Watch List - 2014
This list is for public information only. ECRI may or may not have an official stance on these bills.
People interested in tracking legislation during the session are encouraged to sign up for an account in the General Assembly's Bill Tracker system.
Bill Title | House Bill # & Sponsor | Senate Bill & Sponsor | ECRI's Position | House Committee | Senate Committee | House Bill Status | Senate Bill Status |
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Fisheries Administrative Fund for Renewable Energy Projects This act would establish a fisheries administrative fund. The fund would be supported through an annual fee imposed on the lease of marine submerged lands for renewable energy projects. The fee would be used to create a nonprofit entity representing the interests of Rhode Island commercial and recreational fishing in fisheries management and in the development and operation of renewable energy facilities in marine waters used regularly by Rhode Islanders. |
7992 Teresa Ann Tanzi |
2792 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | |||
Resilient Rhode Island Act of 2014 The bill addresses climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience. It makes DEM the coordinating agency for climate change mitigation and the division of planning in the department of administration as the lead agency on climate change adaptation. For mitigation, the bill establishes targets for greenhouse gas emissions, ending in 85% reduction by 2050. A science advisory council is established within DEM to review and consider current climate change science and to review RI's mitigation and adaptation programs. |
7904 Arthur Handy |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | Senate Vote | |||
Eliminating sales tax for electric vehicles This legislation would give a tax credit to individuals who purchase plug-in electric vehicles equal to 100% of the sales tax up to $2000. |
7884 Arthur Handy |
2197 Joshua Miller |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | Deferred | In Committee |
Non-toxic Ammunition This bill would require DEM to phase out the use of lead ammunition by hunters by 2017, if it is practicable and if the agency has the resources to enforce it. DEM would provide coupons so hunters do not incur financial losses. It does not apply to law enforcement officers. Breaking the law is punishable by $500 fine for first offense, $1000 second offense, and $5000 third offense. |
7838 Arthur Handy |
2628 Joshua Miller |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Judiciary | Deferred | In Committee |
Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Incentive This legislation provides a 30% tax credit for residential or commercial installations of alternative automotive fueling stations. It applies to electric charging stations, natural gas, ethanol (bio-fuel), hydrogen for fuel cells, and liquefied petroleum gas. |
7825 Arthur Handy |
2202 Joshua Miller |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | Deferred | In Committee |
State Lead Poisoning Prevention Programs - Minimum Funding Requirement This act would provide that in the event of insufficient federal funds for the environmental lead program, the General Assembly shall appropriate no less than six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) per year for support and maintenance of the Department of Health's environmental lead program, and five hundred ninety thousand dollars ($590,000) per year for the state match for the lead hazard abatement program (Housing Resources Commission). |
7803 Arthur Handy |
2674 Maryellen Goodwin |
Support | Deferred | In Committee | ||
Distributed Generation
House and Senate Bills are identical. |
7727 Deborah Ruggiero |
2690 V. Susan Sosnowski |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | House Vote | Senate Vote |
Cesspool phaseout This act would phase out the use of cesspools throughout the state, beginning with those close to tidal water areas and public drinking water supplies. It would require the identification and replacement of cesspools on all properties that are subject to sale and transfer.
|
7724 Teresa Ann Tanzi |
2684 V. Susan Sosnowski |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Deferred | Voted out of Committee |
An Act Relating to Public Utilities and Carriers -DG Standard Contracts Extends current program at 20MW/year; no innovative features; no change in net metering |
7723 Thomas Winfield |
2435 William J. Conley |
Oppose | Deferred | Deferred | ||
Waste Hauler Licensing Would require waste haulers to be licensed by the Department of Business Regulation to ensure that they offer standard contracts that include collection of all source-separated materials required by law such as recyclables and organics. |
7720 Linda D. Finn |
2434 Catherine Cool Rumsey |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Corporations | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Deferred | Deferred |
Encroachment on Open Space This act would allow the owner of open space land or holder of a conservation easement or the attorney general to bring an action in superior court to prevent further encroachment of the land and to recover damages resulting from this encroachment.
