[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,75,87,99,111],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6612720,"mediaKeyId","2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730","parentId",2888881,"title","State court administrator warns 46% cut to operating budget would force steep reductions","audioSeconds",720,"startMs",15471,"endMs",735520,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730&start=15&end=735","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730/thumbnail_15471.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6612720/Rhode-Island/State-court-administrator-warns-46-cut-to-operating-budget-would-force-steep-reductions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612720-33871edc3364ccc6a0fe71b4a85ac656/orig.mp4?Expires=1770140427&Signature=Ods96ochznhsTC6fCBHVi5VJgNZXAqOUkJ3pVdOpuSA7mCIuuCISfnuOK6vvD526wjpJSQgebCWdJ8I3~sWHi2Gu0zrSlNcZT4XkSyox3-9jhv0kw99lKhBThEtZpdjHELTHY6yKxKVpafdRT3AWTHZ38SJTunzV48GFALI6iXHQdXGPBQYIPTS8ZhPTN9bFAN4O4-VXQokVxCef4sFgBmitZn9Op6cWTY5lvpJWZfOmV0L1qyJlCAqOJYCwc4KXV-4SEJtEB5PNlIQbxiML~F4fPXh21LGkP8Dl30888v1s-5ivspNOvRxSOkg9cdaX16uU6yQAYa4jxXbh-pjkfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Rhode Island","date","2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","article","The state court administrator told the Senate Finance Committee on April 3 that the governor’s recommended budget would cut the judiciary’s operating allocation roughly 46% below the amount the courts asked the governor to forward to the legislature.

“Simply put, the judiciary cannot withstand a 46% reduction to its operating budget,” the state court administrator said, urging senators to review the branch’s submitted request and the uses of current funding.

The administrator said the judiciary’s internal submission identified operating needs of $12,500,000 — consistent with the current fiscal-year operating allocation of about $12,600,000 — but the governor’s recommendation funds the operating line at $6,700,000, a difference of roughly $5,700,000.

Why it matters: the judiciary said its budget is driven by three broad categories — salaries and benefits, operating costs, and assistance and grants (primarily indigent defense). The administrator told the committee indigent defense alone is budgeted at about $7,700,000 and that demand for court‑appointed counsel has grown since FY2018, even as the number of attorneys on appointment panels has fallen.

Court operations and public access: the administrator detailed how reductions would affect day‑to‑day operations, citing delays and postponed hearings caused in part by a longstanding shortage in sworn Division of Sheriffs officers. The judiciary has contracted with Providence Police to provide supplemental hallway security in two Providence courthouses at an annual cost of about $230,000 and warned that such costs will rise unless the sheriff complement is increased.

The administrator also described access challenges beyond security: the courts handled 91 jury trials and 30 bench trials in superior court and roughly 1,400 bench trials in district court in 2024, and the judiciary logged 11,000 requests for language‑access services in 33 languages during the year. The branch currently employs 10 staff interpreters (eight full‑time, two seasonal), all Spanish‑speaking, and asked the committee to consider adding positions for Cape Verdean Creole and Portuguese interpreters.

On juror pay, senators asked whether Rhode Island’s $25 daily stipend affects jury representation. The administrator said the judiciary cannot definitively attribute low turnout to the rate but urged “a multipronged approach,” including outreach and civics education, alongside any statutory increase in compensation.

New personnel and paused pay changes: the administrator said two compensation initiatives were approved by the chief justice in June 2024 — a one‑pay‑grade increase for staff in pay grades 18–26 and expansion of pay grade steps from 4–5 to 12 — but implementation has been delayed by the state’s enterprise resource planning rollout.

Court records and data privacy: the administrator described why the judiciary stopped bulk sales of electronic court records after discovering expunged case information had been distributed to vendors and could not be verified as overwritten. Because the department could not identify which vendor(s) retained expunged material, bulk data sales were suspended out of “an abundance of caution.” The judiciary declined to say which vendors received the files but told the committee the number of vendors was “limited.”

