JOINT RESOLUTION AMENDING THE JOINT RESOLUTION CREATING A PERMANENT LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON CHILD CARE IN RHODE ISLAND (Amends the membership of the permanent legislative commission on child care with twenty-seven (27) members to ensure that the state has high quality and affordable childcare and early learning services network.)
Expands the DCYF powers by overseeing and administer comprehensive behavioral health services for children with serious emotional disturbances and children with developmental or functional disabilities.
Redefines dyslexia to mean a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary depending on the orthography.
Clarifies when mobile equipment can travel on a public highway as an incidentally permitted practice limited to the active participation in an active work zone.
Amends the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act to clarify housing-status enforcement, ban discriminatory housing notices, align state law with federal standards and remove a ban on public discussion of fair housing cases.
Creates the division of civil representation within the department of housing and require civil representation by a Designated Legal Organization to provide legal representation to all tenants who qualify in eviction proceedings.
Provides that a defendant's third and subsequent violation of domestic violence offenses, including both prior felony and misdemeanor convictions, would be punishable as a felony.