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5/4/2026
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MEDIA ADVISORY: Senate Finance Committee meets twice this week to hear legislation and a presentation on Newport Hospital
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STATE HOUSE – The Senate Finance Committee will be meeting twice this week to hear legislation and a presentation on Newport Hospital.
The committee is chaired by Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton).
On Tuesday, May 5 at the RISE of the Senate (approximately 5 p.m. in Room 211 of the State House, the committee will hear testimony on a variety of legislation. Among the legislation scheduled to be heard are the following bills:
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2026-S 2667, sponsored by Sen. Lammis J. Vargas (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence), expands eligibility for the Childcare Assistance Program to meet the federal eligibility benchmark.
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2026-H 2811, sponsored by Chairman DiPalma, creates a publicly funded program for uninsured individuals requiring an appropriation of $53,200,000 for fiscal year 2027 and an appropriation of $109,600,000 for fiscal year 2028 and every fiscal year thereafter.
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2026-S 2831, sponsored by Sen. Pamela J. Lauria (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence), appropriates $2,700,000 to fund the primary care training sites program to provide training for physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants within the Department of Health.
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2026-S 2840, sponsored by Sen. Brian J. Thompson (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland), exempts licensed childcare centers from the sales tax.
On Thursday, May 7 at the RISE of the Senate (approximately 5 p.m.) in Room 211 of the State House, the committee will hear a presentation from Brown University Health relating to Newport Hospital and its future needs.
Among the legislation scheduled to be heard are the following bills:
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2026-S 2812, sponsored by Sen. Mark McKenney (D-Dist. 30, Warwick), requires that the state's share to support public library services in fiscal year 2027 be fixed at 25% of the amount appropriated and expended by the city or town in the second preceding fiscal year.
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2026-S 2367, sponsored by Senate President Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence), allows an individual, who is a first-time homebuyer, to contribute funds to a first-time homebuyer savings account with Rhode Island Housing to pay for eligible costs to purchase a home and receive tax deductions and exemptions.
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2026-S 2681, sponsored by Sen. Melissa Murray (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield), establishes the state-funded rental subsidy program.
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2026-S 2833, sponsored by Sen. Bridget Valverde (D-Dist. 35, North Kingstown, East Greenwich, South Kingstown), provides a tax credit to a taxpayer that makes a qualified investment in a qualified business.
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. Senate committee hearings may also air on Channel 75 for Cox subscribers. Livestreaming is available at https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv
For more information, contact:
Greg Pare, Director of Communications for the Senate
State House Room 112
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 276-5558
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