Committee requests and next steps: senators asked the judiciary for additional documentation on the $5.7 million difference and requested performance data, including counts of cases dispositioned within 24 months and cases exceeding 24 months, broken out by court. The administrator said the branch will provide the requested performance measures and meet with Senate fiscal staff to discuss areas of potential savings.

Speakers quoted in this account are limited to those who spoke during the hearing and are listed in the article’s speaker registry below. The judiciary’s submission, the governor’s recommendation and the department’s audited performance measures were referenced during the hearing; the committee requested follow‑up materials for its deliberations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Finance 5p: 4-3-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The state court administrator told the Senate Finance Committee on April 3 that the governor’s recommended budget would cut the judiciary’s requested operating funds roughly 46%, a $5.7 million shortfall the administrator said the courts cannot absorb without reducing core services.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature RI, Rhode Island","taxId",77689,"location","Rhode Island","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":76,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":77,"_40":78,"_42":79,"_44":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6612702,"Support grows for 10 forestry positions as lawmakers and witnesses warn of rising wildfire risk",1425,3811510,5237160,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730&start=3811&end=5237","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730/thumbnail_3811510.jpg","/articles/6612702/Rhode-Island/Support-grows-for-10-forestry-positions-as-lawmakers-and-witnesses-warn-of-rising-wildfire-risk","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612702-1364e707ba6db462e706960cdb855968/orig.mp4?Expires=1770140427&Signature=lfbe4A68jDF5VXPaWNlm9tS3K~dr4wuLr5rMHuK4~Gw-oJ2jMTtbpgNxfRtzfMHXbVRTB-qLNwVeQ6DaeYdrNp92yp4PGRvG-E9q58W2RxS-99mxhygW45FI9gLrmjySoh8963q3BUK2v7vJ-mTfoKjSbMmF9vy04WwlZjYMYevbsSmyWB90202eWvA8d5fIRAsiyVv4mLw-JqD2iCyZNJo-vmU2D9Xn5nEcb2GANMQNA90m7FowjgSRQd2705XWmupwy6CyqwDPc0pTDUkItalbhcODxUSJ2gH6ETJEKB2bEKxfbjzP5e8jGAf35Q-vnyoaOFz-5HMFs2ZFnTC1BQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators and witnesses at the April 3 Senate Finance Committee hearing voiced support for a bill (S108) that would fund 10 full‑time equivalent positions in the Department of Environmental Management to strengthen forestry and wildfire prevention efforts.

Sponsor remarks: Senator Ujifusa, sponsor of S108, described historical wildfires in Rhode Island — notably major conflagrations in 1942 and 1951 — and pointed to recent events in Exeter (2023) and West Greenwich (2024) as evidence of ongoing wildfire risk. He said DEM’s forestry workforce has declined since 1990 from roughly 43 employees to 13 while the state’s conserved land holdings have grown by more than 23,000 acres.

Witness testimony: Supporters included volunteer fire officials from Prudence Island, conservation groups, land trust representatives and multiple foresters and farmers. Henry Wright, a volunteer and long‑time forester, told senators the state’s road and trail access, water holes and other fire‑suppression infrastructure have deteriorated and argued additional personnel and resources are urgently required to prevent catastrophic fires. Former DEM forester Catherine Sparco urged investment in trained forestry staff to perform silvicultural management, interagency coordination and on‑the‑ground work.

DEM position: Director Gray and DEM staff told the committee the department has added forestry capacity in recent years (two FTEs added) and is training non‑fire staff and volunteers to help respond to wildfire events, but said the scale and frequency of risk make additional resources appropriate.

Committee action: After testimony the committee moved to hold the bill for further consideration; committee members asked for details on how the new positions would be distributed across prevention, response and stewardship activities and for projected cost estimates.

