for specific fines and sanctions to operators of motor vehicles who fail to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a vulnerable road user causing injury, serious injury, or death to the vulnerable road user. | Archambault, Euer, Metts, Lombardi (F), Coyne | |
|
2019 Waste |
Support - "Ask First" Plastic Straw Bill - (H5314), (S0202), (S0202subA) - This act would prohibit a food service establishment from providing a consumer with a single-use plastic straw, unless the consumer requests such a straw. | Bennett, Handy, Ackerman, McNamara, Kislak | McCaffrey, Sosnowski, Miller, DiPalma, Euer |
| Topic | Bill Title, Numbers, Description | House Sponsors | Senate Sponsors |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2020 Climate |
- Resilient RI Act of 2014 - Act on Climate 2020 - (H7399), (S2165) - This bill puts Rhode Island on a path toward net-zero emissions by 2050. It also requires transparency and accountability, by making our targets legally binding and enforceable. | Blazejewski, Abney, Bennett, Carson, Ruggiero | Euer, Lynch Prata, Conley, Sosnowski, Goodwin |
|
2020 Climate |
Support - Climate Crisis Curriculum - (HR7471) - House Resolution Requesting That The Rhode Island Department Of Education Develop A Set Of Key Environmental And Climate Principles And Concepts To Be Infused In All Subjects For K-12 Public School Students. | Cortvriend, Bennett, Donovan, Amore, Speakman | |
|
2020 Climate |
Support - Ocean State Climate Adaptation Fund (OSCAR) - (S2194), (H7165) - This bill establishes the Ocean State Climate Adaptation and Resilience Fund (OSCAR) which allows municipalities and the state to apply for grants to improve public safety and community climate resilience for coastal habitats, as well as river and stream floodplains. | Vella-Wilkinson, Shekarchi, Bennett, Handy, Ruggiero | Lynch Prata, Pearson, Euer, Valverde, Coyne |
|
2020 Climate |
Support - Promotes Roof Solar Installations on School Property - (H7459) - Establishes a pilot program to promote the creation of roof solar installations on school property to generate electricity for school buildings in order to reduce the use of fossil fuels. | Marszalkowski | |
|
2020 Composting |
Support - School Waste Recycling and Refuse Disposal - (H7507) - This bill requires schools to comply with recycling & composting laws and promotes the donation of unspoiled nonperishable food by schools. | Carson, Ucci, Donovan, Cassar, Blazejewski | |
|
2020 Conservation |
Support - Creating a New Park or Conservation Land - (H7348) - Creates a voluntary mechanism for municipalities to use to dedicate a park, conservation or other land they own as public trust land in perpetuity to protect and preserve its future use. | Edwards, Canario, Speakman, Cassar, Serpa | |
|
2020 Conservation |
Support - Energy & Water Efficiency Standards - (S2043), (H7866) - This bill would establish minimum energy & water efficiency standards for appliances and specified equipment purchased or installed after July 1, 2021. | Handy, Bennett, McKiernan, Ruggiero | Satchell, Sosnowski, Valverde, Seveney, Coyne |
|
2020 Conservation |
Support - Prohibits Non-Native, Invasive Plants - (S2110) - Prohibits the importation, transportation, disbursement, distribution, sale, purchase, or possession of any species of non-native (exotic) invasive plants. | Lynch Prata, Seveney, Euer, Sosnowski | |
|
2020 Conservation |
Support - State Fleet Electrification - (H7680), (S2365) - This bill defines "light duty", "non-emergency" and "zero emission" vehicles and would require the state to convert its fleet of vehicles to no less than fifty percent (50%) of vehicles in those categories by the year 2028. | Ajello, Marszalkowski, Knight, Barros, Abney | Seveney, Coyne, DiPalma, Pearson, Euer |
|
2020 Energy |
Support - 100% Renewable Energy Standard - (S2404) - Sets new renewable energy standards which increase annually beginning in 2021 so that by 2030 all obligated entities shall obtain 100% of electricity sold at retail to Rhode Island end-use customers from eligible renewable-energy resources. | Miller, Conley, Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Goodwin | |
|
2020 Energy |
Support - 100% Renewable Energy; Lead By Example - (S2638) - This bill requires the state, including all its agencies and departments, to purchase one hundred percent (100%) of their energy needs from renewable sources by January 1, 2031. | Valverde, Euer, Miller, Murray, Seveney | |
|
2020 Energy |
- Community Remote Net Metering Expansion - (S2109), (H7280) - Allows new applicants for net-metering systems to increase the maximum mega wattage from thirty (30 MW) to sixty megawatts (60 MW). | Tobon, Bennett, Barros, Alzate, Blazejewski | Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Ruggerio, Conley |
