Job Creation Proposal and a New State Pier in Newport: This Week at the State House
GoLocalProv News Team
Job Creation Proposal and a New State Pier in Newport: This Week at the State House
Bill sponsors, speaker, governor tout job creation proposal
Speaker of the House Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) was joined by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo and bill sponsors to promote job creation legislation before the General Assembly this session. Rep. K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) introduced the House bill and Sen. James C. Sheehan (D-Dist. 36, North Kingstown, Narragansett) sponsored the Senate bill. During a news conference at the InterLink Transportation Hub garage in Warwick, the four discussed the Qualified Jobs Incentive Act, which encourages new and existing companies to grow and add new jobs through a number of personal and business tax incentives.
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Governor, Senate President open new state pier at Fort Adams
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo and President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown), along with Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit, officially opened the new public pier at FortAdamsState Park in Newport. Construction on the pier began in April 2014 to improve public access to Narragansett Bay. The 240-foot long pier — with seven rows of floating docks and a public pump-out station — was funded through the state’s annual capital improvement program. The new North Pier is one of several capital improvements at Fort Adams, and the opening of the pier coincided with the arrival of the Volvo Ocean Race yachts, their crews and race enthusiasts. The Volvo teams are expected to stay in Newport until mid-May, and then head out on the next leg of the race that began last October.
Click here to see news release.
Rep. Raymond E. Gallison Jr. (D-Dist. 69, Bristol, Portsmouth) and Sen. Daniel Da Ponte (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) introduced legislation to enact the terms proposed in a potential settlement of unions’ lawsuit over the state’s 2011 changes to the state employee pension system. The settlement, which would provide small cost-of-living increases and changes to retirement-age requirements, must be approved by the General Assembly to take effect.
Racial profiling bills heard, headed for Senate vote
The House and Senate Judiciary Committees took testimony on legislation aimed at addressing police racial profiling by requiring data collection on police stops and prohibiting police searches of juveniles without probable cause. The legislation (2015-H 5819, 2015-S 0669), sponsored by Rep. Joseph S. Almeida (D-Dist. 12, Providence) and Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence), was recommended for full passage in the Senate and held for further study by the House committee.
Sen. Nesselbush bill would increase sex assault minimum penalty to 20 years
Sen. Donna M. Nesselbush (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, North Providence) has submitted legislation that would increase the minimum penalty for first degree sexual assault from 10 to 20 years. The bill would also create a category of aggravating circumstances wherein the first 10 years of any sentence for first degree sexual assault would be ineligible for the benefits of deferment or suspension.
Click here to see news release.
Sen. Morgan’s sex trafficking bill heads to governor’s desk
Both houses of the General Assembly have passed a bill introduced by Sen. Elaine J. Morgan (R-Dist. 34, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond, West Greenwich) that would increase the penalties for criminal offenses involving the sex trafficking of a minor. The bill now heads to the governor. A similar bill sponsored by Rep. Doreen M. Costa (R-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter) was passed by the House and is scheduled for a vote in the Senate.
Three election mail ballot reform bills pass House
The House passed three bills reforming the mail ballot process during state elections. Sponsored by Rep. Robert E. Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown), changes the time period in which mail ballots must be securely stored. Sponsored by Rep. Jeremiah T. O’Grady (D-Dist. 46, Lincoln, Pawtucket), changes the procedure for counting mail ballots. Sponsored by Rep. Carlos E. Tobon (D-Dist. 58, Pawtucket), allows mail ballot applications and emergency mail ballot applications to also serve as an affirmation form for inactive voters, as long as the voter’s application address is where the voter is currently registered.
Click here to see news release.
Defense Economy Planning Commission holds meeting on cyber security
The Joint Defense Economy Planning Commission held a meeting regarding cyber security and its potential threats and positive opportunities for Rhode Island. The commission is co-chaired by Sen. Louis P DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton, Little Compton) and Rep. Raymond E. Gallison Jr. (D-Dist. 69, Bristol, Portsmouth). The meeting featured a wide variety of attendees, including Dr. Victor Fay-Wolfe from URI, the State Police Cyber Disruption Team and the RING 102nd Information Warfare Squadron.
Click here to watch meeting on Capitol TV.
Third graders make the case for the American burying beetle as state insect
Third-grade students from St. Michael’s Country Day School in Newport gave an entomology lesson to legislators as their civics project aimed at designating the American burying beetle the state insect brought them to the State House to testify on bills introduced on their behalf by Rep. Lauren Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport) and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown, New Shoreham).
Click here to see news release.
Assembly welcomes 8-year-old Hasbro Children’s Hospital Champion
Both chambers of the General Assembly welcomed Jeannette Finch, 8, of Coventry, recently named by Hasbro Children’s Hospital as the 2015 Children’s Network Hospitals Rhode Island Champion. The Senate adopted a resolution honoring Jeannette, introduced by Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis (D-Dist. 33, Coventry, East Greenwich, West Greenwich). Jeannette and her parents, John and Carol, were accompanied to the House by Rep. Robert A. Nardolillo III (R-Dist. 28, Coventry). Jeannette suffers from osteogenesis, also known as brittle bone disease.