Speakers quoted here are restricted to the witness list in the registry below; this article summarizes testimony and the committee’s disposition.","Sponsors and witnesses told the Senate Finance Committee that additional forestry staff are needed to address wildfire risk, insect‑driven tree mortality and invasive plants; proponents urged funding for 10 FTEs to expand prevention and response capacity.",{"_32":88,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":89,"_40":90,"_42":91,"_44":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6612707,"Farmers, food groups urge creation of agricultural restricted receipt account after federal cuts",688,3762360,4450700,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730&start=3762&end=4450","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730/thumbnail_3762360.jpg","/articles/6612707/Rhode-Island/Farmers-food-groups-urge-creation-of-agricultural-restricted-receipt-account-after-federal-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612707-e650d5383e11022fc84222b4a3e71751/orig.mp4?Expires=1770140427&Signature=G4qzq3N0ruu5LZ8ZLz5xrpAMABGXuxtgQ6o4hlHH~W0tSSB~YpUoEB7-6PHLmwjus8gLu5viyyLk7pDkHWTKnHqeM8F694FBZRpmko1QdavgyOkoACvkmubp~D0OpWP5bIPRRgLtdWiR18sOkhPKVOLWjVRmmQVcl6Y2llcaRSvJR7WuvQC8xcs1Td73kbVB47AwWflDAG8siABQ-QGyWCTBCi9BlNoH12tPr5d1mUCc-Dv3A1Kw9nYXt-qQw5okiCMvIlwVquoGeP3O3Q~enhak5PI0LTnrUQWnjeSKQz4fdobOp2yFrVcKAXJiIu33N88FtfLNEoH1YDz9IQarGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of farmers, food‑security nonprofits and land‑trust representatives urged the Senate Finance Committee on April 3 to support legislation establishing an agricultural restricted receipt account in the Department of Environmental Management to retain certain agricultural fee revenues for farm programs.

Why proponents want the account: witnesses said the change would let Rhode Island retain user and licensing fees to respond quickly if federal programs are reduced or terminated and to fund predictable, state‑level agricultural needs such as pesticide disposal, fertilizer inspections, technical assistance and Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) purchases for food banks. Several speakers told the committee the LFPA program and other USDA funding streams have been suspended or cut, and that a state account would provide timely, local replacement capacity.

Testimony highlights: witnesses who testified in support included the New England chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, the Rhode Island Food Policy Council, the RI Community Food Bank, NOFA‑RI, small and mid‑sized farmers and nursery operators. Testimony described practical farm uses of such a fund (equipment, technical assistance, emergency pesticide disposal) and cited agriculture’s statewide economic contribution.

Farmer perspective: multiple farmers said state funding could be small but transformational for small and beginning producers, enabling purchases of equipment, supporting food donations to pantries and funding other short‑term needs when federal grants are delayed or rescinded. Several witnesses emphasized high land costs and an aging farmer population; they urged targeted support for young and beginning farmers.

Committee action and next steps: after testimony the committee moved to hold the bill for further consideration and evidence‑gathering; members requested follow‑up materials from DEM and said they would evaluate fund design, governance and account triggers. Supporters urged a governance committee with farmer representation to steward the funds.

This article summarizes public testimony and committee discussion; quoted speakers are listed in the registry below and reflect the hearing record.","A coalition of farmers, land trusts and food‑system organizations told the Senate Finance Committee that a restricted receipt account within DEM for agricultural fees would help Rhode Island respond quickly to sudden federal funding changes and support local food purchases and farm services.",{"_32":100,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":101,"_40":102,"_42":103,"_44":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6612709,"DEM seeks to hold FY26 spending steady; governor proposes ending paint stewardship program",935,4004670,4940120,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730&start=4004&end=4940","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730/thumbnail_4004670.jpg","/articles/6612709/Rhode-Island/DEM-seeks-to-hold-FY26-spending-steady-governor-proposes-ending-paint-stewardship-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612709-75e5d6ae5dabc6f2c81935dae6f8a0e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770140427&Signature=VDSLqL3N-UKPbr2cS3D9F5uBF7ni37uRXjEwJVI1y~PZuiPLzDVr3G3SvJZDo6vofOOMHGQrI9~zfd8xHYoUOES2rBGWQpiuWRJy8T2H4UH8PonbZSQOro2h8ELKKmRgUFbjRCA6jQQ-NVYe38bmrmybHRqBCb7B~BRqWdh5iV4Y1zJ5UdORLhfJJPZpppCUCE6sLsi4FkRTm8kKUAyhNlxvPqVB7yvqPbZrUm9qfW8osqE8wqkbm98TXf5ZvjO6zjCLMSKr0leuzj7EwCXV4HBaFfBLc2TXICnG8x8k~HlhaXNm~0t53U4KipZIx0S1rdQ88uWzW11ZeAdkRCbp5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Terry Gray and senior DEM staff told the Senate Finance Committee the governor’s FY26 proposal is largely a current‑services budget that preserves recent staffing gains after three years of investment and voter‑backed green bonds.

