Pilot Program for Homeless Passes, Grandparents Bill Passed: This Week at the The State House
GoLocalProv Political Team
Pilot Program for Homeless Passes, Grandparents Bill Passed: This Week at the The State House
Senate passes pilot program tapping Medicaid to house homeless
The Senate approved legislation sponsored by Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chairman Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence) to launch a pilot program testing the use of Medicaid funds to treat chronic homelessness. The legislation would employ Medicaid waiver funds to provide homeless individuals with behavioral health services, case management, personal care and assistance services, home and community-based services and housing support services.
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Senate OKs bill to speed doctors’ waits for insurance credentials
The Senate approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Gayle L. Goldin (D-Dist. 3, Providence) to institute a 45-day limit on how long a health insurer can take to issue credentials to a physician in Rhode Island. The legislation is intended to eliminate lengthy waits new doctors face when they apply to insurance companies for approval to see patients and receive reimbursements from them. Rep. Daniel P. McKiernan (D-Dist. 7, Providence) is sponsoring companion legislation in the House.
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Sen. Lynch Prata’s grandparent rights bill passes Senate
The Senate passed legislation introduced by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Erin Lynch Prata (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston) that establishes guidelines for the family court to use when deciding on petitions for visitation by grandparents. The measure now moves to the House of Representatives, where similar legislation has been introduced by Rep. John J. Lombardi (D-Dist. 8, Providence).
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House passes Lancia bill to restrict number of sex offenders at homeless shelters
The House of Representatives has passed legislation introduced by Rep. Robert B. Lancia (R-Dist. 16, Cranston) that would prevent registered sex offenders from forming more than 10 percent of the population of residential facilities receiving state funding or assistance, with certain exceptions. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Senate passes Sosnowski bill to allow Uber, Lyft regulation on Block Island
The Senate has approved legislation introduced by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown, New Shoreham) that would exempt the town of New Shoreham from the jurisdiction of the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers for purposes of regulatory transportation network companies, and would allow the town to establish its own regulatory framework regarding the services of those companies. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, where similar legislation has been introduced by House Minority Whip Blake A. Filippi (R-Dist. 36, New Shoreham, Charlestown, South Kingstown, Westerly).
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Senate OKs Archambault bill to promote growth in plant-based industries
The Senate has passed legislation introduced by Sen. Stephen R. Archambault (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, North Providence, Johnston) that would require the Office of Regulatory Reform to consult with the departments of Environmental Management, Labor and Training, Revenue, and the Coastal Resources Management Council, and plant-based and agriculture industry representatives to reduce burdensome regulations. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
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Senate President Ruggerio bill to enhance transparency of I-195 Commission
Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) has introduced legislation to enhance the transparency of I-195 Commission meetings. The bill would result in more meetings and discussions being held in public, and it mandates that commission members must participate in ethics training.
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House Minority Leader Morgan asks governor to address gypsy moth crisis
House Minority Leader Patricia Morgan (R-Dist. 26, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick) sent a letter to Gov. Gina M. Raimondo asking her to address the gypsy moth crisis in Rhode Island by commencing a statewide caterpillar eradication program.
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Rep. Vella-Wilkinson bill would prevent municipal pension fund diversion
Rep. Camille F.J. Vella-Wilkinson (D-Dist. 21, Warwick) has introduced legislation that seeks to prevent the diversion of municipal pension funds to the state except in an emergency or unforeseen circumstances upon approval of the city or town council after a public hearing, and a minimum of 30 days prior written notice to affected employees.
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House Judiciary Committee hears Rep. Barros’ Rhode Island Values Act
The House Committee on Judiciary heard testimony on Rep. Jean Philippe Barros’ (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket) legislation that would enhance community protections during Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions. The legislation would identify certain community locations, defined as “sensitive locations,” that would require a judicial warrant for immigration agents to access the premises.
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Sen. Nesselbush holds press conference on banning youth conversion therapy
Sen. Donna M. Nesselbush (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, North Providence) held a press conference regarding legislation that she sponsored that would prohibit licensed health care professionals from practicing conversion therapy on patients under the age of 18 years old. Conversion therapy seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity and includes practices that intend to eliminate or reduce a person’s sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. The House is considering similar legislation introduced by Rep. Edith H. Ajello (D-Dist. 1, Providence).
Click here to see news release.
