Woonsocket Radio News Room

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 weapons ban introduced

Rep. Jason Knight (D-Dist. 67, Barrington, Warren) and Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton) introduced legislation (2025-H 5436) to prohibit assault weapons including certain semi-automatic shotguns, rifles and pistols. All five of the state’s general officers and gun safety advocates called for the passage of the ban, which Gov. Dan McKee also included in his proposed 2026 budget bill.
Click here to see news release.

§  Ujifusa, Potter sponsor bill to prohibit 'junk fees'
Sen. Linda Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol) and Rep. Brandon Potter (D-Dist. 16, Cranston) are sponsoring legislation (2025-S 0017, 2025-H 5247) to prohibit “junk fees” by making it a deceptive trade practice to advertise, display or offer a price for a good or service that does not include all mandatory fees or charges other than government taxes and shipping.

Click here to see news release.

 

  • Euer bill would help Rhode Islanders pass on their homes without probate
    A bill (2025-S 0092) introduced by Sen. Dawn Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) would allow Rhode Islanders to avoid the costly and complex process of probate when leaving their home to a loved one after their death.

Click here to see news release.

 

  • Urso, Handy aim to boost Rhode Island’s main streets
    Legislation (2025-S 0174, 2025-H 5477)  introduced by Sen. Lori Urso (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket) and Rep. Arthur Handy (D-Dist. 18, Cranston) would launch a pilot statewide Main Street Coordinating Program to aid the success of Rhode Island’s main streets, downtowns and city centers.

Click here to see news release.

 

  • Felag, Boylan bill would waive VIN check fees for veterans and military
    Senate Special Legislation and Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Walter S. Felag Jr. (D-Dist. 10, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton) and Rep. Jennifer Boylan (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence) introduced legislation (2025-H 5081, 2025-S 0075) to waive the fee for vehicle identification number (VIN) inspections for veterans and active-duty military personnel.

Click here to see news release.

 

  • Morales, Kallman bill would help victims of wage theft in construction industry
    Rep. David Morales (D-Dist. 7, Providence) and Sen. Meghan E. Kallman (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, Providence) introduced legislation (2025-H 5366, 2025-S 0069) to help the victims of wage theft who work in construction receive the payments they are owed.

Click here to see Morales release.

Click here to see Kallman release.

 

  • Chairmen Craven and LaMountain introduce V.I.C.T.I.M. Act

House Judiciary Chairman Robert E. Craven (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown) and Senate Judiciary Chairman Matthew L. LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston) joined advocates at the State House on Wednesday to introduce the Victims of Crime Trauma Informed Mobilization (V.I.C.T.I.M.) Act (2025-H 5390, 2025-S 0258), which would establish a VICTIM Fund grant program to support nonprofit organizations providing victim services in Rhode Island.

Click here to see news release

 

§  House, Senate oversight committees hear update on Washington Bridge
The House Committee on Oversight met jointly with the Senate Committee on Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight to hear an update on the demolition and reconstruction of the westbound side of Washington Bridge from Department of Transportation Director Peter L. Alviti. The westbound span of the Washington Bridge was closed on Dec. 11, 2023, after the Department of Transportation announced the critical failure of some original bridge components.
Click here to see news release.

 

  • Legislators and Working Families Party announce ‘Working Families Agenda’
    A diverse group of legislators announced their Working Families Agenda, a list of top priorities for the 2025 legislative session.

Click here to see news release.

 

  • Shekarchi, Bissaillon mark opening of ECHO Village
    Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) and Sen. Jacob E. Bissaillon (D-Dist. 1, Providence) joined other officials to mark the opening of ECHO Village, the first pallet shelter village in Rhode Island, designed to help address the state’s homelessness crisis. The project was supported by state fiscal recovery funds, a Community Development Block Grant, and funding from the city of Providence.
    Click here to see news release.                                              

 

A federal judge is blocking parts of President Trump's executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the federal government. On Friday, the judge halted Trump's orders to cancel federal contracts concerning DEI, and his order to make government contractors prove they don't use DEI practices. The judge's injunction does not block the Department of Justice from making lists of companies and universities to investigate.        Hamas is releasing another set of human remains after Israel demanded they hand over the body of a mother taken hostage. Hamas released four bodies on Thursday, but Israel was outraged when the remains of Shiri Bibas were not among them. On Friday, the leader of Hamas said Bibas' remains have now been given to Israel.        The Supreme Court says it will prevent President Trump from firing the head of a top watchdog agency for now. Trump has been trying to fire Hampton Dellinger, who leads the Office of Special Counsel, but so far has been blocked by lower courts. On Friday, the Supreme Court neither granted nor denied Trump's request to fire Dellinger, instead saying they're choosing not to act because lower court proceedings are moving quickly.        The Trump administration is reversing its decision to make major cuts to the World Trade Center Health Program. The program provides medical treatment to over a-hundred-thousand first responders and survivors of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Officials say they're reinstating research grants that had been cut, and employees who were fired will be allowed to return to their jobs.        White House officials say federal aid for the Los Angeles wildfires will come with strings attached. In an interview with Politico, Trump envoy Richard Grenell said "The federal response is mostly money and so we are going to have strings on the money that we give to California." Grenell didn't specify what the conditions would be, but did say the California Coastal Commisison, which protects the state's coastlines, should be "defunded."        Hackers have made away with one-point-five-billion-dollars in the largest crypto heist in history. Bybit, a major cryptocurrency exchange, announced the news Friday. The hackers compromised an offline storage system, and the stolen funds were quickly transferred and liquidated through various platforms.       

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