Text of RI H 5010 (2025)

2025 -- H 5010 ======== LC000505 ======== S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 ____________ H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N AMENDING THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE YEARS 2023 AND 2024 Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Stewart, Alzate, Batista, Potter, Giraldo, Cotter, Speakman, and Sanchez Date Introduced: January 10, 2025 Referred To: House Rules RESOLVED, that the rules of the House of Representatives adopted by the House of 1 Representatives at its January session, A.D. 2023, entitled “House Resolution Adopting Rules of 2 the House of Representatives for the years 2023 and 2024”, be and the same is hereby amended 3 by adding the following new rule thereto: 4 Equity impact statements. 5 (49)(a) Equity impact statements are documents intended to help legislators evaluate 6 whether a public bill is likely to increase equity, decrease equity, or have no impact on equity, 7 with equity considered in terms of one or more of the following categories: race, color, ethnicity, 8 religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, and/or country of 9 ancestral origin. Where possible, equity impact statements must include data as to historical 10 and/or existing disparities and as to likely demographic impacts of proposed legislation; such data 11 could include, for example, differential healthcare outcomes, graduation rates, incarceration rates, 12 or siting of pollution-producing businesses. Where possible, equity impact statements must 13 include data as to historical and/or existing economic disparities and as to likely fiscal and/or 14 economic impacts of proposed legislation; such data could include, for example, differential 15 support for minority-owned businesses or for businesses owned by individuals with disabilities. 16 (b) Each year, the Speaker may request the production of equity impact statements on up 17 to five (5) proposed public bills. The request for an equity impact statement must identify which 18 one or more of the following categories should be considered: race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, 19 LC000505 - Page 2 of 3 sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, and/or country of ancestral 1 origin. Equity impact statements must address the protected category or categories identified in 2 the request for a statement, but are not limited to, addressing those identified in the request. 3 (c) Each year, the Rhode Island Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American and Pacific 4 Islander (RIBLIA) Caucus may request equity impact statements on up to five (5) proposed 5 public bills. The request for an equity impact statement must identify which one or more of the 6 following categories should be considered: race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, 7 gender identity or expression, disability, age, and/or country of ancestral origin. Equity impact 8 statements must address the protected category or categories identified in the request for a 9 statement, but are not limited to, addressing those identified in the request. 10 (d) Legislative Council, in coordination with the Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice 11 & Bias, institutions of higher education, and relevant state agencies, shall prepare the requested 12 equity impact statements. 13 (e) Legislative Council shall attach completed equity impact statements to public bills. 14 (f) Equity impact statements shall be deemed public records under the provisions of 15 chapter 2 of title 38 ("access to public records"). 16 (g) Equity impact statements may be made available at least one week prior to any 17 hearing on the public bill. Equity impact statements shall be made available to the public at least 18 one week prior to any committee vote on the public bill under consideration. 19 ======== LC000505 ======== LC000505 - Page 3 of 3 EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N AMENDING THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE YEARS 2023 AND 2024 *** This resolution would authorize the Speaker and the Rhode Island Black, Latino, 1 Indigenous, Asian American and Pacific Islander (RIBLIA) Caucus to request equity impact 2 statements on up to five (5) proposed bills. 3 ======== LC000505 ========