School Safety Assessment Deadlines, Chamber of Commerce Lunch: This Week at the State House

Sen. Ruggerio bill would make stiff penalties for assaulting delivery person

Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, Providence, North Providence) has introduced legislation that would make assault and battery upon delivery persons a felony and would mandate a maximum sentence of imprisonment of three years or a $3,000 fine. The bill would also mandate a sentence of five to 20 years if the assault involves a dangerous weapon.

Sen. Goodwin, Rep. Regunberg introduce earned sick days legislation

Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence) and Rep. Aaron Regunberg (D-Dist. 4, Providence) have introduced earned sick leave legislation intended to benefit nearly 170,000 workers, more than 40 percent of private sector workers in the state. The Healthy and Safe Families and Workplaces Act would enable all employees to earn sick leave to care for their health and the health of their families.

Rep. Carson introduces older citizens legislative package

Rep. Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport) is highlighting a wide legislative package that aims to support Rhode Island’s older citizens. The first is a resolution requesting that the U.S. Congress not pass any legislation that would cut Medicare benefits or eliminate the guaranteed level of health care coverage that has been part of Medicare since the program’s inception. The second bill would establish within the Department of Human Services, Division of Elderly Affairs, the Rhode Island Aging and Disability Resource Center as part of the Rhode Island system of long-term care for older adults, persons with disabilities, family caregivers and providers. The final bill would exempt military pension income from personal income tax in Rhode Island.

Rep. Cunha introduces legislation for retiree tax break on sewer bills

Rep. Helder J. Cunha (D-Dist. 64, East Providence) introduced legislation (2017-H 5423) that would provide an income tax credit of 25 percent for taxpayers over the age of 65 who pay a water or sewer bill on their primary residence. According to the legislation, the tax credit cannot exceed $250 and would be applied to the taxpayers’ personal income tax obligation.

Rep. Amore bill on care for medically-fragile students heard in committee

Rep. Gregg Amore’s (D-Dist. 65, East Providence) legislation that would establish standards of practice for school nurses who provide one-on-one care for medically-fragile students was heard in the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare. Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick).

Rep. Lancia bill would restrict number of sex offenders in state-funded facilities

Rep. Robert Lancia (R-Dist.16, Cranston) has introduced legislation (2017-H 5159) to restrict the number of sex offenders housed in state-funded/state-assisted residential facilities. Lancia’s bill will stop the number of registered sex offenders from surpassing 10 percent of the residential facility’s units and prevent sex offenders from numbering more than 10 percent of the facility’s population.

Joint Senate committee meeting focuses on repeal of Affordable Care Act

The Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services held a joint meeting to hear presentations on the estimated impact of the repeal of all or some aspects of the Affordable Care Act. The committees heard presentations by Executive Office of Health and Human Services Secretary Elizabeth Roberts on Medicaid expansion and broader ACA health care reform efforts; by Health Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Hittner on the impacts on the commercial health insurance rates and consumer protections; and by Department of Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott on Affordable Care Act funding of state population health efforts.

General Assembly leaders attend Chamber of Commerce luncheon

Speaker of the House Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) and President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) attended the annual Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce Legislative Luncheon held at the Rhode Island Convention Center. They were joined by House Majority Leader K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick), House Minority Leader Patricia L. Morgan (R-Dist. 26, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick), Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence), and Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere (R-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown) for a panel discussion regarding business and economic issues within the state.

Related Slideshow: 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.