Click here to see news release.
The 10 Most Politically Powerful at RI State House
#10 - Sen. Da Ponte
The Senate Finance Chairman pushed hard in 2014 for corporate tax reform -- and combined reporting -- and was recently reappointed to his fourth term at the helm of the committee that vets the state's budget. With House Speaker Mattiello's talking about eliminating the state income tax on social security, a budget deficit and the prospect of diminishing gaming revenue, Da Ponte will have his work cut out for him chairing the powerful Senate committee.
#9 - Rep. DeSimone
One of the most powerful political players in Providence, the Majority leader wields his influence at the state house as part of Speaker Mattiello's team. Serving in the chamber since 1992, DeSimone rose to his current position with the ouster of former Speaker Gordon Fox in 2014. He will be a pivotal player at the State House for the City of Providence (and new Elorza administration), as the state grapples with a projected $200 million budget deficit, and Providence needs a strong advocate to appeal for what it can.
#8 - Bob Goldberg
The former Minority Leader continues his position as one of the state's top lobbyists, representing a wide range of clients that last year included Lifespan, GTech, Johnson and Wales, and CVS Health, to name a few. Year in, year out, Goldberg -- who is married to RI Supreme Court Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg -- parlays his State House knowledge and connections for his well-funded clients, who in the past have included Twin River when it successfully pushed for table games on the ballot in 2012.
(Goldberg pictured at right.)
#7 - Bill Murphy
The former Speaker of the House continues to wield unparalleled influence as a lobbyist and behind-the-scenes king maker. While he last served as the state's most powerful elected official until 2010, Murphy's ability to exert control at the State House was evidenced by backing now-Speaker Mattiello when the battle to replace Gordon Fox took place. Murphy's lobbying clients range from the corrections officers to payday lending to Twin River.
#6 - Sen. Paiva Weed
The Senate President, who has been at the chamber's de facto top post since 2008, faced a strong challenge this past election season from Newport's Mike Smith, who had been an outspoken opponent against a table games expansion at Newport Grand -- a decision which Paiva-Weed ultimately came to following the rejection of a host agreement by the Newport City Council. Paiva Weed in her opening address of this year's General Assembly session promised to make jobs and the economy her top priorities, followed closely by education. With the school construction moratorium schedule to expire in May, watch to see how Paiva-Weed works with the House and Raimondo administration to address the burgeoning infrastructure needs.
#5 - Sen. Ruggerio
The Senate Majority leader was first elected to the chamber in 1984, after four years in the House, and was Senate majority whip from 2003 to 2010. An administrator for the New England Laborers Labor Management Co-op Trust, Ruggerio's labor ties have helped cement his position of power in the Senate. Despite two arrests, Ruggerio has emerged relatively unscathed, advancing the legislation establishing the I-195 Redevelopment Commission, and pushing for increased parking in downtown Providence by the Garrahy judicial complex
#4 - David Cruise
Governor Raimondo's newly chosen Legislative Director should prove to be much more than that. While Raimondo tapped former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley staffer Stephen Neuman to be her Chief of Staff, the out-of-towner might bring in a fresh perspective, but Cruise knows the lay of the land. Having a Rhode Island political resume that includes serving as a State Senator, Governor Sundlun's Chief of Staff, and top roles at the RI Resource Recovery Corporation and as a traffic court magistrate, Cruise's policy role, while his official one, will be just one in his advisory capacity for the newly elected Governor.
#3 - Leo Skenyon
The Speaker of the Houses's Chief of Staff is the gatekeeper -- and like his predecessor before him, Frank Anzeveno (under former Speaker Gordon Fox), Skenyon is the key to access the Speaker. Skenyon, a former top aide to Governor Bruce Sundlun and U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell, had most recently been the Traffic Tribunal Clerk. The former Chief of Staff to Senate-Majority leader Jack Revens in the 1980s, Skenyon has been at the helm before in orchestrating the chamber's top office. Skenyon enters his first full session at the post along with Mattiello as the agent behind the state's biggest power broker.
#2 - Gov. Raimondo
The state's 75th governor -- and first woman at the helm -- marks the first return of a Democratic head-of-state since Governor Bruce Sundlun entered the office in the winter of 1991. Raimondo however won with just 40.7% of the vote, which gave her the plurality, but not a mandate. Bringing in a number of outsiders for key positions, and shaking up multiple Department directors, the Raimondo administration looks markedly unlike any in recent years. How successful Raimondo is in pushing through her agenda in the first six months will go a long way to determining how powerful she will be in the next four years.
#1 - Speaker Mattiello
The Speaker of the House has always wielded the most power in Rhode Island, and Speaker Mattiello is now the de facto head of state for the second -- and first full -- year. Mattiello emerged from the 2014 session earning plaudits from a wide range of supporters for pushing through a cut in the corporate income tax and changes to the estate tax. Now, as a new General Assembly has just gotten underway, Mattiello is eying eliminating the state income tax on social security, before the Governor has submitted her budget proposal. Look to see what the Speaker can -- and will -- accomplish in 2015.
