AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT
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HB 5978 — AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT
Last action — 04/29/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
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✓Introduced
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2In Committee
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3Passed House
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4Passed Senate
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.
Summary
Provides that in local educational agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.
Bill Text
We don't have the full text on file for this bill yet.
Read HB 5978 on the official Rhode Island source →Action History
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04/29/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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04/25/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/29/2025)
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02/28/2025 Introduced, referred to House Finance
Sponsors
- O'Brien · Primary
- Leonela Felix · Primary
- Jennifer A. Stewart · Primary
- Karen Alzate · Primary
- Mary Duffy Messier · Primary
- Rebecca M. Kislak · Primary
- Joshua J. Giraldo · Primary
- Jon D. Brien · Primary
- Robert D. Phillips · Primary
- Stephen M. Casey · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →10 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 104 not signed on · 5 voted No
Sponsors (10)
- O'Brien
- Leonela Felix Democratic
- Jennifer A. Stewart Democratic
- Karen Alzate Democratic
- Mary Duffy Messier Democratic
- Rebecca M. Kislak Democratic
- Joshua J. Giraldo Democratic
- Jon D. Brien Independent
- Robert D. Phillips Democratic
- Stephen M. Casey Democratic
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (104)
104 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 104 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 46 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Unaffiliated | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Republican | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 65 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| % of votes cast | 87% | 8% | 0% | 5% |
How each member voted (75)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Amore | — | Yea |
| Barros | — | Yea |
| Cardillo | — | Yea |
| Cassar | — | Yea |
| Fenton-Fung | — | Yea |
| Filippi | — | Nay |
| Hawkins | — | Yea |
| Henries | — | Yea |
| McLaughlin | — | Yea |
| Mr. Speaker | — | Yea |
| O'Brien | — | Yea |
| Price | — | Yea |
| Ranglin-Vassell | — | Yea |
| Ruggiero | — | Yea |
| ShallcrossSmith | — | Yea |
| Tobon | — | Not Voting |
| Vella-Wilkinson | — | Yea |
| Williams | — | Yea |
| Lima S | — | Yea |
| Alex Marszalkowski | Democratic | Yea |
| Arthur Handy | Democratic | Yea |
| Arthur J. Corvese | Democratic | Yea |
| Brandon C. Potter | Democratic | Yea |
| Brian Patrick Kennedy | Democratic | Yea |
| Carol Hagan McEntee | Democratic | Yea |
| Charlene M. Lima | Democratic | Yea |
| Christopher R. Blazejewski | Democratic | Yea |
| David A. Bennett | Democratic | Yea |
| David Morales | Democratic | Yea |
| Deborah A. Fellela | Democratic | Yea |
| Edith H. Ajello | Democratic | Yea |
| Evan P. Shanley | Democratic | Yea |
| Grace Diaz | Democratic | Yea |
| Gregory J. Costantino | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Jacquelyn M. Baginski | Democratic | Yea |
| Jason Knight | Democratic | Yea |
| John G. Edwards | Democratic | Yea |
| John J. Lombardi | Democratic | Yea |
| Jose F. Batista | Democratic | Yea |
| Joseph J. Solomon, Jr. | Democratic | Yea |
| Joseph M. McNamara | Democratic | Yea |
| Joshua J. Giraldo | Democratic | Yea |
| Julie A. Casimiro | Democratic | Yea |
| June Speakman | Democratic | Yea |
| Justine A. Caldwell | Democratic | Yea |
| Karen Alzate | Democratic | Yea |
| Katherine S. Kazarian | Democratic | Yea |
| Kathleen A. Fogarty | Democratic | Yea |
| Lauren H. Carson | Democratic | Yea |
| Leonela Felix | Democratic | Yea |
| Marvin L. Abney | Democratic | Yea |
| Mary Duffy Messier | Democratic | Yea |
| Mia A. Ackerman | Democratic | Yea |
| Michelle E. McGaw | Democratic | Yea |
| Nathan W. Biah | Democratic | Yea |
| Patricia A. Serpa | Democratic | Yea |
| Ramon A. Perez | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Raymond A. Hull | Democratic | Yea |
| Rebecca M. Kislak | Democratic | Yea |
| Robert D. Phillips | Democratic | Yea |
| Robert E. Craven, Sr. | Democratic | Yea |
