In my view, the keystone of our economic policy should be the health and well-being of Rhode Island’s workers and their families. This is the foundation of job satisfaction and competitive good businesses, and the root of a thriving economy. I work on initiatives aimed at assuring that Rhode Islanders enjoy the best possible health, from infancy through the golden years.
H 7131—RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS. This act would allow those with pharmaceutical health insurance benefits to choose their own pharmacy.
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 7157—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN. This resolution would extend the reporting date of the special house commission to promote and develop a comprehensive system of education for the visually impaired children from March 18, 2004 to March 18, 2005.
H 7162—RELATING TO PARKS AND RECREATIONAL AREAS -- GENERAL PROVISIONS. This act would provide a waiver of fees for disabled veterans at state owned recreational facilities and licenses issued by DEM.
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 7404—RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- LICENSING OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. This act would provide for a community living option to be provided for all persons who have a disability and are sixty-five (65) years of age or younger in order to allow those individuals the choice to live in a less restrictive community-based environment or their own home environment.
H 7518—RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- HEALTH CARE FOR WORKING PEOPLE FOR WORKING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. This act would authorize the department of human services to establish a Medicaid buy-in program pursuant to the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.
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 7527—RESPECTFULLY URGING THE MERCURY REDUCTION OVERSIGHT COMMISSION TO PREVENT MERCURY POLLUTION FROM ELECTRONIC WASTE. This act would require that producers of electronic waste be financially and environmentally responsible for this waste and its disposal.
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 8186—RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. This act would mandate that the land use actions of quasi-public agencies on property at the periphery of state airports develop a master plan subject to local approval.
H 8191—RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- MEDICAID EXPENDITURES -- ANNUAL REPORT. This act would require the department of human services to separately report managed care expenditure and enrollment for children with special health care needs and those in substitute care.
H 8192—RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STROKE TASK FORCE. This act would direct the director of the department of health to establish and maintain a comprehensive statewide stroke task force.
H 8204—RELATING TO EDUCATION. This act would allow the board of regents for elementary and secondary education to provide for special grants which it may deem necessary to stimulate special education service arrangements and establish the level of subsidy that it deems appropriate to continue the operation of any special education service area. This act would also add a member of the Paul V. Sherlock Center for Disabilities to the interagency transition council within the department of elementary and secondary education, and would require each school committee to inform the parents or legal guardian of a child with disabilities of the availability of the services at the Paul V. Sherlock Center for Disabilities.
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 8206—RELATING TO AERONAUTICS - NOISE MONITORING. This act would require the Rhode Island Airport Corporation to procure and install a permanent airport noise monitoring system (NMS) to be fully integrated with the aircraft operator monitoring system (AOMS) to provide actual measurement of noise levels from air traffic in the community surrounding T.F. Green Airport.
H 8234—CREATING A SPECIAL HOUSE COMMISSION TO REVIEW CURRENT SCIENCE EDUCATION K-12 STANDARDS AND THOSE FOR "THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" REQUIREMENT. This resolution would create a nine member special house commission whose purpose it would be to review current science education and who would report back to the House of Representatives no later than March 17, 2005.
H 8277—PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF MARCH, 2004 TO BE "SAVE YOUR VISION MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby proclaims the month of March, 2004 to be “Save Your Vision Month” in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further RESOLVED, That we propose that all the citizens of the State of Rhode Island recognize the importance of safeguarding their eyesight...
H 8283—RELATING TO CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. This act would submit to the voters the question of authorizing the issuance of $20,000,000 general obligation bonds for the Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency.
H 8284—RELATING TO CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. This act would submit to the voters the question authorizing the issuance of $20,000,000 general obligation bonds for the acquisition of open space.
H 8285—RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS. This act would require the department of education to establish a school vision-testing 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 8360—RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THE RHODE ISLAND CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SPONSOR AND VIGOROUSLY SUPPORT THE ENACTMENT OF THE "INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ACCESSIBILITY ACT" IN THE 108TH SESSION OF CONGRESS. RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby respectfully requests the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation to sponsor, and most vigorously support, the enactment of the "Instructional Materials Accessibility Act," also known as the IMAA in this 108th session (2003-2004) of Congress.
MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $25,000 FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM. This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $25,000 for the Comprehensive Community Action Program.
H 8440—RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- THE RHODE ISLAND RIVERS COUNCIL. This act would refine the powers and duties relating to the Rhode Island Rivers Council.
H 8544—RELATING TO THE CITY OF WARWICK TO PLACE ON THE BALLOT A QUESTION AUTHORIZING $2,000,000 IN BONDS TO PURCHASE OPEN SPACE. This act would authorize the city of Warwick to place on the ballot a question authorizing $2,000,000 in bonds to purchase open space.
H 8596—PROCLAIMING MAY 15, 2004 THROUGH JUNE 15, 2004 AS "TOURETTE SYNDROME AWARENESS MONTH". That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby proclaims May 15, 2004 through June 15, 2004 as "Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month".
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 8669—RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE - - EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES. This act would provide that individual or group hospital or medical expense insurance policies or contracts providing coverage for dependent children include coverage of early intervention services and would provide for a transition process for early intervention for developmentally disabled infants.
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.