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

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489 articles · page 13 of 41
GovernancePaywall

RI lawmakers unanimously repeal 1861 pro-slavery Corwin Amendment ratification

The Rhode Island General Assembly unanimously approved a joint resolution June 3 repealing the state's 1861 ratification of the Corwin Amendment, a failed constitutional amendment that would have protected slavery as a states' rights issue. The obscure ratification was uncovered in February by State House publicist Daniel Trafford during archival research. The Corwin Amendment never became law, as only five states ratified it before the Civil War began and the 13th Amendment later abolished slavery.

bostonglobe.comJUN 5, 2026
GovernancePaywall

House budget rejects McKee's rollback of 2033 renewable energy deadline

The House Finance Committee budget released May 29 rejects Gov. McKee's proposal to delay the state's 2033 deadline for 100% renewable electricity until 2050, but accepts his plan to include large-scale hydro and nuclear as clean energy sources. Environmental and labor groups praised the decision, with RI AFL-CIO President Patrick Crowley calling it 'a great compromise.' The budget maintains energy efficiency programs McKee sought to cap, despite the governor's concerns about high electricity rates.

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© 2026 RI Capitol · All rights reserved.Aggregated summaries linking out to original sources. XPoLL.
bostonglobe.comJUN 5, 2026
JudiciaryGovernancePaywall

Rhode Island Ethics Commission votes to investigate Shekarchi Supreme Court bid

The Rhode Island Ethics Commission voted 6–1 to investigate whether former House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi violated the state's revolving-door ban by applying for a Supreme Court seat. The complaint argues Shekarchi's application breached the ethics code prohibiting state officials from seeking employment with another state agency while in office or for one year after. Shekarchi maintains the matter was settled in 2020 when the commission allowed then-Sen. Erin Lynch Prata's application.

bostonglobe.comJUN 4, 2026
JudiciaryFree press

Rhode Island Supreme Court vacates murder conviction denial over judicial errors

The Rhode Island Supreme Court vacated a trial judge's denial of a new-trial motion in a second-degree murder case after the judge incorrectly described defendant Audalis Garcia as a drug dealer and stated he fled the state. The high court ruled these factual misstatements undermined review of Garcia's self-defense and accident claims. The case was remanded for a new hearing on the motion for a new trial, with two justices dissenting.

rilawyersweekly.comJUN 4, 2026
JudiciaryPaywall

Rhode Island Supreme Court declines review of grandparents' visitation statute

The Rhode Island Supreme Court denied a petition from Portsmouth father Scott Naso challenging the constitutionality of the state's grandparents' visitation law. Naso had argued the statute violated his parental rights after his late wife's parents sued to visit his 4-year-old daughter. A Family Court judge had earlier dismissed the grandparents' case, finding they failed to prove Naso's decision was unreasonable under the clear-and-convincing standard.

bostonglobe.comJUN 4, 2026
JudiciaryPaywall

Newport County Superior Court lawsuit alleges negligence in Portsmouth building collapse

Kathleen Magrath filed a lawsuit in Newport County Superior Court alleging the Town of Portsmouth and the Portuguese American Citizens Club were negligent after a June 2025 partial building collapse killed 15-year-old Kelly Nevitt and injured three others. The complaint claims the club knew or should have known of the unsafe staircase condition, and that town officials failed to take reasonable steps. Portsmouth Town Council subsequently approved licenses for the club to host St. Anthony's Feast in July 2026.

bostonglobe.comJUN 4, 2026
CommerceGovernanceOther

Bally's wins Rhode Island's second online sportsbook license, launches Nov 2026

The Rhode Island Lottery awarded Bally's Corporation a tentative five-year contract to operate the state's second online sportsbook, ending a single-operator structure in place since 2019. The deal cannot finalize before November 26, 2026, when IGT's exclusivity provision expires. Contract terms remain under negotiation.

hellorookie.comJUN 4, 2026
CommerceFree press

Stop & Shop's deed restrictions keep Richmond grocery store vacant for decades

Stop & Shop has held a vacant grocery store building in Richmond's Chariho Plaza for three decades, using deed and lease restrictions that prohibit competitors from selling groceries on the property. The anti-competitive tactic deepens food-access barriers in rural Rhode Island. Four vacancies remain at the struggling shopping center, including the boarded-up supermarket.

ecori.orgJUN 4, 2026
GovernanceFree press

General Assembly sends Crook Point Bridge Authority legislation to McKee's desk

The Rhode Island House and Senate approved legislation creating the Crook Point Bridge Authority, a quasi-public body to oversee the defunct railroad bridge connecting Providence and East Providence. The new agency would manage maintenance, preservation, and potential redevelopment of the bridge, which has been locked in an upright position since 1976. Governor McKee is expected to sign the bill.

rhodeislandcurrent.comJUN 4, 2026
CommerceFree press

Rhode Island lost jobs in April; Massachusetts added 8,500

Rhode Island shed payroll jobs in April 2026 while neighboring Massachusetts added 8,500 positions—part of a 15,700-job two-month gain for the Bay State. Massachusetts unemployment held at 4.7 percent with strongest growth in construction, health services, and professional services. The divergence highlights RI's weaker labor market performance versus regional peers.

golocalprov.comJUN 3, 2026
CommerceGovernancePaywall

FanDuel lobbies for expanded RI sports betting, lower tax rate ahead of Bally's launch

FanDuel is urging Rhode Island lawmakers to expand online sportsbook vendors from two to four-to-six and lower the state's 51 percent effective tax rate—the nation's highest—to 12 percent. A bill backed by FanDuel would revamp the tax structure before Bally's opens the state's second sportsbook later this year. FanDuel argues more competition would generate more revenue despite lower per-operator tax rates.

bostonglobe.comJUN 3, 2026
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