|
7684 Donna M. Walsh |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Judiciary | House Vote | |||
Creation of Select Commission to Study the Future of Solid Waste Mgt in RI It's a Joint Resolution to create a special select commission to determine the future of Solid Waste Mgt in RI. The commission would be comprised of 16 members, one of who shall be the President of the Environment Council of Rhode Island, or designee. |
7656 Stephen R. Ucci |
2793 Frank Lombardo, III |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee | In Committee | |
Repeal of Radio Frequency Water Meters in Johnston This act would repeal the provision of the general laws that requires water suppliers that service the town of Johnston to formulate and carry out a program for installation of radio frequency reading systems. |
7627 John M. Carnevale |
2865 Stephen R. Archambault |
Oppose | 2013-2014 House Committee on Municipal Government | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Deferred | In Committee |
Requiring Composting of Food Scraps by Certain Large Businesses This act would require certain large commercial food scrap generators to divert food residuals to composting facilities. |
7482 Donna M. Walsh |
2436 V. Susan Sosnowski |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Deferred | Deferred |
RI Transportation Infrastructure Fund Provides substantial funds for transportation, including for public transit (RIPTA) views transportation holistically to include both DOT and RIPTA. |
7432 John G. Edwards |
2335 Louis P. DiPalma |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | Deferred | Voted out of Committee |
Overturn the Ban on Waste Incineration in RI This bill will strike the following language from Sections 23-19-3 and 23-19-11 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-19 entitled "Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation" (7) The plan shall not include incineration of solid waste. and (16) That incineration of solid waste is the most costly method of waste disposal with known and unknown escalating costs that would place substantial and unreasonable burdens on both state and municipal budgets to the point of seriously jeopardizing the public's interest. |
7411 Stephen R. Ucci |
2437 Dominick J. Ruggerio |
Oppose | 2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Deferred | Deferred |
Medical Waste Management and Disposal This act would require hospitals and pharmacies to provide sharps containers for public use. |
7179 Arthur J. Corvese |
2520 William A. Walaska |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee | ||
Plastic Waste Reduction This act would establish a plan for the gradual ban on the use of disposable plastic checkout bags by retail establishments. |
7178 Maria E. Cimini |
2314 Frank Lombardo, III |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee | In Committee |
Budget Article 5 - Nov 2014 Ballot Question 4 Article 5 would create ballot questions for the November 2014 state general election. Question 4 would authorize the issuance of bonds for Clean Water, Open Space, and Healthy Communities ($75 million), Brownfield Remediation and Economic Development ($5 million), Green Streets and Green Neighborhoods ($4 million), Flood Prevention ($3 million) and many more environmentally important projects. |
7133 Raymond E. Gallison Jr. |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | Signed | ||
RGGI - Budget Article 7 Would increase the use of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) proceeds for administrative functions of Office of Energy Resources (OER) and DEM. |
7133 Raymond E. Gallison Jr. |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | Signed | ||
DEM Budget - FTE Cap Article 1, Section 10: RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is capped at 399 FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) positions. Which represents status quo from FY 2014. |
7133 Raymond E. Gallison Jr. |
Oppose | 2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | Signed | ||
Budget Article 5 - Nov 2014 Ballot Question 3 Article 5 would create ballot questions for the November 2014 state general election. Question 3 would authorize the issuance of bonds for Mass Transit Hub Infrastructure ($40 million). |
7133 Raymond E. Gallison Jr. |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | Signed | ||
New DEM Division of Agriculture This act would expand the powers of the department of environmental management relating to agriculture and farming by creating a new division of agriculture. |
7120 Larry Valencia |
2137 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee | ||
GMO labeling Requires labeling of genetically engineered food products. |
7093 Raymond A. Hull |
2013-2014 House Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare | In Committee | ||||
Renewable Energy Tax Credit This legislation would restore the Renewable Energy Tax Credit, which provides a tax credit for 25% of the cost of a residential renewable energy project up to $3500. |
7083 Deborah Ruggiero |
2213 Joshua Miller |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | In Committee | In Committee |
Genetically Engineered Product Definitions This act would update and refine the definition section in the statutes on food, drugs, and cosmetics, most notable a new definition for genetically engineered products. It would also set forth rules for labeling such products. |
7042 Dennis M. Canario |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare | Deferred | |||
Food Residuals Recycling Initiative This act would create a food residuals recycling program to establish a safe and environmentally sound method to dispose of food residuals. |
7033 Donna M. Walsh |
2315 Catherine Cool Rumsey |
Support | 2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | House Vote | Senate Vote |
Climate Change Council- Senate Climate Bill This is the Senate's bill to comprehensively address climate change. The strategy of this bill is essentially to codify the Executive Climate Change Council, which would be aided by the input of an advisory council whose members would be appointed by the Executive Council members themselves (2 for each). The mitigation targets in this bill are much weaker than the Resilient RI Act targets in the near term but do call for an 80% reduction by 2050. |
2952 William J. Conley |
Support | Signed | ||||
New Freshwater Position at DEM This act would create a new position within the water resources division of DEM which would have oversight over all freshwater lakes, streams, and ponds within the state. |
2688 Paul W. Fogarty |
Support | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Senate Vote | |||
Soil Amendments This bill would require applications for the conduct of composting operations to contain written confirmation from the town that the operation will be conducted in an area with proper zoning |
2186 Louis P. DiPalma |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee | ||||
Farm Conservation and Renewable Energy Act of 2014 This legislation would establish siting guidelines to make it easier for farmers to install wind turbines on their land. The installed renewable energy facilities would also be exempt from property taxes. |
2438 Louis P. DiPalma |
Support | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee | |||
Outdoor Wood-fired Hydronic Heaters This act would regulate the sale and installation of outdoor wood-fired hydronic heaters. |
2016 William A. Walaska |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee | ||||
Liability limitations on public lands (bad) This act would change the definition of "owner" to exclude the state and municipalities
|
2593 Michael J. McCaffrey |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Judiciary | |||||
Reducing State Gasoline Tax This bill would reduce the state gasoline tax by five cents a gallon. |
2027 Walter S. Felag Jr. |
Oppose | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | In Committee |