Progress Report: RI Takes Lead on Homelessness, Paper vs. Plastic Bags, the ‘Income Mendoza Line’
How is Rhode Island viewed by others? Lately, like a state that takes care of its least fortunate residents – which is something we should be proud of and other states should mimic. This Al Jazeera video is a few days old now, but it focuses on RI’s first-in-the-nation Homeless Bill of Rights, and how [...]
Congrats to RI, John Joyce for Homeless Bill of Rights
Rhode Island should indeed be proud as it is the only state in the nation to pass a law that specifically protects the rights of the homeless. The newly-enacted Homeless Bill of Rights protects those without homes by ensuring they can vote, that they can rent an apartment, that they can get a job and [...]
Progress Report: Celebrate Homeless Rights, NK Janitors Fired, Govt by Fear in Woonsocket, Public Records
Come celebrate today at the State House an area of public policy in which Rhode Island is leading the nation: protecting the rights of homeless people. That’s right, as the rest of the nation moves toward outlawing homelessness and sleeping in public places, the Ocean State is the first in the country to pass a [...]
Homeless Bill of Rights Passes General Assembly
To applause from the gallery on both sides, the Homeless Bill of Rights passed out of the General Assembly and now heads to the Governor’s desk for signing. Officially titled the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act, it was introduced in both chambers back in January. A revised version passed the Senate on May 2nd. [...]
Progress Report: Austerity Gone Awry in Woonsocket
The most amazing story of the end of the legislative session is that two people – Woonsocket Reps. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt and Jon Brien – are able to thwart the will of the mayor, city council and state appointed budget commission and block a tax increase that would save the city from imminent financial ruin. This [...]
RI Progress Report: Education Disparity, Homeless Bill of Rights, Brendan Doherty, Citizens United, the Ocean Mist
What you’ll notice when you look at GoLocal’s annual list of best high schools is the ones at the top of the list are in affluent towns and the ones near the bottom are in poorer urban areas. It’s that simple: we have a tiered education system in this state. Rich kids, and those lucky [...]
Homeless Bill of Rights Passes State Senate
Taking a “historic step” forward according to advocates, the Rhode Island Senate voted 33-2 to pass Senate Bill 2052, a.k.a. the Homeless Bill of Rights. The law provides homeless people with protections against discrimination based on their housing status, preventing them from being told to move along if they enter libraries or sit on park [...]
Bills Would Protect Homeless, Renters, Mortgage Holders
A House committee today considers a number of bills that would protect people from banks, and one that would create what’s being called a “Homeless Bill of Rights.” The Homeless Bill of Rights, sponsored by Rep. Christopher Blazejewski, D- Providence, would “provide all residents with an equal opportunity to live in decent, safe and sanitary [...]
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