11/06/2009

House Democrats caucus on state financial crisis
Most say they were glad to discuss ideas to address the economic crisis in a private setting

11/05/2009

Economist: R.I. recovery will lag
Significant job growth in Rhode Island isn’t forecast until 2011 or 2012

11/04/2009

Without notice expungements almost expanded
Measure sails through House during special session only to fail at last minute due to miscue in Senate

Without notice expungements almost expanded
PROVIDENCE –– Amid the chaos of last week’s special legislative session, advocates of a bill that would automatically erase a whole new class of criminal records scored a short-lived victory at the State House.

11/02/2009

Political Scene: R.I. Rep. Galbinske seeks truce with teachers union
State representative seeks to mend rift with second-largest teachers union

11/01/2009

General Assembly passes bill to limit foreclosures
Advocates praise measure but say it doesn’t go far enough to help homeowners

10/31/2009

R.I. lawmakers close year’s business with a flurry
Among bills passed: outlawing text messaging while driving

This week at the General Assembly
ASSEMBLY SCORECARD

Today at the General Assembly
ASSEMBLY SCORECARD

10/30/2009

R.I. General Assembly considers changes for EDC
A new board makeup and contract terms for a new director top the agenda; oversight commission to monitor the agency rejected

R.I. Senate approves measure against indoor prostitution
Measure is compromise with House and is expected to be signed into law by Governor Carcieri

R.I. lawmakers plow through heavy agenda to the end
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- On the final night of an unusual October gathering of the part-time General Assembly, lawmakers Thursday night outlawed indoor prostitution, prohibited saltwater fishing without a license, and banned drivers from text messaging on Ocean State roads.

10/29/2009

Full House OKs ban on indoor prostitution
The legislation is headed for a final debate on the Senate floor Thursday

Bills fly through the House at special session
Dozens of bills, including one banning indoor prostitution, advance to Senate

The House vote Voting yes
The House vote Voting yes

10/28/2009

House tackles state name
PROVIDENCE –– A key legislative committee Tuesday night endorsed plans to allow voters to strip the word “Plantations” from the official state name, give police authority to take blood or urine from drunken-driving suspects after serious accidents, and eliminate the governor’s power to replace U.S. senators should unexpected vacancies occur.

Bill to close loophole in prostitution law clears hurdle
On the eve of a legislative session, a House panel approves a bill that would make indoor prostitution a misdemeanor

$7 license fee not popular with saltwater fishermen
$7 license fee not popular with saltwater anglers, but won’t keep them away from the ocean

Bill to close loophole in prostitution law clears hurdle
On the eve special legislative session, a House panel approves a bill that would make indoor prostitution a misdemeanor.

Before he became attorney general, Lynch lobbied for landfill deal
The attorney general says the work didn’t compromise his judgment

10/27/2009

Will R.I. legislature make prostitution a one-year crime?
A compromise between the Senate and House would allow the expunging of charges.

R.I. General Assembly to reconvene over long list of issues
The General Assembly has scheduled a special session that is described as “fine-tuning.”

10/26/2009

R.I. prostitutes speak out against bill to close loophole
The General Assembly plans to vote on legislation to outlaw indoor prostitution, which is now legal in Rhode Island.

10/25/2009

Worker’s firing stirs up ‘hornet’s nest’ at R.I. State House
On the Friday before Labor Day, Nathan Hannon told his bosses at Rhode Island’s trash agency that he was headed to Westerly in the afternoon to give an elementary school presentation about recycling.

Groups say fired R.I. worker never made visits he reported
Nathan Hannon reported three trips during the summer to the Newport YMCA as part of his job as education coordinator for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation.

Worker’s firing stirs up ‘hornet’s nest’ at R.I. State House
On the Friday before Labor Day, Nathan Hannon told his bosses at Rhode Island’s trash agency that he was headed to Westerly in the afternoon to give an elementary school presentation about recycling.

Groups say fired R.I. worker never made visits he reported
Nathan Hannon reported three trips during the summer to the Newport YMCA as part of his job as education coordinator for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation.

