State Rep. Tina Spears to hold Feb. 28 meeting for District 36 residents

She also posts other ways to get in touch with her

By Will Collette

Our new State Representative Tina Spears (D-Charlestown, Block Island, Westerly and South Kingstown) is off to a great start, having received good committee assignments and signing on to important legislation. 

The General Assembly Legislative Tracker has her on 35 bills so far and it's still early in the session. See some examples at the end of this article.

In her latest newsletter, she invites residents of District 36 to a meeting with her on February 25 at 10:30 AM in the Cross Mills Library at 4417 Old Post Road in Charlestown. She’d like to hear your concerns and priorities, take questions and comments.

She notes that “Like many members of the General Assembly, I have a full-time job in addition to my legislative duties. I appreciate your support this year as I learn the best ways to manage this new role and to ensure that your questions and concerns are addressed.”

If you want to reach her by phone, you can leave a message at 401-222-1162.

She’s putting out e-mail updates – contact her at Tina@TinaSpearsRI.com to get on the list. You can send legislature-related e-mails to her official State House address at Rep-Spears@RILegislature.gov.

She is also posting on Twitter at @TinaSpearsRI as well as

Continue for the impressive list of substantive legislation Tina has either sponsored or co-sponsored.

House Bill No. 5040

BY  O'Brien, Biah, Slater, Serpa, Carson, Corvese, Azzinaro, Kazarian, Spears, DeSimone

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT (Permits retired teachers to substitute teach in a school for up to one hundred twenty (120) days in a school year, without any loss, forfeiture, or reduction in retirement benefits, through June 30, 2025.)

{LC448/1}

01/11/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

02/03/2023 Scheduled for hearing (02/08/2023)

02/08/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

02/10/2023 Scheduled for consideration (02/14/2023)

House Bill No. 5094

BY  Casimiro, Noret, Spears, Cotter, Vella-Wilkinson, Diaz, Shallcross Smith, Donovan, Hull, Lima

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND EARLY EDUCATOR INVESTMENT ACT (Establishes the Rhode Island Early Educator Investment Act to develop and implement strategies to improve the compensation of early childhood educators.)

{LC228/1}

01/12/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

House Bill No. 5102

BY  Casimiro, Noret, Vella-Wilkinson, Roberts, Solomon, Kislak, Chippendale, Serpa, Spears, Cotter

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES (Establishes general caseload limits for DCYF workers similar to those contained in the Council on Accreditation standards.)

{LC17/1}

01/12/2023 Introduced, referred to House Health & Human Services

House Bill No. 5123

BY  McGaw, Donovan, Cortvriend, Ajello, Kislak, Tanzi, Cotter, Stewart, Spears, Felix

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES REPORTING (Includes electronic mail or text, which can be received by two thousand (2,000) or more persons, to those independent expenditures that must be reported by candidates under this act.)

{LC249/1}

01/12/2023 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections

House Bill No. 5141

BY  Caldwell, Potter, Carson, Spears, Speakman, Donovan, Fogarty, Ajello, Kazarian, Biah

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- FEDERAL AID (Requires free lunches to be provided for all elementary and secondary students attending public schools, to the extent state and federal funds are available.)

{LC652/1}

01/18/2023 Introduced, referred to House Education

House Bill No. 5174

BY  Cortvriend, Carson, McNamara, Craven, Spears, Fogarty, Knight, Edwards, Kennedy, Kazarian

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (Provides a definition of the recognizable high tide line for the public's rights and privileges of the shore.)

{LC193/1}

01/19/2023 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary

House Bill No. 5178

BY  Carson, Fogarty, Kazarian, Spears, Caldwell

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS IN FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (Requires food service establishments to add an additional warning to their menus relative to food allergens and impose a civil penalty on those establishments that fail to include the required warnings on its menus.)

{LC143/1}

01/19/2023 Introduced, referred to House Health & Human Services

01/23/2023 Committee transferred to House Small Business

House Bill No. 5185

BY  Cortvriend, Hull, Donovan, Spears, Dawson, Knight, Noret, Solomon, Tanzi, Felix

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- POLICE OFFICERS--COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINING (Requires police officers commission on standards and training to provide training and instructions for officers and trainees to more accurately identify complaints involving persons with cognitive or communication-related disabilities.)

{LC197/1}

01/19/2023 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections

House Bill No. 5220

BY  Kislak, Solomon, Stewart, Alzate, Potter, McGaw, Morales, Voas, Handy, Spears

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGULATION OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES (Regulates electric bicycles in the same manner as human-powered bicycles, classify electric bicycles into three (3) classes, require all electric bicycles to have a label affixed to the bicycle and be equipped with a speedometer.)

{LC665/1}

01/25/2023 Introduced, referred to House Corporations

House Bill No. 5250

BY  McEntee, Craven, Spears, Bennett, O'Brien, Dawson, Cortvriend, Fogarty, Caldwell, Handy

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE -- COMMERCIAL FISHING LICENSES (Limits issuance of commercial multipurpose commercial fishing licenses to Rhode Island residents, unless there is no resident applicant, limits number of new licenses issued to that number of licenses surrendered or retired in previous calendar year.)

{LC75/1}

01/27/2023 Introduced, referred to House Corporations

02/06/2023 Committee transferred to House Environment and Natural Resources

02/10/2023 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/16/2023)

House Bill No. 5266

BY  Shanley, Bennett, Kennedy, Craven, McNamara, Spears, Carson

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OPEN MEETINGS (Permits all members of a public body who are aged sixty five (65) years or over to participate in public meeting by telephone or electronic communication.)