|
2020 Energy |
Support - Economic & Climate Resilience Act of 2020 - (S2108) - This bill creates a fee on companies that sell fossil fuels in Rhode Island and establishes an "economic and climate resilience fund" to disburse the collected funds to all residents and businesses in RI for climate resilience, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate adaptation programs, including low-income residents and small businesses. | Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Lynch Prata, Conley, McKenney | |
|
2020 Energy |
- Energy Facility Siting Regulation - (S2192) - This bill states that applicants/licensees for fossil fuel electricity generating facilities must invest in renewable energy facilities in conjunction with their fossil fuel facility construction. | Miller, Conley, Valverde, Sosnowski | |
|
2020 Energy |
Support - Non-Regulated Power Producer Consumer Bill of Rights - (H7110) - Each non-regulated power producer, except governmental bodies, will provide the potential residential customer with a complete "Bill of Rights" prior to the initiation of electric-generation services. | Ruggiero, Jacquard, Blazejewski, Craven, Handy | |
|
2020 Energy |
Support - Residential Solar Energy Bill of Rights - (H7217) - Grants residential purchasers of solar energy systems protections and disclosures in the retail sale/lease documents as well as the right to cancel/rescind the agreement within ninety (90) days prior to installation and notice of any liens filed against their residential property. | McNamara, Ackerman, Bennett, Jackson, Lyle Jr. | |
|
2020 General Assembly Rules |
- Marine Fisheries Council - (H7874) - This bill would assign the regulatory jurisdiction over all marine animal species within the jurisdictional territory of the state to the Marine Fisheries Council. | McEntee, Craven, O'Brien, Price | |
|
2020 Government |
Oppose - Alternative Procedure for Approval of Freshwater Wetlands Alteration Applications - (H7867) - This bill would require DEM to pay for other engineers to conduct a wetland evaluation if they don't get to it within statutory timelines on their own. | Chippendale, Filippi, Lyle Jr., Place, Quattrocchi | |
|
2020 Government |
Support - Climate Issues – Part of Long-Term Economic Planning - (H7174) - This bill adds climate change/sea-level rise/coastal resiliency to data analysis in long-term economic planning. Changes number of members of the economic development planning council from 17 to 19 by adding the Directors of Environmental Management and Coastal Resources Council. | Blazejewski, Carson, Knight, Cortvriend, Caldwell | |
|
2020 Government |
Support - Control of Mosquitoes and Ticks Act - (H7870) - This bill establishes a program to control mosquitoes and ticks by the Dept of Health & DEM to coordinate the state's response to combatting the spread of mosquito-borne and tick-borne diseases. It engages stakeholders before aerial spraying for mosquitos and ticks; monitor afterwards. | Craven, McEntee, Caldwell | |
|
2020 Government |
Support - CRMC Member Appointed by Governor - (S2637) - Authorizes the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint an executive director of Coastal Resources Management Council to act as a liaison to the Director of the Department of Environmental Management to plan and manage coastal resources. | Sosnowski, Felag, McKenney, Lynch Prata, McCaffrey | |
|
2020 Government |
- EFSA Amendments - (H7930) - This bill increases the membership of the Energy Facility Siting Board from three (3) to five (5) members and would revise the process of energy facility siting to mandate inclusion and participation of the public and cities and towns. | Edwards, Place, Slater, Newberry | |
|
2020 Government |
Support - Fines for Drivers Who Injure Vulnerable Road Users - (S2082) - Provides for fines and sanctions to operators of motor vehicles who fail to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a vulnerable road user causing injury, serious injury, or death to the vulnerable road user. | Archambault, Lombardi (F), Euer, Coyne, Metts | |
|
2020 Government |
Support - Penalties on Careless Motorists for Injuring Vulnerable Road Users - (H7259), (S2082) - Provides for fines and sanctions to operators of motor vehicles who fail to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a vulnerable road user causing injury, serious injury, or death to the vulnerable road user. | McNamara, Caldwell, Shekarchi, Jackson | Archambault, Lombardi (F), Euer, Coyne, Metts |
