Advocacy in Action: 2026 Legislative Session Begins

The 2026 legislative session kicked off January 6th, with the House Speaker and Senate President addressing their respective members. On the House side, the Speaker stated, “Let's buckle up and buckle down. It's going to be a very challenging year.” He referenced the significant changes made on the federal level, noting that a “third of our annual budget is derived from federal funding.”  His priorities for the year include: health care affordability and accessibility; housing expansion; program stability in the face of federal cuts; and energy costs. 

On the Senate side of the aisle, President Val Lawson also talked about the challenges facing the state as a result of federal funding changes. “Changes at the federal level will impact Medicaid, SNAP and the cost of care obtained through HealthSource RI. Even as needs in the community are increasing, the state budget, through which we address many of these needs, is facing a significant deficit.'' Lawson talked about her commitment to universal pre-k, a workforce innovation center at CCRI, and stabilizing the hospital system.  The Senate will release a legislative package in the coming weeks to address health care, education, and small business initiatives. 

House Names Two New Chairs to Key Committees 

On Tuesday, Speaker Shekarchi appointed Representative Carol McEntee of South Kingstown to the position of Chairwomen of the House Judiciary Committee.  McEntee was elected to the House in 2015. She previously served as Chairwoman of the Small Business Committee and Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee.  McEntee works as an attorney, licensed in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts, at her private practice in Wakefield and Warwick. She is also a former special assistant attorney general in Rhode Island and a former assistant city solicitor and prosecutor for the City of Warwick.     

Representative MaryAnn Shallcross Smith was appointed Chairwoman of the Small Business Committee.  Shallcross Smith, a Democrat from Lincoln, was elected to the House in November, 2020.  She previously served in the House from 2009-2010. The owner of Dr. Day Care Inc., Rep. Shallcross Smith previously served on the Lincoln School Committee.  She is a proud member of the Northern RI Chamber of Commerce and a commissioner on the RI Legislative Commission of Child Care.  She received the Barbara C. Burlingame award in 2025. 

The following new bills have been filed: 
Senate Bill No. 2019  BY  Paolino, Morgan, Rogers, de la Cruz, Raptakis, Patalano, Dimitri, Pearson, Urso, Thompson  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- ESTATE AND TRANSFER TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION (Increase the net taxable estate exemption to $3,600,000 on January 1, 2027. This act would also increase the exemption by $1,000,000 on January 1, 2028 and every year thereafter until this section and the tax would sunset and expire on January 1, 2033)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/SenateText26/S2019.pdf     Senate Bill No. 2022  BY  de la Cruz, Rogers, Ciccone, Tikoian, Burke, Morgan, Paolino  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- BUSINESS CORPORATION TAX (Repeals the corporation minimum tax.)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/SenateText26/S2022.pdf 
 
 Senate Bill No. 2026  BY  Morgan, Tikoian, de la Cruz, Lawson, Ciccone, Rogers, Paolino, Raptakis, McKenney, Dimitri  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PERSONAL INCOME TAX (Allows a modification to federal adjusted gross income for all social security income for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027.)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/SenateText26/S2026.pdf  
 
Senate Bill No. 2028  BY  Kallman, DiMario, Murray, Euer, Zurier, Pearson, Valverde, Gallo, Bissaillon  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- SALES AND USE TAXES -- LIABILITY AND COMPUTATION (Imposes a sales tax on digital advertising services.)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/SenateText26/S2028.pdf  
 
House Bill No. 7004  BY  Boylan, Handy, Knight, McGaw, Bennett, Potter, Fogarty, Spears, Speakman  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND CLIMATE SUPERFUND ACT OF 2026 (Creates the Rhode Island Climate Superfund Act of 2026.)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H7004.pdf  
 
House Bill No. 7021  BY  Azzinaro, Kennedy, Phillips, Corvese  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS-VEHICLE SAFETY BARRIERS (Requires commercial property owners to install vehicle barriers at their retail establishments when new construction or renovations are being done and permits insurers to consider the installation to provide a discount on the owner's insurance policy.)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H7021.pdf  
 
House Bill No. 7022  BY  Fellela, Shallcross Smith, Messier, Costantino  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES (Requires businesses to notify customers whenever a surcharge or fee for payment made by credit card is imposed.)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H7022.pdf  
 
House Bill No. 7033  BY  Finkelman  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- JUDGMENTS, ORDERS, AND DECREES (Amends calculations of interest in civil actions a rate determined by average accepted auction price for last auction of 52 week U.S. treasury bills.)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H7033.pdf  
 
​House Bill No. 7057  BY  Ackerman, Serpa, Kennedy, Donovan, Shallcross Smith, Newberry, Bennett, McNamara, Speakman, Fellela  ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PERSONAL INCOME TAX (Gradually phases in modifications to federal adjusted gross income over a five (5) year period for social security income, from twenty percent (20%) up to one hundred percent (100%), beginning on or after January 1, 2027.)  https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText26/HouseText26/H7057.pdf