Worker’s firing stirs up ‘hornet’s nest’ at R.I. State House
On the Friday before Labor Day, Nathan Hannon told his bosses at Rhode Island’s trash agency that he was headed to Westerly in the afternoon to give an elementary school presentation about recycling.

10/23/2009

Compromise anti-prostitution bill to go to hearings
State lawmakers who tried and failed to reach agreement last May on legislation to outlaw indoor prostitution have agreed on a compromise bill, which will be scheduled for hearings in the General Assembly next week.

R.I. Deputy House Majority Leader Sullivan pleads no contest to drunk driving
Deputy House Majority Leader Raymond J. Sullivan Jr. of Coventry says of the charge, “this is on me, and I needed to accept the responsibility.”

10/22/2009

Stormy hearing on arbitration at State House
The legislation would allow an arbitrator to settle contract disputes between teachers unions and school boards.

R.I. House will convene special session on Oct. 28-29
PROVIDENCE — Putting to rest rumors that the General Assembly might not return to work next week after all, House Speaker William J. Murphy has dispatched a letter to colleagues signaling his plans for next week’s special session, a closed-door Democratic caucus in November to talk about “potential plans of action for the current fiscal situation,” and an “economic summit” in early December.

Candidate selected for EDC director
But the legislature still has to approve a contract and pay, and that could delay the appointment.

10/20/2009

3 R.I. lawmakers vow revise car sales tax for servicemen
They want R.I. to stop charging servicemen 7 percent on autos bought ‘tax-free’ in the military.

10/19/2009

Political Scene: Former Lt. Gov. Charlie Fogarty is now a lobbyist
Former Lt. Gov. Charlie Fogarty is returning to the State House. But this time, he’ll be wearing a lobbyist badge.

10/18/2009

Gay-marriage advocates rally at State House
PROVIDENCE — With the General Assembly scheduled to reconvene at the end of the month, supporters of same-sex marriage Saturday held a rally on the steps of the State House to try to put more heat on individual senators and representatives to come around to their cause.

10/17/2009

Four indicate intentions to run for R.I. House seat
As of Friday’s deadline, four candidates had taken out declaration papers indicating their intent to run for former state Rep. Elizabeth “Betsy” Dennigan’s District 62 seat.

10/15/2009

Court fight ends over union pay concessions
PROVIDENCE — The State of Rhode Island and its major employee unions have officially ended their court fight over Governor Carcieri’s aborted plan to shut state government down for 12 days between now and June 30 to help limit a mushrooming deficit.

10/12/2009

Murphy coy over rumor of early departure as speaker
PROVIDENCE — Rumors persist that House Speaker William J. Murphy will step aside from the most powerful political position in Rhode Island before the 2010 legislative session ends, to give a leg up to his chosen successor, House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox.

10/10/2009

Not much room for the law in budget process
The law requiring state agencies to submit their spending plans for the coming fiscal year by Oct. 1 is routinely ignored.

Not much room for the law in budget process
The law requiring tate agencies to submit their spending plans for the coming fiscal year by Oct. 1 is routinely ignored.

10/08/2009

First-quarter revenues off $30.2 million
PROVIDENCE — Three months after Rhode Island lawmakers passed a balanced budget, state revenues are already $30.2 million behind estimates, a lag that has helped create a total projected budget hole of nearly $150 million.

10/07/2009

Rhode Island panel eyes conflicts of elected officials with union ties
A state Ethics Commission proposal would prohibit elected officials from participating in union business that affects not only their specific local union, but also the union’s umbrella organization.

10/05/2009

Political Scene: Majority leader facing competition for Speaker’s post
House Majority Leader Gordon Fox may have outgoing House Speaker William J. Murphy’s vote of confidence, but his competitors for the top leadership post in the House are not backing down.

10/03/2009

Two named to Judicial Nominating Commission
One of the people appointed by Governor Carcieri, Jeffrey Grybowski, is his former chief of staff; the other is Dr. Herbert Brennan.

Governor backs metropolitan district plan
PROVIDENCE — Governor Carcieri sounded his support Friday for the regionalization of police, fire and public works departments and the creation of a large metropolitan district encompassing Providence and six neighboring communities.

