Government
Public services and government action
PVD City Council endorses sex work criminalization study commission
"The reality is, legalized or not, sex work continues to exist in Rhode Island and without regulation and research, people who engage in sex work, particularly women, are left without a safe network to report assaults or other issues that may arise from the job," said Councilmember Kat Kerwin. "I hope the State will consider passing this bill with the full support of the Providence City Council."
Rhode Island State House Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Scholar-Athlete Awards Ceremony https://youtu.be/_ZE3aMLsCfE 2:30pm Child Care in RI https://youtu.be/La0sPSPoLkE AGENDA: WelcomeReview Highlights from Previous MeetingProvider and Legislative UpdatesAgency ReportsDiscussion about 2021 C...
Here’s how much money Rhode Island is getting from the American Rescue Plan
All told, Rhode Island state and local governments are set for a $1.6 billion boost from the feds. The share for municipalities will be sent in two installments spaced one year apart, while the state is currently eligible to receive its $1.13 billion all at once. The funds will remain available for use through the end of 2024.
Rhode Island State House Monday, May 10, 2021
10am Advisory Council - RI House Veterans' Affairs This committee appears to have met out of view of the public. TOPICS: Call to orderPledge of AllegianceMoment of SilenceRoll Call, Excused absencesDivision of Veterans Affairs – Activiti...
Eligible Rhode Islanders need to take advantage of expanded Child Tax Credit
"The expansion of the Child Tax Credit and the ability to receive the credit as a monthly installment will provide Rhode Island families with much needed stability and opportunity," said Larry Warner, Chief Impact and Equity Officer, United Way of Rhode Island.
Move quickly if you want to testify in favor of repealing LEOBoR
The Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee announced on Friday that they will be hearing testimony on a slate of policing and criminal justice bills, including three bills on the Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights (LEOBoR) on Monday at 3:30pm. This gives advocates for criminal justice reform precious little time to submit written testimony or to sign up to provide the Judiciary Committee verbal testimony by telephone.
Better than New York? Cannabis legalization in RI needs to center social and economic justice, say advocates
“In any legalization legislation we must ensure that the past and future harms of the criminalization of cannabis endured by thousands of Rhode Islanders are repaired," said Cherie Cruz, Co-Founder Formerly Incarcerated Union of Rhode Island. "In order to equitably do so we must include automatic expungement of all cannabis related offenses and provide a strong social equity program for the legal cannabis market that intentionally includes those who have been directly impacted and criminalized by this failed war on drugs.”
Activists call on RI House to raise taxes on the one percent
"It is important to pass this now,” said Rachel Flum of the Economic Progress Institute. "You may have heard that now is not the time because we're getting a lot of federal dollars. But that is not the case. the way tax policy works is that it takes a while to get the revenue. If we pass this now, it will go into effect for tax year 2022, which means that we'll get the revenue in April of 2023 - just about the time that those federal funds are done."
Advocates push for repeal of LEOBoR; PVD Mayor Elorza supports Senator Mack repeal bill
"We're not asking for defunding the police," said State Senator Tiara Mack. "We're not asking to abolish the police right now. We're asking for the bare minimum - the sub basement of policy - which is the full repeal of a bill that does not allow the community to hold these systems accountable."
Rhode Island State House Thursday, May 6, 2021
Thursday, May 6, 2021 1pm Governor's Press Conference on COVID-19 https://youtu.be/h0VYkbvuUaY 3pm Senate Committee on Finance https://youtu.be/hpirSMOTlv4 SCHEDULED FOR HEARING: H6122 (Governor) by Abney ENTITLED, AN ACT MAKING APPROPRI...