Vol. CXXXII · No. CCLXVIIIFRIDAY, JULY 10, 2026Ocean State Edition

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Governance

268 articles · page 12 of 23
CommerceGovernanceFree press

McKee budget amendment allocates $1.6M to keep Newport Hospital birthing center open

Gov. Dan McKee submitted a budget amendment providing $1.6 million in dedicated funding to Newport Hospital's birthing center, contingent on its continued operation. Brown University Health had publicly requested $4.9 million to keep the center open. The governor's office emphasized commitment to women's and maternal health care while stating behind-the-scenes advocacy already helped keep the center operating to date.

turnto10.comMAY 21, 2026
CommerceGovernancePaywall

Boston Globe: RI lawmakers weigh millionaires tax as federal cuts threaten $400M in funding

Rhode Island faces an estimated $400 million loss in federal Medicaid and SNAP funding following Congress's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." More than 10,000 residents have lost health coverage after enhanced premium tax credits expired. The General Assembly is considering a 3% surtax on the top 1% of earners (households above $640,000 taxable income), estimated to generate $203 million annually according to the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy, writes Economic Progress Institute head in Boston Globe commentary.

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© 2026 RI Capitol · All rights reserved.Aggregated summaries linking out to original sources. XPoLL.
bostonglobe.comMAY 21, 2026
CommerceGovernanceOther

Bally's wins RI's second online sportsbook license, ending six-year single-operator market

Rhode Island Lottery selected Bally's Corporation to operate the state's second licensed online sportsbook, ending IGT's single-operator market since 2019. Bally's, which already operates RI's two physical casinos in Lincoln and Tiverton, is expected to launch in November when IGT's exclusivity period expires. The company will collect the full 49% operator revenue share as both digital platform and physical sportsbook rights holder, representing a significant revenue shift from its current 17% share.

bettorsinsider.comMAY 21, 2026
GovernanceFree press

Rhode Island House Passes Bill Criminalizing Deed Theft

The Rhode Island House passed H7989, introduced by Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy, to criminalize deed theft—an increasingly common fraud involving forged documents to steal homes and real estate. The legislation would establish criminal penalties for real estate title fraud and give municipal officials power to temporarily delay or report suspicious documents. The bill aims to protect property owners from scammers who use forged quit claim deeds to transfer ownership and profit from sales or rentals.

patch.comMAY 20, 2026
JudiciaryGovernanceFree press

Federal Judge Quashes DOJ Subpoena for RI Hospital Transgender Youth Records

U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy quashed a Justice Department subpoena demanding sensitive medical records of transgender minors treated at Rhode Island Hospital, ruling the DOJ "misrepresented and withheld information" from the court and acted in bad faith. McElroy found the subpoena lacked congressional authority, was issued for improper purposes, and violated children's constitutional privacy rights. Seven other federal courts have similarly blocked identical DOJ subpoenas nationwide.

golocalprov.comMAY 19, 2026
JudiciaryGovernanceFree press

Community Lawyer Resigns From Providence Police Review Board After Ethics Ruling

Attorney Shannah Kurland resigned from the Providence External Review Authority after the Rhode Island Ethics Commission ruled she was "prohibited by the Code of Ethics from serving" due to a conflict of interest. Kurland regularly represents civil plaintiffs alleging Providence police misconduct, creating a nexus the commission found "too close" to her public duties on the civilian oversight board. The council will seek to fill the vacancy promptly.

golocalprov.comMAY 19, 2026
GovernanceFree press

McKee adds $1.6 million for Newport Hospital birthing center to revised budget amid closure threat

Gov. Dan McKee has added $1.6 million to his fiscal 2027 budget proposal to support Brown University Health's labor-and-delivery unit at Newport Hospital. The funding would come from state settlement funds from the 2024 RIBridges data breach. The budget amendment follows pressure from lawmakers and community advocates after Brown Health suggested it might close the Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center due to financial pressures. The hospital later committed to keeping the center open contingent on additional state and philanthropic funding.

rhodeislandcurrent.comMAY 19, 2026
JudiciaryGovernancePaywall

Clergy abuse survivors warn Senate's 'curveball' could thwart revival window bill

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse and attorney Mitchell Garabedian criticized the Senate Judiciary Committee's plan to seek a Supreme Court advisory opinion on the revival window bill, calling it a last-minute maneuver to kill the legislation. Garabedian stated, 'They could have done this months ago. It's just revictimizing sexual abuse victims.' The House passed the bill 68-5 in April after AG Neronha recommended it in his March report on Diocese of Providence abuse.

bostonglobe.comMAY 18, 2026
GovernanceOther

Gov. McKee identifies $50M in unanticipated costs offsetting budget surplus

Less than a week after the state identified $233 million in additional revenue, Gov. McKee notified legislative leaders that over $50 million in unforeseen costs must be covered, including $20.9 million for higher K-12 enrollment of students in poverty. The Office of Management and Budget memo also flagged continuing deficits at the Department of Children, Youth and Families and the Department of Behavioral Healthcare with no estimates yet available. McKee argued lawmakers can still expand his 'Affordability for All' tax relief proposals with remaining revenue.

aol.comMAY 17, 2026
GovernanceFree press

RI lawmakers face decision on how to spend $233M revenue windfall for FY2027

Rhode Island's biannual Revenue and Caseload Estimating Conference identified $233 million in additional revenue for the upcoming two fiscal years—$155 million for the current year and $79 million for fiscal 2027 starting July 1. While the surplus provides cushioning for budget negotiations, lawmakers must balance competing priorities including federal cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs that weren't anticipated in Gov. McKee's original $14.9 billion budget proposal.

rhodeislandcurrent.comMAY 16, 2026
GovernanceFree press

McKee warns $50M in new costs will consume portion of state's $233M revenue surplus

Less than a week after Rhode Island identified $233 million in additional revenue, Gov. Dan McKee notified legislative leaders that over $50 million will be needed to cover unanticipated costs in the fiscal 2027 budget. The Office of Management and Budget cited updated K-12 enrollment figures showing significantly more students in poverty ($20.9 million needed) and warned that continuing deficits at DCYF and BHDDH remain unestimated. McKee nonetheless urged lawmakers to expand his Affordability for All tax relief proposals.

rhodeislandcurrent.comMAY 16, 2026
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