Winners and Losers in Raimondo's FY18 Budget Proposal
Winner
Criminal Justice Reform
Per recommendations from the Justice Reinvestment Working Group, the Governor is proposing nearly $1 million in investments such as the public defender mental health program ($185,000), improved mental health services at the ACI ($410,000), recovery housing ($200,000) and domestic violence intervention, in her FY18 budget.
Winner
English Language Learners
Under the heading of “promoting 3rd grade reading,” Raimondo proposed adding $2.5 million to make English Language Learning (ELL) K-12 funding permanent. The Governor’s office points out that RI is one of four states that doesn’t have permanent funding.
The suggestion was one made by the Funding Formula Working Group in January 2016, who said that “in the event that Rhode Island chooses to make an additional investment in ELLs, the funding should be calculated to be responsive to the number of ELLs in the system and based on reliable data, and include reasonable restrictions to ensure that the money is used to benefit ELLs — and promote the appropriate exiting of ELL students from services.”
Winner
Car Owners - and Drivers
Governor Raimondo wants to reduce assessed motor vehicle values by 30% - a change that would reduce total car tax bills by about $58 million in calendar year 2018. Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, however, has indicated that he might want to go further in its repeal.
In her budget proposal, Raimondo also put forth adding 8 staffers to the the Department of Motor Vehicles to "address wait times."
Winner
T.F. Green
The “Air Services Development Fund” would get an influx of $500,000 to “provide incentives to airlines interested in launching new routes or increasing service to T.F. Green Airport.” The Commerce Corporation set the criteria at the end of 2016 for how to grant money through the new (at the time $1.5 million fund).
Also getting a shot in the arm is the I-195 development fund, which would receive $10.1 million from debt-service savings to “resupply” the Fund to “catalyze development & attract anchor employers.”
Tie
Minimum Wage Increase
An increase in the state minimum wage is part of Raimondo’s proposal, which would see it go from $9.60 an hour to $10.50 an hour. Raimondo was unsuccessful in her effort in 2016 to bring it up to $10.10 — it was June 2015 that she signed legislation into law that last raised Rhode Island’s minimum wage, from $9 to 9.60.
The state's minimum hourly wage has gone up from $6.75 in January 2004 to $7.75 in 2013, $8 in 2014, and $9 on Jan. 1, 2015. Business groups such as the National Federation of Independent Business however have historically been against such measures, citing a hamper on job creation.
Tie
Cigarette Tax
Like the minimum wage, Raimondo is looking for an increase - in this instance, the cigarette tax, and revenue to state coffers. Raimondo was unsuccessful in her effort to go from a tax of $3.75 to $4 last year. Now she is looking for an increase to $4.25 per pack, which the administration says would equate to $8.7 million in general revenue — and go in part towards outdoor recreation and smoking cessation programs.
The National Federation of Independent Business and other trade groups have historically been against such an increase, saying it will hurt small businesses - i.e. convenience stores. And clearly, if you’re a smoker, you’re likely to place this squarely in the loser category instead.
Loser
Hospitals
As often happens in the state budget, winner one year, loser the next. As GoLocal reported in 2016, “the Rhode Island Hospital Association immediately lauded the budget following its introduction, and addressed that while it is facing some reductions, that it "applauds" this years budget after landing on the "loser" list last year.”
This year, it falls back on the loser list, with a Medicaid rate freeze to hospitals, nursing homes, providers, and payers — at FY 2017 levels, with a 1% rate cut come January 1, 2018.
Loser
Online Shoppers
The taxman cometh — maybe. Raimondo proposed an “Internet Sales Tax Initiative” — which would purportedly equate to $34.7 million in revenues.
"Online sales and the fact that online sellers do not collect sales tax has created a structural problem for Rhode Island's budget — our sales taxes have been flat," said Director of Administration Michael DiBiase, of the tax that Amazon collects in 33 states, but not Rhode Island. "We think mostly due to online sales, we’re able to capture the growth. The revenue number is $35 million dollars — it improves our structural deficit problem. It’s an important fiscal development."
Loser
Long Term Care Funding
The Governor’s proposal recommends “redesigning the nature” of the State’s Integrated Care Initiative, by transferring long-term stay nursing home members from Neighborhood Health to Medicaid Fee-for-Service and repurposing a portion of the anticipated savings (from reduced administrative payments to Neighborhood Health) for “enhanced services in the community.” “The investments in home- and community-based care will help achieve the goal of rebalancing the long-term care system," states the Administration.
Cutting that program is tagged at saving $12.2 million; cuts and “restructuring” at Health and Human Services is slated to save $46.3 million.
