Woonsocket Radio News Room

June 30, 2017

Legislative Press Bureau at (401) 528-1743

 

State House view from the southThis week at the

General Assembly

 

STATE HOUSE — Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly this week. For more information on any of these items visit http://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease

 

 

§  Bill that protects workers’ pay from unauthorized deductions passes Assembly

Rep. Robert E. Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown) and Sen. Frank S. Lombardi’s (D-Dist. 26, Cranston) legislation (2017-H 5932Aaa, 2017-S 0350B) that prohibits employers from making deductions from an employee’s wages without written authorization from the worker passed the General Assembly.  The legislation states that employers cannot deduct wages from a worker for reasons such as spoilage or breakage of equipment or product, any amount of shortages or losses, and fines or penalties for tardiness, misconduct, or quitting without notice.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Assembly approves comprehensive human trafficking bill
The General Assembly has passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Cynthia A. Coyne (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence) and Rep. Shelby Maldonado (D-Dist. 56, Central Falls) to help prevent human trafficking and apprehend its perpetrators in Rhode Island and across the country. The Uniform Act on Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking (2017-S 0073Aaa, 2017-H 5300A) enacts an approach of strong penalties, protecting and assisting victims and improved public awareness and planning. The bill now goes to the governor.
Click here to see news release.

§  General Assembly OKs bill to support children who witness violent crime
The General Assembly passed legislation (2017-H 5452, 2017-S 0566) introduced by House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) and Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick) that would expand Rhode Island’s Crime Victim Compensation Program to include support for minors who witness homicides or domestic violence. The measure now moves to the governor’s office.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Legislature votes for driver’s education course for parents of teen drivers
The General Assembly approved legislation (2017-H 5457Aaa, 2017-S 0555Aaa) sponsored by House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) and Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) to establish a free educational course for parents of students in driver’s education classes. The bill now heads to the governor.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Assembly OKs bill to expedite merger of Memorial Hospital, Prime Healthcare

Rep. Raymond H. Johnston, Jr. (D-Dist. 61, Pawtucket) and Sen. Elizabeth A. Crowley’s (D-Dist. 16, Central Falls, Pawtucket) legislation (2017-H 6284A, 2017-S 0937Aaa) that would streamline the procedure for the approval of mergers of nonprofit hospitals in response to the proposed merger of Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket with Prime Healthcare Foundation passed the General Assembly.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Assembly OKs bill giving veteran-owned companies a leg up for state contracts
The General Assembly approved legislation (2017-S 0085A, 2017-H 5280A) sponsored by Sen. Marc A. Cote (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield) and Rep. Michael A. Morin (D-Dist. 49, Woonsocket) to give veteran-owned small businesses a preference in state purchasing and set a goal that at least 3 percent of the total value of state contracts be awarded to businesses owned by veterans. The bill now goes to the governor.
Click here to see news release.

§  Lawmakers OK bill enabling at-home learning for lost school days

School districts will have the opportunity to make up lost school days through the use of at-home learning plans under a bill sponsored by Sen. Roger A. Picard (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland) and Rep. Robert D. Phillips (D-Dist. 51, Woonsocket, Cumberland) and approved by the General Assembly. The bill would enable districts to create plans, approved by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, to make up a snow day or other lost day through lessons that students could complete on their own at home. The bill now goes to the governor.
Click here to see news release.
 

§  Assembly votes to study line-item veto, runoff elections for governor
The General Assembly gave its approval to a joint resolution (2017-H 5340A, 2017-S 0961) sponsored by Rep. Kenneth A. Marshall (D-Dist. 68, Bristol, Warren) and Sen. Frank S. Lombardi (D-Dist. 26, Cranston) to form a joint legislative commission to study the effects of giving the governor line-item veto power and the ramifications of runoff elections for the governor in situations when no candidate receives a majority. Click here to see news release.

§  Bill enhancing transparency of I-195 Commission gets nod
The General Assembly approved legislation (2017-S 0850A, 2017-H 6300) sponsored by Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) and House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) to increase transparency of I-195 Commission meetings by requiring more meetings and discussions be held in public and ethics training for members. The bill will now go to the governor.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  General Assembly passes bill that extends vehicle expiration dates

Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton) and Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy’s (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) legislation (2017-S 0950, 2017-H 6251) that would grant the RI Division of Motor Vehicles administrator the ability to extend expiration dates under certain circumstances that prevent the proper performance of their duties passed the General Assembly. The measure now moves to the governor’s office.

Click here to see news release.

 

 

 

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For an electronic version of this and all press releases published by the Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau, please visit our Web site at www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Details of David Pecker's Involvement in Donald Trump's alleged hush money trial came to light in court Thursday. Pecker took the stand for his third day of testimony, and revealed conversations between himself, the former President, and Associate Michael Cohen. Pecker says he arranged to buy the story surrounding Trump's alleged affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal for $150,000, but backed out of the deal after consulting with election lawyers, believing the payment may break the law.        Students at Columbia University are filing a federal civil rights lawsuit against the school. They filed the complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights on Thursday, demanding an investigation into the school's actions against pro-Palestinian students. The lawsuit alleges Columbia has mistreated students utilizing their first amendment rights.        The Food and Drug Administration says remnants of the bird flu were found in one in five pasteurized milk samples. Earlier this week, the FDA found fragments of the bird flu in commercially sold milk but said it's still safe to drink, as the pasteurization process kills the virus and only leaves small traces behind. On Thursday officials revealed about 20-percent of their milk samples contained remnants of the virus.        Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is having his conviction for sex crimes in New York overturned. The New York Court of Appeals ruled Weinstein did not receive a fair trial. The court found the judge in his trial made an error allowing women to testify about alleged sexual assaults committed by Weinstein that were not part of the charges against him. Weinstein was also sentenced in Los Angeles in February of last year to 16 years in prison after he was convicted of rape and that conviction still stands.        Buying a home is now more expensive than ever. A new report from Redfin found the median home price in the United States is now over 383-thousand-dollars, a record high. The economic research lead with Redfin says prices may drop slightly in the coming months, but buyers should accept that "housing costs are likely to remain elevated for the foreseeable future." The median down payment is also up 24-percent compared to last year, at around 56-thousand-dollars.        Soulja Boy says he wants to help save TikTok. Congress passed a bill on Wednesday that requires TikTok's Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance to sell the app or else it will be banned in the United States. Soulja Boy has offered up a solution, posting "How much yall want for TikTok? I'll buy it." The rapper tagged the social media company in the post.       

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