Raises the percentage from eighty percent (80%) to eighty-five percent (85%) regarding declaring a vehicle a total loss.
In plain English Raises the percentage threshold for declaring a vehicle a total loss from eighty to eighty-five percent of its value.
Official synopsis: INSURANCE — UNFAIR CLAIMS SETTLEMENT PRACTICES ACT – Raises the percentage from eighty percent (80%) to eighty-five percent (85%) regarding declaring a vehicle a total loss.
Became lawEffective without Governor's signature · 2026-06-26
JOINT RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY RHODE ISLAND'S EDUCATION FUNDING FORMULA AND EDUCATION FINANCE SYSTEM (Creates a special joint legislative commission to make a comprehensive study of Rhode Island's education funding formula and education finance system.)
Became lawSigned by Governor · 2026-06-22
Under the emergency fund for victims, increases the share of a victim’s total award that may be used for relocation related expenses but not increase total compensation available to a victim.
In plain English Increases the portion of a victim's compensation award that can be used for relocation expenses without raising the total award amount.
Official synopsis: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION – Under the emergency fund for victims, increases the share of a victim’s total award that may be used for relocation related expenses but not increase total compensation available to a victim.
Became lawSigned by Governor · 2026-06-18
Authorizes the use of campaign funds for security related expenses, including home and office security systems and ongoing monitoring, in response to threats arising from their public service or candidacy.
In plain English Allows candidates and public officials to use campaign funds for home and office security systems and monitoring in response to threats from their public service or candidacy.
Official synopsis: ELECTIONS — RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES REPORTING – Authorizes the use of campaign funds for security related expenses, including home and office security systems and ongoing monitoring, in response to threats arising from their public service or candidacy.
Became lawSigned by Governor · 2026-06-18
Requires an insurance company to directly pay the insured's chosen appraiser and the umpire appraiser, if applicable, upon receipt of a "direction to pay" executed by an insured or claimant.
In plain English Requires insurance companies to directly pay an insured's chosen appraiser and umpire appraiser upon receiving a written direction to pay from the insured or claimant.
Official synopsis: INSURANCE — MOTOR VEHICLE APPRAISAL PROVISION – Requires an insurance company to directly pay the insured's chosen appraiser and the umpire appraiser, if applicable, upon receipt of a "direction to pay" executed by an insured or claimant.
Passed one chamberSenate read and passed · 2026-06-11
Authorizes the city of Cranston to establish a housing division within its municipal court.
In plain English Authorizes the city of Cranston to establish a housing division within its municipal court.
Official synopsis: TOWNS AND CITIES — GENERAL POWERS – Authorizes the city of Cranston to establish a housing division within its municipal court.
Became lawEffective without Governor's signature · 2026-06-11
Repeals the older of the two existing chapters related to speech-language pathologists and audiologists and makes several amendments to reconcile the two statutes into one.
In plain English Repeals an older law about speech-language pathologists and audiologists and combines two related statutes into one.
Official synopsis: BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS — SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY – Repeals the older of the two existing chapters related to speech-language pathologists and audiologists and makes several amendments to reconcile the two statutes into one.
Became lawSigned by Governor · 2026-06-10
Permits reimbursement for dental hygienists from "other insurance" or a third-party payor such as Medicare.
In plain English Allows dental hygienists to receive reimbursement from other insurance or third-party payers like Medicare.
Official synopsis: BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS — DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS – Permits reimbursement for dental hygienists from "other insurance" or a third-party payor such as Medicare.
Became lawSigned by Governor · 2026-06-10
Requires an insurance company to directly pay the insured's chosen appraiser and the umpire appraiser, if applicable, upon receipt of a "direction to pay" executed by an insured or claimant.
INSURANCE — MOTOR VEHICLE APPRAISAL PROVISION – Requires an insurance company to directly pay the insured's chosen appraiser and the umpire appraiser, if applicable, upon receipt of a "direction to pay" executed by an insured or claimant.
Not out of committeeScheduled for hearing and/or consideration (06/09/2026) · 2026-06-06
Provides that no contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity and a dentist requires the dentist to accept exclusively by virtual credit cards.
In plain English Prohibits dental plans and healthcare entities from requiring dentists to accept only virtual credit cards in contracts.
Official synopsis: INSURANCE — ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES – Provides that no contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity and a dentist requires the dentist to accept exclusively by virtual credit cards.
Passed one chamberReferred to House Corporations · 2026-06-05
JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AUDITORY ORAL PROGRAM (Authorizes the appropriation of the sum of $1,167,100, to the Rhode Island Auditory Oral Program, to support the program’s mission to provide specialized auditory-oral programming for children with hearing loss.)
Passed one chamberReferred to House Finance · 2026-06-05
SENATE RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING JUNE 4, 2026, TO BE "COX IMPACT DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
Became lawSenate read and passed · 2026-06-04
Expands the health professional loan repayment program to healthcare providers practicing in primary care health settings.
In plain English Expands a health professional loan repayment program to include healthcare providers working in primary care settings.
Official synopsis: HEALTH AND SAFETY — HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM – Expands the health professional loan repayment program to healthcare providers practicing in primary care health settings.
Passed one chamberReferred to House Finance · 2026-06-04
Establishes guidelines, rules and regulations for the implementation and expansion of prekindergarten education programs for children ages 3-4 to increase children’s school readiness statewide.
In plain English Establishes guidelines and rules for implementing and expanding prekindergarten education programs for children ages 3-4 statewide.
Official synopsis: EDUCATION — RHODE ISLAND PREKINDERGARTEN EDUCATION ACT – Establishes guidelines, rules and regulations for the implementation and expansion of prekindergarten education programs for children ages 3-4 to increase children’s school readiness statewide.
Passed one chamberReferred to House Finance · 2026-05-29
RELATING EDUCATION — THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT
In plain English Requires adding pre-kindergarten programs for three- and four-year-olds to increase access to voluntary, free, high-quality pre-kindergarten.
Official synopsis: Specifies that pre-k programs for three (3) – and four (4) – years olds be added to programs to increase access to voluntary, free, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs.
Passed one chamberReferred to House Finance · 2026-05-29
“In plain English” lines are written by ThePolitibase with AI (Claude), from the official synopsis only; the synopsis is the authoritative text. Descriptions are the legislature’s own synopsis. Bill data from LegiScan, CC BY 4.0.