Their bills, from filing to law
Bills Arthur Handy was a primary sponsor of this session. Most bills from either party never leave committee; in Illinois many never get past the Assignments or Rules committee.
Introduced22
Out of committee4
Passed one chamber4
Passed both chambers3
Became law3
Never left committee18
For comparison, the median Democratic member of the House has 6 bills that became law this session.
What their bills are about
Public Utilities And Carriers 5Human Services 2HUMAN SERVICES — THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM 2Property 2State Affairs And Government 2Insurance 1
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 updates the remaining law to combine both 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
Updates the RI coordinate system to adopt the most recent system of plane coordinates established by the NGS, a federal agency which is part of NOAA and the USDC. Modifies the meter to foot conversion to adopt the international foot to provide uniformity.
In plain English Updates Rhode Island's coordinate system to adopt the latest federal plane coordinates and changes the meter-to-foot conversion to use the international foot.
Official synopsis: PROPERTY — RHODE ISLAND COORDINATE SYSTEM – Updates the RI coordinate system to adopt the most recent system of plane coordinates established by the NGS, a federal agency which is part of NOAA and the USDC. Modifies the meter to foot conversion to adopt the…
Passed one chamberCommittee recommends passage in concurrence · 2026-06-02
Amends the Rhode Island works program to allow lawful permanent residents to receive benefits without a waiting period and increases the monthly cash benefit to one hundred percent (100%) of the federal poverty level effective July 1, 2026.
HUMAN SERVICES — THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM – Amends the Rhode Island works program to allow lawful permanent residents to receive benefits without a waiting period and increases the monthly cash benefit to one hundred percent (100%) of the federal poverty level effective July…
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-05-14
Amends the Rhode Island works program to increase the cash support pass-through to $100 for one child and $200 for more than one child.
HUMAN SERVICES — THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM – Amends the Rhode Island works program to increase the cash support pass-through to $100 for one child and $200 for more than one child.
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-05-14
Authorizes the committees of the general assembly to allow members of the public to provide testimony remotely.
STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT — OPEN MEETINGS – Authorizes the committees of the general assembly to allow members of the public to provide testimony remotely.
Not out of committeeIntroduced, referred to House State Government & Elections · 2026-04-29
JOINT RESOLUTION RESCINDING PREVIOUS ARTICLE V CONVENTION APPLICATIONS (Rescinds any prior applications to the United States Congress from the Rhode Island General Assembly to call for a convention to amend the United States Constitution.)
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-04-16
JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $150,000 TO THE MAIN STREET RHODE ISLAND PROGRAM (Authorizes the appropriation of the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) to the Main Street Rhode Island Program.)
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-04-14
Exempts new or used bicycles and bicycle parts from sales and use taxes.
TAXATION — SALES AND USE TAXES — LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION – Exempts new or used bicycles and bicycle parts from sales and use taxes.
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-04-14
Prohibits public utilities, serving greater 100,000 customers from recovering through rates any direct or indirect cost associated with, amongst other costs, advertising, marketing, communications.
PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — DUTIES OF UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – Prohibits public utilities, serving greater 100,000 customers from recovering through rates any direct or indirect cost associated with, amongst other costs, advertising, marketing, communications.
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-04-07
Establishes minimum energy and water efficiency standards for appliance and specified equipment purchased or installed after January 1, 2025.
PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — APPLIANCE AND EQUIPMENT ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY STANDARDS ACT OF 2021 – Establishes minimum energy and water efficiency standards for appliance and specified equipment purchased or installed after January 1, 2025.
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-04-07
Provides amendments to procedures necessary for approval of transactions between utilities by giving the public utilities commission jurisdiction; mandates public hearings, allows intervention by any interested party and provides for appeal.
PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — REGULATORY POWERS OF ADMINISTRATION – Provides amendments to procedures necessary for approval of transactions between utilities by giving the public utilities commission jurisdiction; mandates public hearings, allows intervention by any interested party and provides for appeal.
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-04-07
Increases the maximum penalty for certain violations related to the cutting, removal, damage by injurious liquids or gases to trees, plants and shrubs on any public highway or public land under the jurisdiction of state agencies from $500 to $1,000.
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY — PROTECTION OF TREES AND PLANTS GENERALLY – Increases the maximum penalty for certain violations related to the cutting, removal, damage by injurious liquids or gases to trees, plants and shrubs on any public highway or public land under the jurisdiction of…
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-03-31
Establishes federal back stop language for any provisions of federal law relating to any of the energy or water conservation standards issued or approved for publication by the office of the United States Secretary of Energy as of January 19, 2025
PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — FEDERAL BACKSTOP LANGUAGE – Establishes federal back stop language for any provisions of federal law relating to any of the energy or water conservation standards issued or approved for publication by the office of the United States Secretary of Energy…
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-03-19
Requires approval by the Rhode Island commission the deaf and hard of hearing before any reduction in American Sign Language interpreter services in hospitals and other public service facilities.
HEALTH AND SAFETY — LICENSING OF HEALTHCARE FACILITIES – Requires approval by the Rhode Island commission the deaf and hard of hearing before any reduction in American Sign Language interpreter services in hospitals and other public service facilities.
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-03-19
Establishes the offshore wind procurement policy study commission.
PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS — OFFSHORE WIND PROCUREMENT POLICY STUDY COMMISSION – Establishes the offshore wind procurement policy study commission.
Not out of committeeCommittee recommended measure be held for further study · 2026-03-19
“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.