STATE HOUSE — Lawmakers moved swiftly this week on a series of bills touching everything from hospital stability and property taxes to vaccine access and ranked-choice voting.
Topping the list: a last-minute backstop to secure the sale of Roger Williams Medical Center and Fatima Hospital. The General Assembly approved — and the governor signed — legislation setting aside $18 million from the state’s supplemental rainy day fund to reassure bondholders if the nonprofit Centurion Foundation defaults. Supporters say the move is critical to protecting the two safety-net hospitals and the patients who rely on them.
On the criminal justice front, House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy introduced a bill to make deed theft a felony. The proposal would target scammers who use forged documents, including fraudulent quitclaim deeds, to steal homes by recording fake property transfers.
Health care also took center stage. Sen. Linda Ujifusa and Rep. Susan Donovan filed legislation requiring state-regulated insurers to cover vaccines recommended by the Rhode Island Department of Health without cost-sharing, aiming to safeguard access amid federal uncertainty. Separately, Rep. Enrique Sanchez introduced a bill to guarantee health care workers earn overtime pay for Sundays and holidays.
For seniors, Rep. Megan Cotter proposed allowing homeowners 62 and older — as well as permanently disabled residents and disabled veterans — to defer property taxes until their home changes hands. Rep. Marie Hopkins introduced a measure to ensure seniors who pay by paper check can receive the same automatic payment discounts offered to others.
Lawmakers also hosted a “candy election” to demonstrate how ranked-choice voting works, as companion bills are introduced to bring the system to presidential primaries and local elections.
Other proposals would allow residents to use an app to report vehicles illegally parked in accessible spaces, permit nurses to provide routine foot care to homebound patients, and require crisis hotline numbers on student ID cards.
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