{LC733/1}

01/27/2023 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections

02/03/2023 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/07/2023)

02/07/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

House Bill No. 5283

BY  Fogarty, Kazarian, Carson, Tanzi, Lima, Cotter, Spears, Donovan, Henries, McGaw

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES -- MAMMOGRAMS AND PAP SMEARS -- COVERAGE MANDATED (Mandates insurance coverage for any additional screenings deemed medically necessary for any person who has received notice of dense breast tissue.)

{LC686/1}

02/01/2023 Introduced, referred to House Health & Human Services

House Bill No. 5344

BY  Shanley, Craven, O'Brien, Bennett, Cotter, Spears, Casimiro, Batista, Solomon, Kazarian

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY -- OLD GROWTH FOREST PROTECTION ACT (Prohibits forestry operations on state and any municipality owned land relating to old growth forests enforced by DEM with violation punishable by fines.)

{LC1237/1}

02/03/2023 Introduced, referred to House Environment and Natural Resources

House Bill No. 5350

BY  Morales, Chippendale, Kislak, McNamara, Place, Kazarian, Spears, Donovan, Potter, Newberry

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Limits the copayment or coinsurance requirement on specialty drugs to one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for a thirty (30) day supply.)

{LC200/1}

02/03/2023 Introduced, referred to House Health & Human Services

House Bill No. 5354

BY  Shanley, Carson, Edwards, Craven, Bennett, Cotter, Spears, Dawson, Vella-Wilkinson, O'Brien

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW--GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- RHODE ISLAND DATA TRANSPARENCY AND PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT (Creates the "Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act" to identify information collected by online service providers and commercial websites.)

{LC589/1}

02/03/2023 Introduced, referred to House Innovation, Internet, & Technology

House Bill No. 5395

BY  Casimiro, Noret, Finkelman, Bennett, Fogarty, McEntee, Spears, Tanzi, Craven

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- CLINICAL PRECEPTORS TAX CREDIT ACT (Allows for a tax credit of up to $1,000 for any nurse practitioner, physician assistant or physician who provides on-site clinical education as a clinical preceptor to nurse practitioner graduate students.)

{LC980/1}

02/03/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

House Bill No. 5398

BY  Shanley, Batista, Craven, Bennett, Spears, Cotter, Dawson, Vella-Wilkinson, O'Brien

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION FEES (Reduces the fee to acquire an emailed duplicate motor vehicle registration certificate from seventeen dollars ($17.00) to five dollars ($5.00).)

{LC531/1}

02/03/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

House Bill No. 5400

BY  Shanley, Bennett, Craven, McNamara, Alzate, Kazarian, Knight, Spears, Cotter, Potter

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Requires state human services providers to pay employees $ 25 per hour and schedule for incremental raises for existing employees annually adjusted for inflation. eff 7/1/24)

{LC732/1}

02/03/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

House Bill No. 5404

BY  Shanley, Vella-Wilkinson, Craven, Bennett, Edwards, Spears, Cotter, O'Brien

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS (Compensates pre-2011 retirees with a non-compounded one-time adjustment for the difference in benefits between 2011 and 2023. Provides a COLA for the year 2024 and every year thereafter.)

{LC924/1}

02/03/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

 

House Bill No. 5471

BY  Boylan, Carson, Ajello, Spears, McGaw, Speakman, Kislak, Knight, McEntee, Cortvriend

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS -- STATE PURCHASES (Bans state purchases of plastic bottles, bags and polystyrene. It would also require state funds to be used to lease or purchase alternative fueled vehicles and renewable energy efficient technologies for use on state property.)

{LC1265/1}

02/08/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

House Bill No. 5472

BY  Cotter, Donovan, Spears, Casimiro, Kennedy, Knight, Chippendale, Rea, Speakman, Tanzi

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT (Increases the state’s regionalization bonus for regional school districts to six percent (6%) annually.)

{LC1181/1}

02/08/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

House Bill No. 5473

BY  Tanzi, McGaw, Cortvriend, Spears, Cotter, Donovan

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS (Provides that the state would reimburse the school committees for the costs of providing student transportation to public and private school pupils.)

{LC373/1}

02/08/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

House Resolution No. 5480

BY  Ackerman, Cotter, Spears, Bennett, Boylan, Casey, Costantino, Donovan, Ajello, Diaz

ENTITLED, JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $105,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO IMPLEMENT CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) TRAINING IN HIGH SCHOOLS (This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $105,000 to the Rhode Department of Health to implement CPR in High Schools.)

{LC1336/1}

02/08/2023 Introduced, referred to House Finance

House Bill No. 5486

BY  Donovan, McNamara, Cotter, Spears, Potter, Speakman, Cortvriend, Casimiro, Caldwell, McGaw

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS -- THE RHODE ISLAND CANNABIS ACT (Provides for specific restrictions and requirements for cannabis packaging that would protect children from gaining access to packaging and from being drawn to packaging that appeals to children.)

{LC1446/1}

02/10/2023 Introduced, referred to House Corporations

House Bill No. 5500

BY  Fenton-Fung, Noret, Messier, Biah, Shallcross Smith, Ackerman, Cotter, Spears, Newberry

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS (Requires elementary schools to provide/maintain onsite functional automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in quantities and types, deemed by the commissioner of education in consultation with the director of health to be adequate for use in emergencies.)

{LC1274/1}

02/10/2023 Introduced, referred to House Education

House Bill No. 5501

BY  Stewart, Potter, Voas, Alzate, Kazarian, Boylan, Sanchez, Morales, Casimiro, Spears

ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PUPILS (Allows schools to maintain on-site an undesignated supply of glucagon for emergency purposes. Provides for training of all school employees in the basics of diabetes care and allows for further training of delegated care aides for students with diabetes.)

{LC1354/1}

02/10/2023 Introduced, referred to House Education