PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Latest on Rhode Island lawmakers returning to work in a rare fall session:
10:45 p.m.
The Rhode Island Senate has recessed without acting on a bill to create a privately run highway surveillance system to scan license plates. The bill already passed the House.
The bill, which the Senate was to consider on Tuesday, would allow the state to fine out-of-state drivers who don’t have car insurance.
Democratic Rep. Robert Jacquard, who sponsored the bill, says it would help the state increase revenues, and the data would be erased if the car is insured. But civil liberties groups and others have expressed concerns about it.
9:45 p.m.
The Rhode Island General Assembly has passed a bill to mandate paid time off for workers who call in sick.
Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo has called the issue a top priority, but Republican lawmakers say it will hurt businesses and the state’s economy. Sen. Maryellen Goodwin, the Senate sponsor, says it would enable about 100,000 workers to take sick days.
The paid time off bill was among dozens of bills lawmakers passed Tuesday during a rare fall session. The bills were caught in legislative limbo when the General Assembly abruptly adjourned in June amid a budget dispute.
7 p.m.
The Rhode Island General Assembly has passed legislation to require anyone subject to a domestic protective order issued by a court to surrender guns.
The measure will be sent to Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo, who supports it.
Lawmakers passed dozens of bills Tuesday during a rare fall session. The bills were caught in legislative limbo when the General Assembly abruptly adjourned in June amid a budget dispute.
The House of Representatives passed a bill to mandate paid time off for workers who call in sick. The Senate had already passed a paid sick leave proposal.
The House also passed a package of bills designed to reform the probation and parole system. The package already has passed the Senate and has support from the governor.
4:30 p.m.
The Rhode Island House of Representatives has passed legislation to mandate paid time off for workers who call in sick.
Democratic Rep. Aaron Regunberg, the House sponsor, says the bill signals that the state is willing to put the needs of “regular working people front and center.” Republican representatives opposed it, saying it’ll hurt businesses and the state’s economy.
The House also approved several other measures Tuesday in a rare fall session.
Those include a bill requiring anyone subject to a domestic protective order issued by a court to surrender guns, and a package of bills designed to save money and make communities safer by offering such services as drug treatment in place of incarceration.
It also approved a bill to allow audits of paper ballots after elections.
The bills now go to the Senate.
2:30 p.m.
Rhode Island House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello has gaveled in a rare fall session at the Statehouse so that lawmakers can resolve several pieces of legislation that were caught in legislative limbo when the General Assembly abruptly adjourned in June amid a budget dispute.
Lawmakers returned to work Tuesday afternoon.
The Senate is expected to convene later Tuesday to consider judicial appointments, conduct committee hearings and vote on bills.
Lawmakers are considering dozens of bills.
Both chambers plan to reconcile differences between bills to mandate paid time off for workers who call in sick and to require anyone subject to a domestic protective order issued by a court to surrender guns.
The House quickly approved a consent calendar. It included a bill to provide for the release of records in the 38 Studios investigation.
8 a.m.
Rhode Island lawmakers are returning to work on bills that were caught in legislative limbo when the General Assembly abruptly adjourned in June amid a budget dispute.
Both chambers convene Tuesday afternoon.
The Democratic-dominated House of Representatives and Senate plan to reconcile differences between bills they passed to mandate paid time off for workers who call in sick to send legislation to Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo (ray-MAHN’-doh).
Both chambers also plan to reconcile differences between bills to require anyone subject to a domestic protective order issued by a court to surrender guns.
The Senate is scheduled to vote on a highly contested bill to create a highway surveillance system to scan license plates. The bill already passed the House.
Lawmakers are considering dozens of bills. A package of bills aims to reform the probation and parole system.
