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3/18/2024
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Media Advisory: Senate Judiciary Committee to meet twice, address fair housing and labor practices, welfare of foster children
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STATE HOUSE – The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet Tuesday to hear a bill amending the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practice Act, along with six other bills related to fair housing and labor practices. It will also meet Thursday to hear 10 bills related to the rights and wellbeing of children in foster care, childcare assistance and positions requiring the advice and consent of the Senate.
The committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday, March 19, at the rise of the Senate sometime after 4:30 p.m. in Room 313 on the third floor of the State House to hear seven bills, including:
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2024-S 2221 — This bill, introduced by Sen. Meghan E. Kallman (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket, Providence), would amend the Fair Housing Practices Act to define and clarify protections for assistance and service animals, clarify the ability of the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights to hear cases of discrimination on the basis of housing status, prohibit housing listings from discriminating on the basis of housing status and allow parties involved in a fair housing case to discuss their case publicly.
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2024-S 2672 — This bill, introduced by Sen. Jacob Bissaillon (D-Dist. 1, Providence), would prohibit any employer from denying a person employment based on a prior criminal conviction, and also prohibit the state from denying a person from engaging in an occupation which requires a license, permit, or certificate of registration based on a prior criminal conviction.
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2024-S 2436 — This bill, introduced by Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston), would prohibit non-compete agreements except between the seller and buyer of a business, and allows an employer to bring a civil action against an employee who discloses or wrongfully utilizes trade secrets.
Written testimony must be submitted to the committee clerk at senatejudiciary@rilegislature.gov prior to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, in order for it to be provided to the members of the committee at the hearing and to be included in the meeting records. Sign-up sheets for in-person testimony will be available in the hearing room.
The committee is also scheduled to meet Thursday, March 21, at the rise of the Senate sometime after 4:30 p.m. in Room 313 on the third floor of the State House to hear 10 bills, including:
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2024-S 2459 — This bill, introduced by Sen. Alana DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham), would streamline access to the Child Care Assistance Program be removing the requirement that families cooperate with the Department of Human Services to establish paternity and enforce child support in order to qualify for childcare assistance.
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2024-S 2684 — This bill, also introduced by Senator Kallman, would allow minors between 14 and 17 either without a permanent residence or in the custody of the Department of Children, Youth and Families to get state ID without a signature from a parent or guardian.
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2024-S 2463 — This bill, introduced by Sen. Mark P. McKenney (D-Dist. 30, Warwick), would require appointments to the Rhode Island Ethics Commission obtain the advice and consent of the Senate.
Written testimony must be submitted prior to 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, in order for it to be provided to the members of the committee at the hearing and to be included in the meeting records. Sign-up sheets for in-person testimony will be available in the hearing room.
Both meetings will be televised live by Capitol Television, which can be seen on Cox channel 61, on i3Broadband channel 15 and on Verizon channel 34. They will be live streamed at capitoltvri.cablecast.tv.
For more information, contact:
Tristan Grau, Publicist
State House Room B20
Providence, RI 02903
401.222.4935
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