Dear friends,

I normally sign off of computers/phones for the Jewish sabbath, from Friday night to Saturday night. This week, when I signed off I had two bills scheduled. When I signed back on I had 8. I shouldn't be surprised. This year we broke a record for the number of bills introduced in the House - over 2000. 

Come join me today as I prep for all of these hearings next week! I'll write this newsletter at the same time. And, of course, it's not just the bills I sponsored that are important or exciting, and you may want to weigh in on one or more of these. Here is the complete listing of committee calendars for next week; information about how to testify in writing is at the bottom of the agenda, and to testify in person, you show up and sign in with the committee clerk or on the papers outside the hearing room.
 

I knew about Monday's hearings last week, and discussed them in the last newsletter, here. Quick recap: Monday there is a hearing on the Equity in Abortion Coverage Act at 2 p.m. in House Judiciary. Information about how to submit written testimony is on the bottom of the agenda. Here is more information about the EACA from Planned Parenthood, and action alert from the Womxn Project.

Also Monday, there will be a quick hearing on my annual resolution for RI to support DC statehood. This is always important, and the importance is highlighted because Congress seems like it is getting ready to overturn criminal justice reform legislation that DC passed last year. Rhode Island elected Representatives and Senators should not be able to have a vote on what laws govern the District.
 

There are no hearings on any of my bills, which means I'll be able to leave after session and go to meeting for my kid's school.  
 

I sit on the Education Committee, which has a hearing at 3 p.m. Wednesdays are my days in Boston for work, so I take the Amtrak right to the statehouse to get there. 

At 4 p.m. in State Government and Elections, we have our hearing on the ranked choice voting bill I'm presenting this year. This bill would allow for ranked choice in the presidential preference primaries. This is a great way to try out a new way of voting here in Rhode Island, because often in presidential preference primaries there are many candidates, and they sometimes drop out after ballots have been printed. This would ensure that every vote counts, and that our preferences are ranked to select our party nominee.

At 5 p.m. in Corporations, I have a bill for an interstate licensing compact for physicians assistants. Last year, I supported legislation for psychologists to join the interstate licensing compact called PSYPACT, and for physicians. I generally support interstate licensing compacts to allow easy of travel and on-line practice and to increase access to providers for Rhode Islanders. 

Also up in Corporations is this important bill I'm co-sponsoring with Rep. Lombardi to regulate pharmacy benefits managers that make getting our prescription medications more complicated and frustrating than it needs to be.
 

I sit on the Environment Committee and we have a hearing "at the rise," which means when we're done with the floor session, around 5 p.m. (I like thinking of it as when we legislators rise up from our seats on the floor of the house.) 

Environment will be hearing two of my bills, a green buildings bill to report and reduce carbon use in large buildings in Rhode Island, and a bill to transition from noisy and polluting lawn care equipment, including gas-powered leaf blowers and lawnmowers. 

The green buildings bill is modeled after similar benchmarking legislation in Massachusetts.

The leaf blower bill will ban sale of gas powered lawn equipment by 2025, and ban the use by 2028. California is banning sale by 2024, and could lead the consumer market so that it will be easier to buy electric than gas in coming years. 

Also on Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee is meeting, and will hear three bills I've sponsored.

The Judiciary Committee will be hearing a bill that is very important to me - an update to our adoption law will make confirmatory adoptions more streamlined. When Joanna and I decided to build our family, we carefully planned to build our family through assisted reproduction and one of us gave birth.  We did an adoption post birth to make sure both of us were legally secured as parents. When Joanna and I adopted our kids, the adoption was very much like every other adoption, complete with a DCYF home visit (I think we were able to waive publication in the newspaper in case any other parent, which there was none, would come forward). This bill will streamline the adoption process for families who seek adoption to secure existing family relationships, and is the second part of the Rhode Island Parentage Act, which updated our parentage laws and made it easier for a second parent to be on the birth certificate and acknowledged from the very beginning. Following the overturning of Roe, it is important that states act to protect other fundamental rights and relationships including protections for marriage equality and LGBTQ families.  Given the national context of attacks on LGBTQ people and families, it is important that Rhode Islanders have easy access to protections because simply being on a birth certificate may not be adequate protection of parental rights across all states. A court order of adoption - like parentage judgments and voluntary acknowledgements of parentage enabled by the Parentage Act - provides important protection to children and families. 

Child labor in the US is on the rise, and it seems timely to work to end it. This joint resolution would ratify a constitutional amendment passed in 1924 and needs 10 more states to ratify. Legislation is pending in several states, including Rhode Island.

Finally, Judiciary will hear this bill about rules for the road for bicycles. This bill includes some important safety provisions; the one I'm most excited about would be the ability of cities and towns to regulate (lower) the speed of state roads that pass through thickly settled areas.


Thank you for joining me as I made my list of bills for the week. I will make talking points for my introductions next, but thanks to the journey of writing this newsletter, I'm well on my way! Please let me know what you think. If I'm missing a bill you are passionate about but I didn't mention, let me know. Please submit testimony by following the instructions on the bottom of the agendas. Please come testify in person (and be ready for long and late nights; bring snacks). 

                                                                              

Friday March 17, 6-9 p.m.
St. Pat's Shanty Sing
The Parlour, North Main Street


Monday March 28, 7 p.m.
Information Session about Ranked Choice Voting
Zoom - information to come




Lunch Break Office Hour with Rep. Kislak
Friday March 14, 11:30-12:30
Facebook Event here (with login information)




Hope Street Block Party
May 20th, 2023
Hope Street


Rochambeau Library Events
There's so much going on at our community library! 
Here's their calendar