Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

 

Jan. 24, 2020
 

           

 

 

 

This week at the

General Assembly

 

STATE HOUSE — Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly this week. For more information on any of these items visit http://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease

 

 

§  Assault weapon, high-capacity magazine bans introduced

Rep. Justine A. Caldwell (D-Dist. 30, East Greenwich, West Greenwich), Sen. Gayle L. Goldin (D-Dist. 3, Providence) and Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence) reintroduced their bills to ban assault weapons (2020-H 7263, 2020-S 2131) and high-capacity magazines (2020-H 7264, 2020-S 2130) saying such weapons have no legitimate purpose and that they endanger the public by enabling shooters to swiftly commit mass murder.
Click here to see news release.

§  Bill would allow abortion coverage by Medicaid, state employees’ insurance
On the 47th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision protecting the right to choose an abortion, Sen. Bridget Valverde (D-Dist. 35, North Kingstown, East Greenwich, Narragansett, South Kingstown) and Rep. Liana Cassar (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence) announced legislation that will lift the ban on abortion coverage for state employee health plans and ensure that abortion care is covered by Medicaid.
Click here to see news release.

§  Committees take testimony on leaders’ medical marijuana bill
The House and Senate Judiciary committees held hearings on legislation (2020-H 7013, 2020-S 2006) sponsored by House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) and Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) to address separation of powers issues connected to compassion center licensing statutes and regulations. Both committees will continue to study the bills.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Rep. McNamara bill would establish drug affordability board
Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston) has introduced legislation that would create a prescription drug affordability board to protect Rhode Islanders from the high costs of prescription drug products. Under the proposed legislation (2020-H 7121) the board would be tasked with investigating and comprehensively evaluating drug prices for Rhode Islanders and possible ways to reduce them to make them more affordable.
Click here to see news release.

 

§  Martin Luther King Jr. Commission observes annual celebration

The Martin Luther King Jr. State Holiday Commission held its annual celebration of the life of the great civil rights leader on Monday, Jan. 20, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Providence. The official holiday commemoration included remarks by commission members, state and religious leaders, and several musical presentations. Rep. Raymond A. Hull (D-Dist. 6, Providence, North Providence), who chairs the MLK State Holiday Commission, served as master of ceremonies.

 

§  Senate Judiciary Committee passes bill that will ban 3-D printed guns

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed legislation (2020-S 2004A) sponsored by Sen. Cynthia A. Coyne (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence) that would prohibit the possession, manufacturing or selling of 3-D printed firearms, “ghost guns” and other untraceable or undetectable firearms in Rhode Island.  The legislation now heads to the full Senate for consideration. Similar legislation (2020-H 7102) introduced by Rep. Patricia Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick), was heard by the House Judiciary Committee.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Rep. Diaz introduces ‘Student Bill of Rights’ legislation
Rep. Grace Diaz (D-Dist. 11, Providence) has introduced legislation (2020-H 7269) that would provide students attending public schools enrolled in grades K-12 with a students’ bill of rights prohibiting discrimination based on race, sex, gender, economic status or mental, physical, developmental or sensory disabilities.

§  Rep. Shanley legislation would allow online vehicle registration
Rep. Evan Patrick Shanley (D-Dist. 24, Warwick) has introduced legislation (2020-H 7301) that would authorize online registration of vehicles sold by a dealership and would extend the term of an operator’s license from five to 10 years. It would also require the Division of Motor Vehicles to forward mail it sends out to motorists to the secretary of state’s office when such mail is returned as undeliverable. It would also allow licenses plates to be returned through the mail.

 

 

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For an electronic version of this and all press releases published by the Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau, please visit our Web site at www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease.

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former President Trump is back in a New York City court for his criminal hush money trial. Jurors again heard testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker who has explained this week how he protected Trump from negative stories leading up to the 2016 presidential election. Trump faces felony charges of falsifying business records to cover up payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged affair.       The clock is ticking for pro-Palestinian protesters on the campus of Columbia University. University administrators said they need to clear out the encampment in less than 24 hours or they will be forced to take action. Students want amnesty for any students who may have been arrested or suspended as a result of the protests.        Salvage and recovery crews are marking a new milestone at the site of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse site in Baltimore. Thursday morning, a new deep-water channel opened and the first ship was able to pass by the bridge wreckage en route from the Port of Baltimore to Canada. The Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel is one of several ships being allowed to leave the port since being stranded following the March 26th collapse.        A federal judge is denying former President Trump's bid for a new trial in E. Jean Carroll's defamation lawsuit. Judge Lewis Kaplan said that the over 83-million-dollars in damages were not excessive and that Trump's comments when denying Carroll's claims that he sexually assaulted her in a department store in the 1990s "endangered [her] health and safety." Judge Kaplan noted that his continued attacks against her and her credibility "derailed her career" as a columnist and author.       The national average price for a gallon of regular gas is down slightly today. Triple A reports it dropped a penny to three-dollars-and-65-cents. That's also two cents less than a week ago.        The NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs continue tonight with two games. The Florida Panthers will travel to Tampa to take on the Lightning for game three. Then, the Carolina Hurricanes will face off against the New York Islanders for game three of their series.        

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