Environment Council of Rhode Island

...building an ecologically healthy future in a sustainable economy

Watch List - 2021

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.
Click on blue-titled columns to sort by that field.

Bill Title House Bill # & Sponsorsort descending Senate Bill & Sponsor House Committee Senate Committee House Bill Status Senate Bill Status ECRI Position Updated date
Environmental Justice Act

Requires the department of environmental management to create environmental justice areas.

0105
Dawn Euer
2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Passed Senate - Sent to House Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 9:58pm
Vulnerable Road User Protection

Povides for specific fines and sanctions to operators of motor vehicles who fail to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a vulnerable road user causing injury, serious injury, or death to the vulnerable road user.

5093
Joseph M. McNamara
0318
Stephen R. Archambault
2021-2022 House Committee on Judiciary 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Judiciary Signed Effective without Governor's signature Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 9:52pm
Miniature Alcoholic Beverage Container Act

Creates a refundable fifty cent ($0.50) deposit for miniature alcoholic beverage containers, often referred to as "nips."

5113
David A. Bennett
0562
Joshua Miller
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Held For Further Study Held for further study Legislative Agenda
**
08/11/2022 - 12:24pm
Single-Use Plastic Straws

Prohibits a food service establishment from providing a consumer with a single-use plastic straw, unless the consumer requests such a straw

5131
David A. Bennett
0155
Michael J. McCaffrey
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Signed Signed Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:08pm
Disposable Food Service Containers

Prohibits a covered establishment from preparing, selling, processing or providing food or beverages in or on a disposable food service container that is composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam

5138
David A. Bennett
0036
Joshua Miller
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Held For Further Study Held for further study Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:45pm
Public Trust Designation for Municipal Lands

Creates a voluntary mechanism for municipalities to use to dedicate a park, conservation or other land they own as public trust land in perpetuity to protect and preserve its future use.

5259
John G. Edwards
0172
Dawn Euer
2021-2022 House Committee on Municipal Government & Housing 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Housing & Municipal Government Signed Signed Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:44pm
Beverage Container Deposit Recycling Act Of 2021

Creates a refundable four cent ($0.04) deposit for non-reusable beverage containers. A ten cent ($0.10) handling fee would be paid by distributors.

5280
Carol Hagan McEntee
0106
Jeanine Calkin, 0220
Jeanine Calkin
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Held For Further Study Legislative Agenda
**
08/05/2022 - 3:31pm
PFAS in Food Packaging

Prohibits PFAS, a class of fluorinated organic chemicals, from being used in food packaging.

5356
Terri Cortvriend
0110
James A. Seveney
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Passed House - Sent to Senate Held for further study Legislative Priority
**
08/04/2022 - 9:48pm
Plastic Waste Reduction Act

Creates the "Plastic Waste Reduction Act" designed to reduce the use of plastic bags by retail establishments by offering recyclable bag options and providing penalties for violations.

5358
Carol Hagan McEntee
0037
Dominick J. Ruggerio
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Held For Further Study Passed Senate - Sent to House Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:46pm
Helium Balloons

Prohibits the release of balloons inflated with lighter-than-air gas

5376
Susan R. Donovan
0038
V. Susan Sosnowski
2021-2022 House Committee on Judiciary 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Signed Signed Legislative Agenda
**
08/11/2022 - 11:56am
Act On Climate

Establishes a statewide greenhouse gas emission reduction mandate.

5445
Lauren Carson
0078
Dawn Euer
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Signed Signed Legislative Priority
**
08/11/2022 - 12:53pm
"Advanced Recycling"

License required for advanced recycling facilities. No licensing within two (2) miles residential zone, school, place of worship or waterway or wetlands, except this prohibition shall not apply to grandfathered operation.

H55446: Exempts post-use polymers and recovered feedstocks used in advanced recycling processes from the definition of solid waste

5446
Carlos E. Tobon
0254
Frank Lombardo, III
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Judiciary Held For Further Study Held for further study Legislative Priority
**
08/04/2022 - 10:54pm
Enables Conservation Easements

Requires conservation and preservation restrictions to be liberally interpreted in favor of the grants awarded.

5472
Robert E. Craven Sr.
0094
Louis P. DiPalma
2021-2022 House Committee on Judiciary 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Finance Held For Further Study Passed Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:43pm
PFAS In Drinking Water, Groundwater And Surface Waters

Requires DOH to establish maximum contaminate levels of PFAS in drinking water and to set interim standards. Also requires DEM to set standards for PFAS in ground- and surface waters. Defines PFSA as hazardous substances.

