2023/2024 Term Highlights
Helping Working Families
Sponsored a new law prohibiting hospitals and other medical providers from reporting medical debt to credit agencies. No one should be unable to buy a car or home or unable to rent an apartment because they had a serious illness or injury.
Co-sponsored a new law to expand Temporary Caregiver Insurance, or paid family leave, from 6 to 8 weeks so caregivers can spend more time with a new child or care for a seriously ill loved one.
Sponsored a law to extend the utility moratorium until May 1st to protect vulnerable families and seniors from utility shutoffs during the coldest months of the year.
Sponsored a law prohibiting rental application fees to help families find housing. Co-sponsored laws increasing notice on rent increases from 30 to 60 days and strengthening protections against lead poisoning.
Sponsored a bill to prohibit insurance companies from considering an applicant’s credit score when determining their automobile insurance rates.
Co-sponsored a new law creating “Secure Choice” individual retirement accounts to help people of all ages save for retirement, regardless of whether their employer currently offers a retirement savings program.
Supported the suspension of tax paid on electricity and natural gas last winter, providing $35 million in relief for residents and businesses.
Sponsored a law expanding the Rhode Island Works program, lifting thousands of families and children (including grandparents that are raising their grandchildren) out of deep poverty. This bill also eliminated the full family sanction that harms children through no fault of their own. Sponsored a law last year that expanded health coverage to pregnant RI Works participants from 7 months to the start of pregnancy, ensuring these parents can access vital prenatal care ensure healthy birth outcomes and healthy families.
Investing in Education
Successfully fought to restore budget cuts to education in 2023 and 2024, restoring nearly $3 million of critical funding to Woonsocket and North Smithfield this year alone. These state investments provide students with the resources they need while offsetting the burden on local property taxes.
Sponsored a bill to create a special education Ombud office to help parents, children and teachers navigate our education system, gain access to resources, and hold RIDE accountable. All children should have access to the consistent, high-quality education they deserve and to which they are entitled.
Sponsored a new law requiring parents to be informed of the ABLE program during IEP meetings. This valuable program, which is highly underutilized, allows parents and guardians to save for the needs of their disabled children without jeopardizing their family’s benefits.
Making Health Care More Affordable and Accessible
Building upon my bill signed into law in 2021 that caps co-pays for insulin at $40 a month for a 30-day supply, sponsored legislation to cap the cost of diabetes and glucose monitoring supplies to $25 per 30-day supply with no deductible.
Sponsored a bill to cap inhalers for asthma, COPD, and other pulmonary diseases to $25 per 30-day supply with no deductible.
Sponsored a law requiring health insurers to provide HIV prevention medication with zero out of pocket cost, no deductible, and no prior authorization.
Sponsored a law in 2023 that prohibits insurers from denying health insurance from “living donors” ensuring organ donors won’t be penalized for giving the gift of life to others.
Supported a package of health care reform bills aimed at addressing Rhode Island’s critical shortage of primary care providers.
Supported codifying protections of the Affordable Care Act into state law, prohibiting annual and lifetime limits in health coverage, prohibiting denials based on preexisting conditions, and ensuring cost-free preventative care.
Sponsored a law codifying that no one shall be denied care on the basis of age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, color, marital status, familial status, disability, religion, national origin, source of income, source of payment or profession. No one should be denied health care because of who they are or what they do for work.
Supporting Small Businesses
Sponsored a law creating a $50,000 tangible personal property exemption, eliminating this onerous tax for 75% of our smallest and family-owned businesses.
Allocated $100 million in federal funds to the unemployment trust fund, resulting in a tax break for all Rhode Island businesses.
Sponsored a law raising sales limit for local craft breweries and distilleries, allowing them to expand and attract more tourism dollars.
Helping Our Seniors and Veterans
Sponsored a law in 2023 that increased the amount of retirement income from taxation from $15,000 to $20,000. Co-sponsored a law in 2024 that again increased the exemption to $50,000 for single filers and $100,000 for those filing jointly.
Supported exempting military pensions from income tax and expanding the property tax relief program for low-income seniors.
Co-sponsored a bi-partisan bill to eliminate the tax on social security.
Justice for Victims of Crimes
Sponsored a law requiring the state crime lab to audit its database and identify missing DNA samples of sexual and violent offenders to help solve cold cases and bring justice to victims.
Sponsored a new law eliminating filing fees for victims of crimes that are owed court ordered restitution and the victim seeks to have the judgement enforced. Victims should not be penalized just because the person that hurt them refuses to pay.
Animal Cruelty
Sponsored a bill to ban the cruel and unnecessary declawing of cats, prohibiting the surgical amputation of a cat’s claws or toes for any non-therapeutic purpose. This bill passed the Senate and was widely supported by numerous animal welfare and rescue organization, including the Woonsocket Cat Sanctuary.
Co-sponsored a new bill increasing the minimum penalty for canine neglect from $500 to $1000.
Working for Our Community
Sponsored a new law removing barriers to licenses for businesses within the Woonsocket Downtown Overlay District and returning the power to local city officials. Local businesses shouldn’t have to wait to open their doors when the General Assembly is not in session!
Sponsored a new law codifying PTSI disability benefits for our fire fighters and police into state law to help bring awareness of the mental health needs of our first responders and de-stigmatize access to mental health care.
Supported the creation of a new program to provide state funding to repair municipal roadways, alleviating the local tax burden for this program.
Renamed a portion of the Blackstone River Bike Path in Downtown Woonsocket after the late Albert P. Valliere.
Secured more than $25,000 in state grants to support local organizations such as Aging Well (Senior Center), New Beginnings, Milagros Project, American Legion Post 85, Veteran’s Memorial Museum, North Smithfield Heritage Association, North Smithfield EMA, Riverzedge Arts, and the Community Care Alliance Homeless Shelter.