Gray noted DEM has added 36 FTEs over the past three years and continues capital work at Galilee, Roger Wheeler State Beach and Burlingame Campground. DEM said roughly 28% of its budget is federal grants and the department is working to tighten grant management and billing to reduce exposure to federal funding changes.

Forestry, wildfire and parks: DEM highlighted recent investments in forestry and the department’s wildfire program, which currently has five FTEs. Staff said climate change, drought and rising wildfire risk require additional capacity, training and interagency coordination. DEM also said it shifted 12 seasonal park positions into permanent FTEs to respond to a national decline in seasonal workers.

IT modernization: DEM described progress digitizing permit and licensing workflows, including online agriculture and forestry licenses and an upcoming online permitting portal for Office of Water Resources permits (about 80% of DEP permits). The department said the new systems will enable real‑time performance measures such as permit turnaround time.

Paint stewardship proposal: Gray said the governor’s budget proposes discontinuing the statutory paint stewardship assessment and PaintCare recycling program, citing competitive concerns for Rhode Island retailers (Massachusetts lacks an equivalent assessment) and questions about program governance. DEM also said PaintCare operates under a producer responsibility model with one contractor and that there is limited statutory requirement for competitive rebidding or periodic work‑plan renewal. Industry representatives told the committee the program has diverted more than 750,000 gallons of paint from landfills and argued the program is broadly supported by retailers and municipalities; DEM and PaintCare differ on reserve levels and oversight mechanisms.

Underground storage tank trust transfer: Senators asked about a $3 million transfer from the underground storage tank financial assurance fund; DEM explained the fund acts like a pooled insurance mechanism funded by a portion of the gas tax and said current balances have grown because releases and reimbursements have declined.

Legislative requests and bills: DEM staff and the director discussed several agriculture and forestry bills later in the hearing — including proposals to establish a restricted receipt account for agricultural fees and to add forestry positions to support wildfire prevention; these votes and separate public testimony are recorded elsewhere in the hearing.

Next steps: DEM said it would provide more detailed permitting performance metrics when the new permitting portal is live and was open to working with the committee on PaintCare governance questions; industry witnesses asked the committee to consider adjusting, not terminating, the program.

