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5/4/2026
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MEDIA ADVISORY: House Finance Committee meets three times this week to hear legislation and budget articles
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STATE HOUSE – The House Finance Committee will be meeting three times this week to hear a variety of legislation and budget articles.
On Tuesday, May 5 at the RISE of the House (approximately 4:45 p.m.) in Room 35 of the State House, the committee will hear testimony on several pieces of legislation. Among the legislation scheduled to be heard are the following bills:
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2026-H 7687, sponsored by Rep. David A. Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston), exempts individual retirement accounts as a countable resource for public assistance. This act also prohibits the state as a creditor against an ABLE account in the event of death of a beneficiary.
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2026-H 7692, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer A. Stewart (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket), sets controls on Medicaid prescription drug costs by imposing transparency and accountability requirements on managed care organizations and their pharmacy benefit managers.
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2026-H 8172, sponsored by Rep. Teresa A. Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett), establishes the “Prescription Drug Savings and Transparency Act of 2026.”
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2026-H 8182, sponsored by Rep. Karen Alzate (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket, Central Falls), requires Medicaid to provide coverage for fertility medication, care, and services, for at least three cycles of fertility treatment, and intrauterine insemination.
On Wednesday, May 6 at 4 p.m. in Room 35 of the State House, the committee will hear the following FY 27 budget amendment and articles relating to affordability:
On Thursday, May 7 at the RISE of the House (approximately 4:45 p.m.) in Room 35 of the State House, the committee will hear testimony on a variety of legislation, including many bills relating to taxation. Among the legislation scheduled to be heard are the following bills:
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2026-H 7313, sponsored by Representative Alzate, creates an additional tax rate of 3% on taxable income over $640,000 in 2026 dollars, and it applies to tax years 2027 and thereafter, not retroactively.
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2026-H 7397, sponsored by Rep. Stephen M. Casey (D-Dist. 50, Woonsocket), repeals the corporation minimum tax.
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2026-H 7594, sponsored by Rep. William W. O’Brien (D-Dist. 54, North Providence), raises the earned-income tax credit to 30% for the tax years 2027 and beyond.
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2026-H 7695, sponsored by Representative Bennett, establishes property, tangible, sales and use tax exemptions as incentives for the location of qualified data centers in Rhode Island.
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2026-H 7805, sponsored by Rep. Patricia A. Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Coventry), establishes phased reduction of personal income tax rates.
The meetings will be televised by Capitol Television on: Cox Communications, channels 15 and 61 for high definition; i3Broadband (Formerly Full Channel) on 15; and Verizon, on channel 34. Livestreaming is available at https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv
For more information, contact:
Larry Berman, Communications Director for the Office of the Speaker
State House Room 322
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 447-2655
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