| Samuel A. Azzinaro | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Scott A. Slater | Democratic | Yea |
| Stephen M. Casey | Democratic | Yea |
| Susan R. Donovan | Democratic | Yea |
| Teresa Ann Tanzi | Democratic | Yea |
| Terri Cortvriend | Democratic | Yea |
| Thomas E. Noret | Democratic | Yea |
| Brian C. Newberry | Republican | Yea |
| David J. Place | Republican | Yea |
| Elaine J. Morgan | Republican | Nay |
| George A Nardone | Republican | Nay |
| Michael W. Chippendale | Republican | Nay |
| Robert J. Quattrocchi | Republican | Nay |
| Sherry Roberts | Republican | Nay |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 46 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Unaffiliated | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Republican | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 70 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| % of votes cast | 93% | 0% | 0% | 7% |
How each member voted (75)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Amore | — | Yea |
| Barros | — | Yea |
| Cardillo | — | Yea |
| Cassar | — | Yea |
| Fenton-Fung | — | Yea |
| Filippi | — | Yea |
| Hawkins | — | Yea |
| Henries | — | Yea |
| McLaughlin | — | Yea |
| Mr. Speaker | — | Yea |
| O'Brien | — | Not Voting |
| Price | — | Yea |
| Ranglin-Vassell | — | Yea |
| Ruggiero | — | Yea |
| ShallcrossSmith | — | Yea |
| Tobon | — | Yea |
| Vella-Wilkinson | — | Yea |
| Williams | — | Yea |
| Lima S | — | Yea |
| Alex Marszalkowski | Democratic | Yea |
| Arthur Handy | Democratic | Yea |
| Arthur J. Corvese | Democratic | Yea |
| Brandon C. Potter | Democratic | Yea |
| Brian Patrick Kennedy | Democratic | Yea |
| Carol Hagan McEntee | Democratic | Yea |
| Charlene M. Lima | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Christopher R. Blazejewski | Democratic | Yea |
| David A. Bennett | Democratic | Yea |
| David Morales | Democratic | Yea |
| Deborah A. Fellela | Democratic | Yea |
| Edith H. Ajello | Democratic | Yea |
| Evan P. Shanley | Democratic | Yea |
| Grace Diaz | Democratic | Yea |
| Gregory J. Costantino | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Jacquelyn M. Baginski | Democratic | Yea |
| Jason Knight | Democratic | Yea |
| John G. Edwards | Democratic | Yea |
| John J. Lombardi | Democratic | Yea |
| Jose F. Batista | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Joseph J. Solomon, Jr. | Democratic | Yea |
| Joseph M. McNamara | Democratic | Yea |
| Joshua J. Giraldo | Democratic | Yea |
| Julie A. Casimiro | Democratic | Yea |
| June Speakman | Democratic | Yea |
| Justine A. Caldwell | Democratic | Yea |
| Karen Alzate | Democratic | Yea |
| Katherine S. Kazarian | Democratic | Yea |
| Kathleen A. Fogarty | Democratic | Yea |
| Lauren H. Carson | Democratic | Yea |
| Leonela Felix | Democratic | Yea |
| Marvin L. Abney | Democratic | Yea |
| Mary Duffy Messier | Democratic | Yea |
| Mia A. Ackerman | Democratic | Yea |
| Michelle E. McGaw | Democratic | Yea |
| Nathan W. Biah | Democratic | Yea |
| Patricia A. Serpa | Democratic | Yea |
| Ramon A. Perez | Democratic | Yea |
| Raymond A. Hull | Democratic | Yea |
| Rebecca M. Kislak | Democratic | Yea |
| Robert D. Phillips | Democratic | Yea |
| Robert E. Craven, Sr. | Democratic | Yea |
| Samuel A. Azzinaro | Democratic | Yea |
| Scott A. Slater | Democratic | Yea |
| Stephen M. Casey | Democratic | Yea |
| Susan R. Donovan | Democratic | Yea |
| Teresa Ann Tanzi | Democratic | Yea |
| Terri Cortvriend | Democratic | Yea |
| Thomas E. Noret | Democratic | Yea |
| Brian C. Newberry | Republican | Yea |
| David J. Place | Republican | Yea |
| Elaine J. Morgan | Republican | Not Voting |
| George A Nardone | Republican | Yea |
| Michael W. Chippendale | Republican | Yea |
| Robert J. Quattrocchi | Republican | Yea |
| Sherry Roberts | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does HB 5978 do?
- Provides that in local educational agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.
- Who sponsors HB 5978?
- HB 5978 is sponsored by O'Brien, Leonela Felix (Democratic), Jennifer A. Stewart (Democratic), Karen Alzate (Democratic), Mary Duffy Messier (Democratic), Rebecca M. Kislak (Democratic), Joshua J. Giraldo (Democratic), Jon D. Brien (Independent), Robert D. Phillips (Democratic), and Stephen M. Casey (Democratic).
- What is the current status of HB 5978?
- This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
- Where can I track HB 5978?
- Track HB 5978 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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