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4/3/2024
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Media Advisory: House Judiciary Committee meets Thursday to vote on bills from Speaker’s housing package
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STATE HOUSE – The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday, April 4, at the rise of the House sometime after 4:30 p.m. in the House Lounge on the second floor of the State House to vote on four bills, including three from Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) housing package, and to hear testimony on several bills relating to criminal justice and judicial procedures.
The committee is scheduled to vote on three bills from the Speaker’s housing package:
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2024-H 7948 —This bill sponsored by Rep. Joseph J. Solomon, Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) would amend the requirements of the inclusionary zoning law for affordable housing development to incorporate feedback from the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Planning Association. Inclusionary zoning is an optional tool for municipalities to require the provision of affordable units in conjunction with the development of market rate units. This legislation does not alter municipal approval requirements.
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2024-H 7949 —This bill sponsored by Rep. Robert E. Craven, Sr. (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown) would make amendments and clarifications to various provisions relative to subdivision of land review, review stages, special provisions related to development and the procedures for approvals from various permitting authorities. It is based upon feedback from the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns and the Rhode Island APA-planners.
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2024-H 7950 —This bill introduced by Rep. Leonela Felix (D-Dist. 61, Pawtucket) would require municipalities to allow at least three disclosed types of financial security (such as surety bonds, letters of credit or cash) provided by developers on projects that include public improvements. Municipalities would not be able to limit the bond to one specific type, but still retain their ability to require bonds and improvement guarantees for public improvements.
The committee will also vote on the following bill:
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2024-H 7950 — Introduced by Rep. Patricia A. Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Coventry) at the request of the attorney general’s office, this bill would extend the lookback period from five to 10 years for repeat offenses involving driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and for repeat offenses related to failure or refusal to submit to chemical tests.
The committee will also hear 24 bills relating to criminal justice and judicial procedures, including:
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2024-H 7949 —This bill sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Kislak (D-Dist. 4, Providence) would prohibit the questioning of a juvenile who is suspected of delinquent or criminal behavior, unless a parent, guardian or attorney of the juvenile is present, or unless the juvenile and their parents have waived their presence.
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2024-H 7950 —Introduced by Rep. David Morales (D-Dist. 7, Providence) at the request of the attorney general’s office, this bill would allow the attorney general to investigate and bring an enforcement action against persistent fraud or illegality in the carrying on, conducting or transaction of business or governmental activity.
Written testimony must be submitted to the committee clerk at HouseJudiciary@rilegislature.gov. Testimony must include your name, the bill number and your viewpoint, whether for, against or neither. Sign-up sheets for in-person testimony will be available in the hearing room.
The meeting will be televised by Capitol Television, which can be seen on Cox channel 61, on i3Broadband channel 15 and on Verizon channel 34. It 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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