Committee moves two bills to Sub A versions and holds remainder of calendar for study

The House Committee on Municipal Government and Housing voted Wednesday to indefinitely hold House Bill 7228 and substitute House Resolution 7228 Sub A, and to indefinitely hold House Bill 7043 and substitute House Bill 7043 Sub A. Both motions were moved, seconded and approved by roll call.

Chairman Casey opened the meeting and the clerk confirmed a quorum. Counsel explained the changes in the two Sub A versions: the 7228 Sub A adds a paragraph that substitutes the executive director of Rhode Island Housing (or designee) with the secretary of the Rhode Island Department of Housing (or designee) on the named commission; the 7043 Sub A clarifies the mandatory minimum liability insurance for retail liquor license applicants in Westerly is $300,000 by removing a clause that otherwise allowed a minimum to be set by local ordinance.

In both roll-call votes the members recorded on the roll as voting yes included Chairman Casey, First Vice Chair Fogarty, Second Vice Chair Speakman, Representative Cruz, a representative listed on the roll as Fasha, Representative Furtado, Representative Spears and Representative Carson (present/yes as recorded by the clerk). The committee then approved a procedural motion to hold the remainder of the calendar for further study; the chair emphasized that the motion is procedural only and does not indicate a position on the merits of the bills.

The motions are procedural committee actions that change how the bills move through committee; any substantive amendments or final floor action would occur later in the legislative process. The committee then moved on to scheduled hearings and testimony for the remainder of the evening.