- Havdalah
- Posts
- Alert: Bills, PVD CORE Testimony, & Boycott
Alert: Bills, PVD CORE Testimony, & Boycott
White Rose RI
February 23, 2025
We have THREE updates this alert! The first:
Bill Tracker
Reminders for Legislative Advocacy
Be aware that written testimony submitted to any committee is considered public and will be posted to and accessible on the General Assembly website.
All times and locations given below are accurate as of the writing of this newsletter, but the RI Legislature is prone to changing time and locations of hearings with little notice. If you want to give in-person testimony for a bill, go to this Bill Lookup Page to double check the bill status and meeting information before you go. Put the bill number (no H, no S) in the Bills input field and hit Enter for the most up to date information.
Rise of the House or the Senate is when the full House or Senate finishes meeting together and breaks into separate committee meetings.
For in-person testimony, when you arrive and/or during the meeting, you will receive instructions on when and how you can give testimony. Don’t be afraid to poke someone who looks like they know what they’re doing and ask.
Medical Debt Interest Cap
Bill Number: H5235
Summary: This bill would provide an interest rate cap on medical debt.
Our Position: FOR / IN SUPPORT OF
Current Status: Scheduled for hearing / consideration on February 25, 2025
How to Submit Written Testimony:
Due: Monday, February 24, 4:00pm
Write a short statement, 1-3 paragraphs, explaining why you support the bill.
Include your name, the bill number (H5235), and your viewpoint (FOR).
Email written testimony to:
How to Give In-Person Testimony:
Attend one of the committee meetings:
The House Committee on Corporations meeting, Tuesday, February 25, at the Rise of the House (usually around 5:00pm) in Room 101 at the State House
Be prepared to share a brief statement about why you support this bill. Include your name, the bill number (H5235), and your viewpoint (FOR).
The Rhode Island Comprehensive Health Insurance Program
Bill Number: H5465
Summary: This bill would establish a single-payer health care insurance system, consolidating public and private payments into a more efficient Medicare-for-all style program, funded by progressive taxes, to reduce health care costs.
Our Position: FOR / IN SUPPORT OF
Current Status: Scheduled for hearing / consideration on February 25, 2025
How to Submit Written Testimony:
Due: Monday, February 24, 4:00pm
Write a short statement, 1-3 paragraphs, explaining why you support the bill.
Include your name, the bill number (H5465), and your viewpoint (FOR).
Email written testimony to:
How to Give In-Person Testimony:
Attend one of the committee meetings:
The House Committee on Corporations meeting, Tuesday, February 25, at the Rise of the House (usually around 5:00pm) in Room 101 at the State House
Be prepared to share a brief statement about why you support this bill. Include your name, the bill number (H5465), and your viewpoint (FOR).
SAVE Units for the Unhoused
Bill Number: H5100
Summary: This bill would authorize municipalities to make an emergency declaration under limited circumstances to allow for the construction and use of SAVE Units on a temporary basis which have specialized requirements and exemptions from the state fire and building codes.
Our Position: FOR / IN SUPPORT OF
Current Status: Scheduled for hearing / consideration on February 27, 2025
How to Submit Written Testimony:
Due: Wednesday, February 26, 4:00pm
Write a short statement, 1-3 paragraphs, explaining why you support the bill.
Include your name, the bill number (H5100), and your viewpoint (FOR).
Email written testimony to:
How to Give In-Person Testimony:
Attend one of the committee meetings:
The House Committee on Municipal Government and Housing meeting, Thursday, February 27, at the Rise of the House (usually around 5:00pm) in the House Lounge at the State House
Be prepared to share a brief statement about why you support this bill. Include your name, the bill number (H5100), and your viewpoint (FOR).
PVD CORE Needs Your Testimony!
Via the PVD CORE:
“The Providence Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators [CORE] is collecting testimony for the upcoming Providence School Board meeting on Wednesday, February 26th to push the school board to:
1) reaffirm their support and expand resources for trans and non-binary students and staff as well as immigrant and undocumented students and families in the face of harmful executive orders and pressure from the federal government, and
2) pressure the administration to rescind the recent non-renewals of several beloved educators who have lost their positions in PPSD.”
Steve Ahlquist has been covering these non-renewals and the backlash at his Substack, RIFuture.news.
Please fill out PVD CORE’s testimony form!
and finally… ECONOMIC BLACKOUT FEBRUARY 28th
In the same vein as the decentralized 50501 protests earlier this month, there is a general call for a nationwide economic blackout on Friday, February 28th. This means no purchases for 24 hours, and if you absolutely need to buy something, only the essentials and buy local.