5523
June S. Speakman
0107
Walter S. Felag Jr.
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Held For Further Study Passed Senate - Sent to House Legislative Priority
**
08/04/2022 - 9:48pm
Climate Literacy Act

Implements literacy of climate change for all students enrolled in public schools or other schools managed and controlled by the state in kindergarten through twelve (K-12).

5625
Terri Cortvriend
0464
Valarie J. Lawson
2021-2022 House Committee on Education 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Education Held For Further Study Held for further study Legislative Agenda
**
08/11/2022 - 12:22pm
Neonicotinoid Pesticide Regulation

Prohibits the use of neonicotinoids which are a class of insecticides.

5641
Rebecca M. Kislak
0702
Joshua Miller
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Passed Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:05pm
Green Justice Zone Act

Establishes the first Green Justice Zone, a model that may be replicated in future years to ensure that all communities throughout the state have clean air and clean water.

5674
David Morales
0540
Tiara T. Mack
2021-2022 House Committee on Finance 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Judiciary Held For Further Study Held for further study Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:03pm
Forest Conservation Act

Creates a forest conservation commission, to be coordinated with the department of environmental management, to seek new funding and identify incentives for landowners to maintain their land as forest.

5760
June S. Speakman
0470
Frank A. Ciccone III
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Signed Signed Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:44pm
Renewable Energy Standard

(Increases the percentage of retail electricity sales from renewable energy sources. Sets forth new renewable energy standards.

5762
Deborah Ruggiero
0629
Dominick J. Ruggerio
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Commerce Held For Further Study Passed Senate - Sent to House Legislative Priority
**
08/11/2022 - 12:32pm
Home Energy Affordability (PIPP)
Creates the Percentage of Income Home Energy Affordability Program, an income-sensitive tiered subsidy program to ensure that home energy utility costs are affordable for eligible low-income households.
 

 

5809
Scott Slater
0584
V. Susan Sosnowski
2021-2022 House Committee on Finance 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Finance Held For Further Study Held for further study Legislative Agenda
**
08/09/2022 - 5:09pm
Green Buildings Act Amendments

Repeals the expiration provisions that major facility projects or other public improvements comply with green building standards, thereby requiring major facility projects of state agencies to be constructed to LEED standards.

5919
Terri Cortvriend
0760
Louis P. DiPalma
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Finance Passed Held for further study Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 9:54pm
High Heat Waste Facility Prohibition

Prohibits new high-heat waste processing facilities.

5923
Justine A. Caldwell
0527
Bridget G. Valverde
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Judiciary Signed Deferred Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 10:47pm
Appliance Efficiency Standards Act of 2021

Establishes minimum energy and water efficiency standards for appliances and specified equipment purchased or installed after January 1, 2023

5966
Arthur Handy
0339
V. Susan Sosnowski
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Signed Signed Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 9:47pm
Ocean State Climate Adaptation Fund

Establishes the Ocean State Climate Adaptation and Resilience Fund. Enables municipalities and the state to apply for grants to improve public safety and community climate resilience for coastal habitats, as well as river and stream floodplains.

5967
Camille F.J. Vella Wilkinson
0035
Ryan W. Pearson
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Signed Signed Legislative Agenda
**
08/11/2022 - 12:10pm
Energy Efficiency - Least Cost Procurement

Requires the energy efficiency and resources management council to run a triennial competitive bid process to select an entity to propose and administer system reliability and energy efficiency and conservation procurement until March 1, 2036. (Senate)

Requires submission of a triennial system reliability/energy efficiency/conservation procurement plan until 9/1/2036 and continues a charge on gas/electricity to fund energy efficiency/conversation programs until 9/1/2035. (House)

6144
Deborah Ruggiero
0634
V. Susan Sosnowski
2021-2022 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Commerce Signed Signed Legislative Priority
**
08/04/2022 - 9:44pm
Prohibit Solar Project Co-location

Prohibits the co-location of multiple renewable energy resources one or more contiguous parcels, unless the total capacity of the co-location is less than ten megawatts (10MW) in total.

6169
June S. Speakman
0474
Alana DiMario
2021-2022 House Committee on Corporations 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture Held For Further Study Held for further study Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 9:45pm
Transportation Emission and Mobile (TEAM) Community Act

Establishes the Transportation Emission and Mobile (Team) Community Act intended to limit and reduce indirect carbon dioxide emissions throughout the state while promoting the purposes of the transportation climate initiative program.

6310
Terri Cortvriend
0872
Alana DiMario
2021-2022 House Committee on Finance 2021-2022 Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture In Committee Passed Senate - Sent to House Legislative Agenda
**
08/04/2022 - 9:53pm