|
2020 Government |
Support - Study of Reorganization of Rhode Island CRMC - (Resolution S2026) - Amends the membership of the special Senate Commission to study the effect and procedures for the reorganization of the CRMC from 15 to 11, and extends the reporting and expiration dates from January 2, 2020, to June 9, 2020, and expires on January 12, 2021. | Sosnowski, Felag | |
|
2020 Government |
Support - Tax Incentive for Connecting to a Sewer System - (H7406) - This bill allows real property owners a one-time non-refundable tax credit for the actual costs of connecting a single family or multi-family dwelling to a municipal sewer system credited to the owner's personal or corporate income tax. | Solomon Jr., Serpa, Noret, Casey, Shanley | |
|
2020 Health |
Support - Prohibition of PFAS in Food Packaging Act - (S2068), (H7307) - This bill would prohibit PFAS, a class of fluorinated organic chemicals, from being used in food packaging. | Cortvriend, Marszalkowski, Speakman, Shekarchi, Ranglin-Vassell | Satchell, Sosnowski, Quezada, Seveney, Coyne |
|
2020 Land |
Support - Coastal & Riverine Home Protection - (H7083) - Enables cities & towns to provide a tax exemption to individuals who take resiliency measures to rehabilitate their property because of flood hazards. | Casimiro, McEntee, Carson, Knight, Craven | |
|
2020 Land |
Support - Conservation and Preservation Restrictions on Real Property - (H7245) - Requires conservation and preservation restrictions to be liberally interpreted in favor of the grants awarded. | Blazejewski, Ajello, Bennett, Kazarian, Casimiro | |
|
2020 Land |
Support - Conservation Easement Enabling Legislation - (S2426) - Requires conservation and preservation restrictions to be liberally interpreted in favor of the grants awarded. | DiPalma, Euer, Coyne, Raptakis, Valverde | |
|
2020 Land |
Support - Open Space Bond Resolution - (Resolution H7676) - This Resolution provides for a voter referendum to seek approval of bonds not to exceed $4,000,000 and for a state Local Land Acquisition Matching Grant Program for open space and land conservation. | Slater, Blazejewski, Kislak, Diaz, Bennett | |
|
2020 Other |
Support - Prohibiting Artificial Propagation of Game - (H7308) - Prohibits captive hunting/possession, sale, breeding, importation of any mammal for purpose of captive hunting. | O'Brien, Vella-Wilkinson, McEntee, Amore, Morin | |
|
2020 Other |
Support - Prohibiting Import of Wild Animals into RI - (H7305) - Prohibits the practice of importing a wild animal into Rhode Island, where the animal is not native or indigenous to RI, for the purpose of conducting canned hunting. | McNamara, Ackerman, Kislak, Diaz, Edwards | |
|
2020 Planning and Development |
Support - Creating a New Park or Conservation Land - (S2469) - Creates a voluntary mechanism for municipalities to use to dedicate a park, conservation or other land they own as public trust land in perpetuity to protect and preserve its future use. | Euer, DiPalma, Seveney, Sosnowski, Pearson | |
|
2020 Planning and Development |
Support - Prohibits Development Near State House - (H7210) - Prohibits any development of land contiguous to the State House unless approved by the general assembly. | Solomon Jr., Blazejewski, Jackson, Phillips, Noret | |
|
2020 Planning and Development |
Oppose - RI Cesspool Act of 2007 - (H7052) - Amends the 2007 Cesspool Act by exempting a residential homeowner who has abandoned an on-site system from obtaining a contractor to pump out and to fill in with material, as long as the residential homeowner has taken the necessary steps to secure the abandoned on-site system. | Roberts, Nardone, Chippendale, Serpa, Noret | |
|
2020 Planning and Development |
- RI Cesspool Act of 2007 – Extended - (H7331) - This bill would allow DEM to extend certain deadlines for required sewer construction in the replacement of cesspools, but would not extend them beyond January 1, 2025. | Edwards, Canario, Bennett, Diaz, Solomon Jr. | |
|
2020 Planning and Development |
Support - RI Energy Resources Act: Solar Siting - (H7426) - This bill allows for the establishment of comprehensive solar energy siting ordinances in each municipality of the state. | Speakman, Cortvriend, Knight, Cassar, Bennett | |
|
2020 Pollution |
- Drug Take-back Program - (H7128) - Requires drug manufactures to establish fund and manage state approved drug take back programs, free of charge to the consumer and pharmacy. | Corvese, Canario, Vella-Wilkinson, Azzinaro, Ucci | |
|
2020 Pollution |
Support - Idling - (S2111) - Would expand the prohibition against idling of engines to include all types of engines, not just diesel engines. | Sosnowski, McCaffrey, Lynch Prata, Conley, McKenney | |
