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Committee approves one-year extension for river-flooding study commission, adds members
Summary
The House committee voted 12–0 to extend a study commission on river flooding by one year and add four members, with lawmakers noting a typographical error in the bill that they plan to fix on the House floor.
The House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources unanimously approved a measure to extend a study commission examining river flooding and expand its membership.
Representative Reed asked the committee to move the commission’s reporting date from March 2026 to March 2027 and to set the commission’s overall expiration in June 2027. Reed also proposed increasing membership from nine to 13 by adding four seats, including an assistant town manager from Coventry, West Warwick Fire Chief Jeffrey Varon, a Providence Water resident engineer and a West Warwick business owner, Randy Botella of Reliable Collision.
Reed told the panel the commission, which was created last year and approved unanimously by the House, has “gained some traction” and needs more time and additional expertise to finish a final report and recommendations. “Where I'm asking for an extension from March '26 ... extend that 1 year to March '27,” he said during testimony.
Committee members raised two issues. Dr. Speakman pointed out a typographical error in the draft resolution listing “Rhode Island Energy” where the transcript and testimony identified the Providence Water engineer; Reed acknowledged the mistake and said he would raise it with legislative counsel. Several members also asked about the role of federal agencies: Reed said the Army Corps of Engineers presented to the commission and FEMA had not responded to appointment requests.
The committee took a roll-call vote after a motion and a second on the floor (mover and seconder not recorded in the transcript). The clerk reported the motion passed 12–0.
Members noted that technical errors in the resolution could be corrected as a floor amendment during the House calendar. With no further debate, the committee moved on to its next agenda item.