Fox says he has the votes to be the next speaker
The House majority leader, vying for the post with two other Democrats, has the endorsement of Speaker William J. Murphy.

10/02/2009

Mayors in Rhode Island look at consolidating for savings
PROVIDENCE — The regionalization of public-safety and public-works services in seven metropolitan Providence communities is the goal of enabling legislation that Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline plans to submit to the General Assembly.

R.I. House speaker: Maybe it’s time for a full-blown casino
The House speaker says the state needs to protect the millions of dollars it receives from the Twin River slot parlor.

East Providence Rep. Elizabeth Dennigan is stepping down
The East Providence Democrat has moved to a summer residence in Narragansett so she can challenge U.S. Rep. James Langevin.

10/01/2009

Murphy set to retire as R.I. House speaker
The nine-term lawmaker, who has served as House speaker since 2003, endorses House Majority Leader Gordon Fox as his successor at the end of the current term.

R.I. state revenues off by $100 million
The Senate Finance Committee chairman says the state must look at municipal and school consolidation as a long-range cost-cutting measure.

09/30/2009

R.I. Senate task force focuses on small business
The panel hears from business owners, who complain about red tape and the attitude of state employees.

09/28/2009

Lawmakers to return for special session Oct. 28
Several issues seem likely to be discussed during the late-October two-day session, but state budget woes aren’t among them.

State senators spar over legislature’s response to fiscal crisis
PROVIDENCE — The state’s escalating financial crisis has prompted another war of words, this time between Sen. Leonidas Raptakis, a pizza shop owner, and Senate Finance Chairman Daniel DaPonte, a self-employed stockbroker.

09/27/2009

R.I. AFL-CIO president is on a mission
R.I. AFL-CIO president George Nee has become workers’ strongest advocate and loudest voice on Smith Hill.

R.I. AFL-CIO president is on a mission
R.I. AFL-CIO president George Nee has become workers’ strongest advocate and loudest voice on Smith Hill

09/26/2009

R.I.’s biggest state-worker union to put governor’s plan to rank-and-file vote
Members are expected to vote on the governor’s pay-deferral plan by the end of next week.

R.I.’s biggest state-worker union to put governor’s plan to rank-and-file vote
Members are expected to vote on the governor’s pay-deferral plan by the end of next week.

09/25/2009

Social service union to put Carcieri plan to vote
Meanwhile, after having turned down the governor’s plan, Council 94 says it is willing to accept a modified version of the proposal.

Social service union to put Carcieri plan to vote
Meanwhile, after having turned down the governor’s plan, Council 94 says it is willing to accept a modified version of the proposal.

09/22/2009

One of the possibilities: Landfill Links
A golf-course architect in New Hampshire was paid for a “conceptual” design of an 18-hole golf course and driving range next to the landfill.

09/21/2009

Schadone, eyeing Speaker seat, trades salvos with Murphy
The race for Speaker heated up last week when Rep. Gregory Schadone fired the opening shot in his long-running campaign for the top leadership post, and the incumbent — William J. Murphy — fired back.

09/20/2009

State, city to spruce up Woonsocket park for Autumnfest
WOONSOCKET — City and state workers will team up this year to clean World War II Veterans Memorial Park in time for Autumnfest, a large outdoor festival held every October.

09/17/2009

Senate Democrats may weigh in on layoffs plan
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Daniel DaPonte says the governor’s remarks on the legislature’s budget cuts are misleading.

09/11/2009

Pace of DOT stimulus spending draws criticism
PROVIDENCE –– Seven months after the federal stimulus package became law, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation has spent $11.2 million –– about 8 percent of its federal allocation –– on what had been deemed “shovel-ready” highway infrastructure projects in the early spring.

09/10/2009

R.I. Senate approves Judge Gibney as Superior Court presiding justice
The longtime judge succeeds Superior Court Presiding Justice Joseph F. Rodgers Jr., who retired in August.

R.I. Senate confirms Stern for judgeship
The governor’s chief of staff is easily approved for a seat on the Superior Court bench.