|
2020 Pollution |
Support - Neonicotinoid Ban - (H7425), (S2403) - This bill would prohibit the use of neonicotinoids, which are a class of insecticides. | McNamara, Speakman, Caldwell, Bennett, Kislak | Miller, Conley, Coyne |
|
2020 Pollution |
- Prohibited Release of Balloons - (H7261), (S2191) - This bill would prohibit the intentional release of a balloon inflated with lighter-than-air gas. The prohibition would not apply to: a balloon released for scientific or metrological purposes on behalf of a governmental agency or pursuant to a governmental contract; a hot air balloon that is recovered after launching; or a balloon that is released and remains indoors. | Donovan, Carson, Bennett, Fogarty, Speakman | Sosnowski, Lynch Prata, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, McKenney |
|
2020 Transportation |
- Bus Lane Travel Fine - (H7622) - Makes it a violation to use bus lanes while driving a car. | Slater, Diaz, Edwards, McKiernan | |
|
2020 Transportation |
Support - Commuter Transportation Benefit Act - (S2705) - Establishes the Commuter Transportation Benefit Act such that employers with five hundred (500) or more employees would provide a pre-tax transportation fringe benefit program or provide transportation to their employees. | Lawson, Ciccone, Lombardi (F), Lombardo, Metts | |
|
2020 Waste |
Support - "Ask First" Plastic Straw Bill - (H7163) - This bill prohibits food service establishments from providing plastic straws, unless requested by the consumer. | Bennett, Canario, Jackson, Vella-Wilkinson, Handy | |
|
2020 Waste |
Support - Adds "Cigarette Butts" to the Definition of "Litter" - (S2195) - Re: Litter Control & Recycling, this bill adds "cigarette butts" to the definition of "litter". | Gallo, Murray, Lombardo, Conley | |
|
2020 Waste |
Support - Bottle Bill – 10¢ Deposit on Bottles - (S2513) - Creates a refundable ten cent ($0.10) deposit for non-reusable beverage containers. | McKenney, Sheehan, Cano, Valverde, Sosnowski | |
|
2020 Waste |
- Bottle Bill – 5¢ Deposit on Bottles - (H7611) - Creates a refundable five cent ($0.05) deposit for non-reusable beverage containers. A one cent ($0.01) handling fee would be paid by distributors. | McEntee, Bennett, Ajello, Abney, Speakman | |
|
2020 Waste |
Support - Composting Facilities - (H7868) - This bill requires businesses & educational facilities that produce at least fifty-two (52) tons of organic-waste yearly and are located within thirty (30) miles of an authorized composting facility to use authorized methods of recycling. | Ruggiero, Cortvriend, Carson, Fogarty, Cassar | |
|
2020 Waste |
Support - No Styrofoam in Food Service Containers - (H7164) - Prohibits the preparing, selling, processing or providing food or beverages in or on a disposable food service container that is composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam. | Bennett, Canario, Jackson, Vella-Wilkinson, Handy | |
|
2020 Waste |
Support - Plastic Waste Reduction Act - (S2003), (H7306), (S2003subA) - To reduce the use of plastic bags by retail establishments by offering recyclable bag options and providing penalties for violations. | McEntee, Shekarchi, Bennett, Craven, Knight | Ruggerio, Sosnowski, Coyne, Euer, Miller |
|
2020 Waste |
Support - Prohibits Polystyrene Food Packaging - (S2636) - Prohibits a covered establishment from preparing, selling, processing or providing food or beverages in or on a disposable food service container that is composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam. | Miller, Sosnowski, Conley, Euer, McCaffrey | |
|
2020 Waste |
Support - Tax Credit to Homeowner as Incentive to do Sewer over Septic - (S2215) - Allows a one-time non-refundable tax credit to the owner of real property for the costs of connecting to a municipal sewer system. | McKenney, McCaffrey, Pearson, Satchell, Raptakis | |
|
2020 Water |
- Creating a New Water Resources Board - (S2640) - Establishes a new Rhode Island water authority consisting of eleven (11) members. The water authority would be established as a new quasi-public corporation and would assume all the duties and powers of the old water resources board. The act would repeal all statutory provisions regarding or relating to the water resources board. | Sosnowski, Coyne, Ruggerio, Conley, Lynch Prata | |
|
2020 Water |
Support - Establishes Limits on PFAS in Water - (H7216), (S2235) - Instructs the Department of Health to establish maximum PFAS levels in water. | Speakman, Cortvriend, Carson, Cassar, Donovan | Lynch Prata, Satchell, Euer, Sosnowski, Miller |