 |
|
6/24/2026
|
Several Stewart initiatives incorporated into state budget, including library funding, RIDOT audit, PUC reporting
|
STATE HOUSE — During the 2026 session, Representative Jennifer Stewart introduced several legislative initiatives to help Rhode Islanders which were successfully incorporated into this year’s state budget.
Representative Stewart introduced legislation to ensure that Rhode Island fulfills its obligation to fully fund our public libraries (2026-H 7691), and that funding was included in the enacted spending plan.
For more than a decade, the state ignored its own law that requires Rhode Island to contribute to each city and town in an amount equal to 25% of municipal expenditures and 25% of any expenditures from a library’s private endowment that supplements the municipal funding. However, since 2022, due to the advocacy of librarians, their patrons and legislators, including Representative Stewart, the General Assembly has funded libraries at the full 25%.
“Over the last few years, we’ve seen efforts to compromise the ability of public libraries to provide vital community services both through partisan censorship of library materials and through direct funding cuts,” said Representative Stewart (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket). “I developed my love of reading and learning because I had lifelong access to public libraries and I’m glad that we can ensure that the children of today and tomorrow have the same opportunity.”
Representative Stewart also introduced legislation (2026-H 7499) calling for a performance and efficiency audit of the Department of Transportation. The agency had come under close scrutiny after a forensic audit suggested that transportation officials overlooked problems with the Washington Bridge before the structure had to be closed.
“We’ve heard conflicting reports and statements from RIDOT officials over what they knew and didn’t know about the state of the Washington Bridge,” said Representative Stewart in March. “At a joint oversight hearing in November 2025, the RIDOT Director was asked whether any of the bridge inspection contractors that the State was suing for the Washington bridge failure were working on other RIDOT projects. The Director could not provide that information, adding that RIDOT literally does business with hundreds of contractors. That hearing raised questions about the wisdom of using inspectors to do work for RIDOT whose previous work is alleged to be defective.
“It’s time for a fresh pair of eyes to take a close look at the inner workings of the agency so we can have some assurances that it’s operating at an acceptable level of efficiency.”
She also pointed to the possibility that an efficiency audit could conceivably find money that could be freed up and redirected to better fund the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority as well as general road maintenance.
Elements of that legislation were incorporated into the budget, which will include an audit on asset management, including pavement, bridges, culverts, intelligent transportation systems assets, backlog replacement needs and lifecycle cost analysis; as well as maintenance efficiency, including cost per lane-mile, snow and ice operations productivity, maintenance productivity and equipment utilization. The audit must be completed by March 15, 2027.
As all Rhode Islanders are deeply affected by the high cost of energy, Representative Stewart introduced legislation (2026-H 7890) to create an intervenor compensation program to ensure a more diverse set of perspectives are represented in the decision-making processes of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB). The Public Utilities Commission is tasked with regulating monopolies such as Rhode Island Energy and setting the utility rates that Rhode Islanders pay. The Energy Facility Siting Board controls the placement of major energy facilities in our state. RI Energy has the resources, attorneys, and technical knowledge to participate in regulatory proceedings, and it can use customer revenue to finance this participation, whereas Rhode Islanders, including environmental justice groups, do not have the resources to participate in the regulatory process. Intervenors can push back on excessive utility spending, propose robust alternatives, pursue cost savings for ratepayers, and advocate for other ratepayer interests. An intervenor compensation program provides funding for everyday Rhode Islanders to take part in utility and siting board proceedings so that utilities decision-making better aligns with the public interest.
“There are more than 15 intervenor support programs across the country, including in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. California’s well-established intervenor compensation program saw a $10 return for ratepayers for every $1 invested in the program.
“Our constituents clamor for us to do something about utility affordability. We can do something by helping intervenors participate in the formal, legal proceedings of the PUC and EFSB.
“The budget charges the PUC with reporting to the legislature that includes consideration of creating an intervenor program, which I believe should help create a pathway for the future intervenor program to be established,” said Representative Stewart.
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-1922
|
|