This Week In The General Assembly

Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly for the week ending April 15, 2011. For more information on any of these items visit http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/News/

Governor’s sales tax plan receives hearings, legislative leaders seek alternatives
At hearings held by the House and Senate Finance Committees this week, business owners and taxpayers argued against the governor’s budget proposal (Article 26) involving a multi-tiered sales tax proposal that would tax many new items and services. Both House Speaker Gordon Fox and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed said they will consider alternative means of closing the budget deficit.

House approves measures to rearrange District Courts
The House approved a bill (2011-H 5131aa) sponsored by Majority Whip J. Patrick O’Neill (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket) to ease overcrowding at the J. Joseph Garrahy Judicial Complex in Providence by moving District Court cases from Foster, Glocester, Johnston, Lincoln, North Providence, North Smithfield, Scituate and Smithfield  to Kent County’s new, less-cramped Gov. Philip W. Noel Judicial Complex Courthouse in Warwick. The bill also moves North Kingstown District Court cases from Washington County to the Kent County courthouse. The bill (2011-S 0117), which was requested by Chief District Court Judge Jeanne E. LaFazia, is sponsored in the Senate by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Michael J. McCaffrey (D-Dist. 29, Warwick).

House Judiciary Committee hears elections bills
The House Judiciary Committee held hearings on a number of bills relating to elections, including bills (2011-H 5661, 2011-H 5511) by House Majority Whip J. Patrick O’Neill (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket) and House Deputy Majority Whip Donald J. Lally Jr. (D-Dist. 33, Narragansett, North Kingstown) to create a uniform closing time of 8 p.m. for polling places across the state.
Click here to see news release.

Bill creating renewable energy coordinating board OK’d in committee
The Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture voted to recommend Senate passage of legislation (2011-S 0722) to create a renewable energy coordinating board. Sponsored by President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown), the bill makes the board responsible for developing a strategic renewable energy implementation plan for the state and advising the governor and General Assembly on its findings and recommendations.