Quoted speakers in the article are in the speaker registry below and match direct statements made in committee testimony.","The Department of Environmental Management presented a largely current‑services FY26 request and flagged two programmatic issues for the committee: continued capacity needs for forestry, parks and permitting, and a proposal in the governor’s budget to discontinue the state’s paint stewardship assessment and recycling program (PaintCare).",{"_32":112,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":113,"_40":114,"_42":115,"_44":116,"_46":117,"_48":118,"_50":119,"_52":120,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":121,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":122,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6612713,"Coastal agency urges investment in dredge disposal cells, flags staff limits for rising offshore work",500,2167380,2668170,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730&start=2167&end=2668","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888881-3862f8a5d1fc4914ab8dbbb8d6b3c730/thumbnail_2167380.jpg","/articles/6612713/Rhode-Island/Coastal-agency-urges-investment-in-dredge-disposal-cells-flags-staff-limits-for-rising-offshore-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6612713-733c02ead129c5ab213deac15d3c090f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770140427&Signature=XH4F5yeppKaOJKCbiEyuVmVdWdP5o8Haz-tbHYydHAz25R643LHjRjcXzYc9icdsWaYefUphu7oD2Pc22Eo4-y-~TiNi5SJGC6oPw0YCeOFoAdZgpmwN7Dk1n1uRD80aTjerM0EhI0WIRKWSfjV~91BeuM~TDJXGOd6AOOS8BgwnJ42EEKVdjc52UYMKvIY7XE9nEThCXxQmqX8PRaLlpTQgWXdfWvaNGx0MkLa94DCMkJH4reWEJ3iroRrvyWybzMlq~Q~Z17x7DXSMzRsOEbQeNV5CeXa398jeKdxOrE0N8dKTrPeuu71l45KVJVw8oj2I7ly1YlZNjUdd5aWziA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The director of the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) told the Senate Finance Committee that rising sea levels, more frequent storms and pending navigation projects require the state to invest in new confined aquatic disposal (CAD) cells to manage contaminated dredge material.

Director Wills explained the Army Corps’ planned Providence River dredging will produce material with chemical contaminants unsuitable for open‑water disposal; the preferred long‑term management approach is to place those materials into engineered CAD cells near Fields Point. The state would cost‑share construction and then manage the site for future disposal needs, the director said.

CRMC uses NOAA’s intermediate sea‑level projections and a suite of mapping tools to require applicants to evaluate future flood and storm impacts at the end of a 30‑year mortgage horizon. Wills walked senators through the agency’s “storm tools” visuals and said applicants are asked to consider long‑term erosion and higher storm frequency when proposing shore development.

Offshore wind and fisheries: Wills told the committee CRMC reviews projects in federal waters when those projects could affect Rhode Island coastal resources — particularly commercial fishing and habitat. When impacts cannot be avoided, CRMC requires mitigation or compensation; the council works with the fishing community on how compensation funds are administered.

Advisory board and staffing strain: Wills also said the council’s Fishermen’s Advisory Board resigned en masse following the Ørsted Sunrise project reviews at the end of 2023; CRMC spent 2024 recruiting replacements and will ratify a new advisory board at its next full meeting. The director said CRMC currently has three to four staff assigned to offshore wind project review but ideally would assign that team to a single project at a time; multiple concurrent federal project reviews are stretching agency capacity.

Dredging and Port Edgewood: Wills said upper‑bay CAD cells have reached capacity and the state’s capital budget request includes funds to help design and build replacement capacity; the material expected for disposal is distinct from cleaner port sediments that can be used to cap contaminated fills over time. The director emphasized that the Army Corps will implement the dredge but that CRMC’s cost share and long‑term management role are central to ensuring safe disposal and future port uses.

Committee questions focused on CRMC’s review timeline for emergency projects — such as replacement of the Washington Bridge — and on the health of the Fishermen’s Advisory Board. Wills said emergency permitting priorities have been assigned to expedite DOT coordination and that the new advisory board nominations would be brought to the council for ratification the following week.

CRMC asked senators to consider staff capacity and capital funding tied to dredge disposal as part of the FY26 deliberations. Several witnesses who followed the director’s presentation later urged the committee to increase CRMC staffing to address permitting backlogs and permit review times.

Speakers quoted in this account are listed in the article registry below; direct quotes are verbatim from CRMC testimony.","The Coastal Resources Management Council told the Senate Finance Committee the agency needs capital support for confined aquatic disposal (CAD) cells to manage contaminated dredge material and warned staffing is insufficient to review multiple offshore wind projects and other growing workloads.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

State court administrator warns 46% cut to operating budget would force steep reductions

Support grows for 10 forestry positions as lawmakers and witnesses warn of rising wildfire risk

Farmers, food groups urge creation of agricultural restricted receipt account after federal cuts

DEM seeks to hold FY26 spending steady; governor proposes ending paint stewardship program

Coastal agency urges investment in dredge disposal cells, flags staff limits for rising offshore work