I am keenly interested in promoting excellence in public policy to enhance the diversity of Rhode Island’s industries and to promote their competitiveness throughout the United States and abroad. Rhode Island has always prospered through innovation. In the 18th and 19th centuries, we were global traders. In the 19th century, we were leaders in the American industrial revolution. Twentieth century Rhode Island led the world as innovators in keystone precision and machine tool industries. Our economic future calls for renewal of our entrepreurial heritage, perhaps as innovators in today’s electronics and biopharmaceutical high-technology industries.
Building a “green” economy in Rhode Island is key to a bright future for our children and grandchildren. Strengthening Rhode Island’s natural resource-based industries is critical because this industrial base and its related support industries affect the lives of more Rhode Islanders than any other sector of our economy. High-technology, education-dependent industries are also critical to Rhode Island’s overall economic competitiveness. Our support of natural resource-based and high technology industries uses local natural and cultural advantages to build a Rhode Island economy that can lead the world in the emerging fields of materials recycling, innovative energy systems, novel marine industries, and environmental biotechnology.
H 7132—RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS -- NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS. This act would impose certain procedures to insure that nonprofit corporations with assets valued in excess of $500,000 act fiscally responsible. It would also prohibit members of the nonprofit corporations governing body from being paid for services rendered for eighteen months after the member leaves the governing body.
H 7140—RELATING TO EDUCATION - - UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND. This act would promote the capability of the University of Rhode Island in the areas of environmental and agricultural research and extension education by authorizing the appropriation of additional state funds to match annual federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, without reduction in the University’s general operating budget.
H 7163—RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- AIR POLLUTION. This act would create the “Rhode Island Pollution Prevention Act of 2004” for the purpose of preventing or reducing pollution at the source, whenever feasible. This act would also create a small business technical and environmental assistance center for the purpose of development and implementation of a strategy to promote source reduction.
H 7188—RELATING TO DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES. This act would allow a person to file a private action against a person or entity that has committed an unfair trade practice.
H 7246—RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND CARBON FUEL REDUCTION AND AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ACT. This act would create a new chapter in the general laws directing DEM to develop plans for fossil fuel and greenhouse gas reduction and would exempt from taxation certain alternative energy equipment.
H 7526—RELATING TO FACILITIES FOR THE MENTALLY AND/OR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED. This act would require group homes for the mentally and/or developmentally disabled to be regulated by the department of health.
H 7574—RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - JUDGMENTS, ORDERS AND DECREES. This act would change the rate of interest assessed on civil judgments from twelve percent (12%) to six percent (6%).
H 7577—RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY. This act would provide that the liability of a defendant for damages would be several only and not be joint where the defendant's act or omission constituted no more than 25% of the causes of damages sustained by the plaintiff.
H 8205—RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- FAMILY INDEPENDENCE ACT. This act would provide that fifty dollars ($50.00) of child support paid by a noncustodial be provided to the family of children receiving cash assistance from the family independence program.
H 8359—RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND BAYS AND WATERSHEDS COORDINATION TEAM. This act would establish the Rhode Island Bays and Watersheds Coordination Team to promote multi-state and multi-agency coordination in the management, restoration, protection and development of the state's bays and watersheds. The act would also provide for the establishment of several committees to assist the coordination team in the performance of its duties.
H 8424—PROCLAIMING MAY 7, 2004 "URI COMMERCIAL FISHERIES DAY". RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in celebration of over a century of cooperation between the University of Rhode Island and the state’s oldest industry, commercial fishing, hereby proclaims Friday, May 7, 2004 to be “URI Commercial Fisheries Day” in the state of Rhode Island.
H 8641—RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION. This act would create the Comprehensive Watershed and Marine Monitoring Act of 2004.
H 8642—RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION. This act would authorize the director of the department of environmental management to coordinate various governmental agencies and private organizations to insure that watershed management and preservation are optimized. It would also make the Rhode Island Rivers Council an arm of the Water Resources Board instead of the department of administration, division of planning.
H 8692—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE STATUS OF THE STATE'S POLICY FORMULATION FOR SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES. This resolution would create a 20 member special House commission whose purpose it would be to study the status of the state's policy formulation for sustainable fisheries, and who would report back to the House of Representatives no later than March 11, 2005.
H 8703—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO DEVELOP AND PROMOTE A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF AQUACULTURE AND SEAFOOD COMMERCE. This resolution would create a sixteen (16) member special House commission, whose purpose it would be to develop, promote and stimulate a comprehensive system of aquaculture and seafood commerce, and who would report back to the House of Representatives no later than May 31, 2005.