Representative • Democrat

William O'Brien

Rhode Island • District HD-054

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Activity Summary

Bills Sponsored

Aggregate Impact (Sponsored Bills):

100% Positive

Voting Pattern

Nay: 46

Not Voting: 227

Other: 7

Yea: 1879

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William O'Brien

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Activity Summary

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Sponsored Bills

Allows for the issuance of a Class B liquor license for the property located at 1441 Mineral Spring Avenue in the town of North Providence.

Makes students in workforce-ready certificate programs at the Community College of Rhode Island eligible to receive the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship.

Effective 7/1/2026, the state lottery division of gaming stops renewing any existing sports wagering vendor contract. Prior to the expiration of any existing contracts the division shall issue an open invitation for applicants for sports wagering vendors.

Provides that in local educational agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.

Requires a review by the department of elementary and secondary education of the formula components used to compute the aid needed to support high need students.

Removes language that requires the department of elementary and secondary education to prorate funds to school districts in certain situations and eliminate funding for certain programs.

Establishes a statewide “Healthy School Meals for all” universal school breakfast and lunch program in Rhode Island public schools phased in over 3 years.

Amends the term "extraordinary costs" for the purposes of excess costs associated with special education students. The new definition of extraordinary costs would be educational costs that are over 3 times the average statewide special education cost.

Eliminates any requirement that any person who is employed as a physical education teacher not by required to have a certification in adaptive physical education

Allows emergency preliminary certificates for teaching to be issued for up to a total of five (5) school years.

Increases the personal needs allowance of nursing facility residents from seventy-five dollars ($75.00) to one hundred dollars ($100) per month.

Prohibits a person to sell, offer for sale, display for sale or otherwise distribute a farmed animal fur product within the state and provides graduated civil penalties for violations.

Replaces state marshals with capitol police as to those law enforcement officers being exempt from certain firearm restrictions.

Reduces the number of times the director of the lottery has to confer with the permanent joint committee on state lottery from nine (9) times per year to four (4) times per year or at the call of the chair and vice chair of the committee.

Provides that evidence of life or work expectancy shall be based on statistical data using blended statistics and shall not be based on race, ethnicity or sex.

Adds five (5) driving violations to the statute that defines aggressive driving.

Includes licensed school psychologists under the provisions of the general laws governing the regulations of psychologists and expands the licensing of school psychologists for independent practice.

Provides that licensed independent clinical social workers be able to enroll and bill Medicaid directly for covered services provided to adults with Medicaid fee-for-service coverage.

Nullifies the department of elementary and secondary education recommendation that the turnaround plan for Providence public schools be continued.

Requires the board of regents to adopt support and intervention strategies consistent with Comprehensive Education Strategy and SALT in one district at a time.

Adds probation and parole officers to the list of state law enforcement professionals, for purpose of retirement on service allowance.

Includes animal cruelty offenses to the domestic violence crimes committed by a family or household members against another.

Allows any retired member of the state retirement system to serve as a member of the state labor relations board.

Reinstates the cost of living adjustments for retirees, when the annual investment return of the retirement system, exceeds ten percent (10%).

Changes the teacher and state employees' retirement benefit calculations' cutoff date from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2012, for all retirement members eligible to and who retire on or after the new July 1, 2012, cutoff date.

Extends the sunset provision allowing retired teachers to substitute teach for up to 180 days from June 20, 2025 until July 1, 2026.

Allows teachers, state and municipal employees to retire upon the earlier of reaching age sixty (60) with thirty (30) years of service or the employee's retirement eligibility date under present state statutes.

Includes the deputy chief of inspection and inspector within the provision of law related to retirement on service allowance relating to correctional officers.

Amends references in the dual enrollment act by using the phrase “public higher education institution”.

Prohibits an individual who is licensed as both a Rhode Island real estate agent and mortgage loan originator to be compensated for both the sale of the property and the origination or referral of the loan in securing the property.

Creates a process for licensure and oversight by DBR over the practices and procedures of virtual currency kiosk operators to prevent fraud related to the use of virtual currency kiosks, by establishing daily transaction limits and the regulating of fees.

Exempts certain products that have PFAS if deemed safe by FDA.

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