This Week At the General Assembly

This roundup was provided by the Rhode Island General Assembly:

"§      Senate Judiciary Committee hears ‘early release’ bill
Legislation to amend the law that allows convicted criminals early release for good behavior was heard by the Senate Committee on Judiciary. Requested by the Office of the Attorney General, the bill (2011-S 0753) was sponsored by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, New Shoreham, South Kingstown).  It would prohibit individuals convicted of certain offenses from being eligible for time off for good behavior. Identical legislation has been introduced in the House by Rep. Teresa Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett). That bill (2011-H 5990) is currently before the House Committee on Judiciary. The Senate Judiciary Committee also approved another bill (2011-S 0806) sponsored by Senator Sosnowski that would place an immediate moratorium on good behavior and program participation credits for prisoners serving sentences of more than 20 years.

§      Ferri, Metts, advocates want end to high-interest payday loans
Backed by a coalition of advocates, Rep. Frank G. Ferri (D-Dist. 22, Warwick) and Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence) argued for legislation aimed at freeing Rhode Islanders from a cycle of debt caused by ultra-high-interest payday loans. The legislation (2011-H 5562, 2011-S 0288) eliminates a special exemption from the state’s usury law that has allowed payday lenders to charge borrowers triple-digit interest rates, instead subjecting payday lenders to the same 36-percent limit that applies to other lenders.

§      Health Insurance Exchange gets committee approval
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee recommended the approval of legislation (2011-S 0087 A) sponsored by Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) to create a health insurance exchange through which small businesses and individuals could learn about their health insurance options and available subsidies. Required under the federal health care overhaul, the exchange would help individuals and small businesses compare health plans, and is intended to expand coverage, improve the quality of coverage, increase competition and transparency and reduce costs. Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) is sponsoring the bill (2011-H 5498) in the House.

§      Ruggerio introduces bill to regulate devocalization of pets
Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, Providence, North Providence) has introduced legislation (2011-S 0266) to prohibit devocalization of pets unless deemed by a veterinarian as a medical necessity for the animal. Devocalization, also known as debarking, is a surgical procedure that permanently takes away the ability of dogs to bark and cats to purr.

§      House approves DaSilva measure supporting full-day kindergarten
The House approved a resolution sponsored by Rep. Roberto DaSilva (D-Dist. 63, East Providence, Pawtucket) calling for full-day kindergarten classes. The measure (2011-H 5049 A) requests that kindergarten school days contain at least five and one half hours of actual school work, excluding lunch, recess periods, common planning time, pre- and post- school teacher time, study halls, homeroom periods, student passing time and any other time that is not instructional time.

§      Ucci calls for heightened security at banks
Saying it would speed up the identification of robbers and serve as a deterrent to criminals, Rep. Stephen R. Ucci (D-Dist. 42, Johnston, Cranston) has introduced legislation (2011-H 5147) requiring outdoor security cameras at banks. Under the bill, all financial institutions and credit unions would be required to video tape their customer doors, automatic teller machines (ATMs) and night deposit repositories. Sen. Roger A. Picard (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland) is sponsoring the bill (2011-S 0180) in the Senate.

§      Sponsors: Dog abuse case shows need for stronger animal cruelty law
Sponsors of legislation to strengthen animal cruelty penalties said the news this week about a Providence woman who escaped with no penalty but $50 in court costs after her starving dog was taken by investigators highlights the need for stiffer treatment of animal abusers in Rhode Island. The legislation (2011-H 5522, 2011-S 0092), sponsored in the House by Speaker Pro Tempore Elaine A. Coderre (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket) and in the Senate by Sen. Rhoda E. Perry (D-Dist. 3, Providence), would add additional fines of up to $1,000 and prohibit those convicted from living with animals for five years for a misdemeanor penalty, 15 years for a felony.

§      Senate commission begins study of funding of vocational schools
With Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston) serving as its chair, a new Senate commission on the funding of vocational schools in Rhode Island began its study. Created by legislation sponsored by Senator Gallo in the previous legislative session, other members of the panel are Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton) and Sen. Glenford J. Shibley (R-Dist. 33, Coventry, East Greenwich, Warwick, West Warwick).

§      Judiciary Committees hear from victim’s mother about DNA collection bill
Jayann Sepich, whose daughter Katie was murdered in 2003 in New Mexico, testified before both chambers’ Judiciary Committees in favor of legislation that would require DNA samples of anyone arrested for a felony. The legislation (2011-H 5132, 2011-S 0120) is sponsored by Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) and Sen. David E. Bates (R-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol).
 
§      Serpa, Lynch serve as panelists for follow-up to small business economic summit
Sen. Erin P. Lynch (D-Dist. 31, Warwick), chairwoman of the Senate Small Business Task Force and Rep. Patricia A. Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Warwick, Coventry), chairwoman of the House Committee on Small Business, attended the Small Business Administration’s 5th annual Economic Summit follow-up breakfast to discuss progress on the recommendations of the SBA’s annual Economic Summit and action under consideration in the General Assembly to improve the climate for small business in Rhode Island."