|
3/14/2022
|
MEDIA ADVISORY: House Finance Committee meets three times this week to hear legislation, ARPA proposals and a budget article
|
STATE HOUSE – The House Finance Committee will be meeting three times this week to hear testimony on a variety of legislation, FY 2023 (2022-H 7123) budget articles and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) proposals.
On Tuesday, March 15 at the RISE of the House (approximately 4:45 p.m.) in Room 35 of the State House, the committee will hear testimony on the following bills:
-
2022-H 7499, sponsored by Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence), authorizes the City of Providence to finance a contribution towards the unfunded pension liability of the employee retirement system of the city by the issuance of bonds in the principal amount of $515 million.
-
2022-H 6626, sponsored by Rep. Deborah A. Fellela (D-Dist. 43, Johnston), allows teachers, state and municipal employees to retire upon the earlier of reaching age 60 with 30 years of service or the employee's retirement eligibility date under present state statutes.
-
2022-H 7386, sponsored by Rep. Evan P. Shanley (D-Dist. 24, Warwick), prevents the state from reducing retirement benefits due teachers, by the amount they received for workers' compensation specific compensation and Medicare set aside allocations, thereby treating them the same way state and municipal employees are treated.
-
2022-H 7497, sponsored by Rep. Mary Duffy Messier (D-Dist. 62, Pawtucket), awards all members of the pension system a three percent COLA if certain conditions are met.
On Wednesday, March 16 at 4 p.m. in Room 35 of the State House, the committee will continue hearing ARPA projects with the following proposals:
-
ARPA Projects in Article 1 Section 16
-
Certified Community Behavioral Clinics
-
9-8-8 Hotline
-
Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility
-
Crisis Intervention Trainings
-
Mental Health Court Pilot Program
The committee will also hear testimony on the following bills:
-
2022-H 7389, sponsored by Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith (D-Dist. 46, Lincoln, Pawtucket), establishes a core state behavioral health crisis services system to be administered by the director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals.
-
2022-H 7627, sponsored by Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown), establishes a community mental health services revolving fund to help fund the construction and renovation of facilities to provide mental health services.
-
2022-H 7858, sponsored by Rep. Jacquelyn Baginski (D-Dist. 17, Cranston), establishes Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics.
On Thursday, March 17 at the RISE of the House (approximately 4:45 p.m.) in Room 35 of the State House, the committee will hear testimony on Article 9 – Section 1 of the FY 2023 state budget which relates to broadband.
The committee will also hear testimony on ARPA Projects in Article 1 Section 16 relating to last-mile broadband.
For all three hearings, individuals may testify in person before the committee at the State House. Sign-up sheets are available in/outside the hearing room.
Written testimony is strongly encouraged and may be submitted via HouseFinance@rilegislature.gov. Testimony will be posted on the General Assembly website: http://www.rilegislature.gov/Special/comdoc/Pages/HFIN.aspx.
The meetings will be televised on Capitol Television, which can be seen on Cox Channels 15, and 61, in high definition on Cox Channel 1061, on Full Channel on Channel 15 and on Channel 34 by Verizon subscribers.
They will also be live streamed at http://rilegislature.gov/CapTV/Pages/default.aspx.
For more information, contact: Andrew Caruolo, Publicist State House Room 20 Providence, RI 02903 (401)222-6124
|
|