HB 5516 — AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- CONDUCT OF ELECTION AND VOTING EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES
Last action — 06/13/2025 Referred to Senate Judiciary
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✓Introduced
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✓In 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 “Passed House” 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This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.
Summary
Requires all write-in votes, regardless of qualification, to be reported and published by the state board of elections, on its website.
Bill Text
We don't have the full text on file for this bill yet.
Read HB 5516 on the official Rhode Island source →Action History
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06/13/2025 Referred to Senate Judiciary
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06/12/2025 House passed Sub A as amended (floor amendment)
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06/06/2025 Placed on House Calendar (06/12/2025)
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06/03/2025 Committee recommends passage of Sub A
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05/30/2025 Proposed Substitute
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05/30/2025 Scheduled for consideration (06/03/2025)
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05/29/2025 Meeting postponed (05/29/2025)
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05/23/2025 Scheduled for consideration
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03/18/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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03/14/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/18/2025)
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02/13/2025 Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections
Sponsors
- Charlene M. Lima · Primary
- Christopher G. Paplauskas · Primary
- Jacquelyn M. Baginski · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →3 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 111 not signed on · 4 voted No
Sponsors (3)
- Charlene M. Lima Democratic
- Christopher G. Paplauskas Republican
- Jacquelyn M. Baginski Democratic
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (111)
111 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 111 →"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 | 52 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Unaffiliated | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 65 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| % of votes cast | 87% | 5% | 0% | 8% |
How each member voted (75)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Speaker | — | Yea |
| O'Brien | — | Yea |
| ShallcrossSmith | — | Yea |
| Alex Finkelman | Democratic | Yea |
| Alex Marszalkowski | Democratic | Yea |
| Anthony J. DeSimone | Democratic | Yea |
| Arthur Handy | Democratic | Yea |
| Arthur J. Corvese | Democratic | Yea |
| Brandon C. Potter | Democratic | Yea |
| Brandon T. Voas | Democratic | Yea |
| Brian Patrick Kennedy | Democratic | Yea |
| Carol Hagan McEntee | Democratic | Yea |
| Charlene M. Lima | Democratic | Yea |
| Cherie L. Cruz | Democratic | Yea |
| Christopher R. Blazejewski | Democratic | Not Voting |
| David A. Bennett | Democratic | Nay |
| David Morales | Democratic | Yea |
| Deborah A. Fellela | Democratic | Yea |
| Earl A. Read, III | Democratic | Yea |
| Edith H. Ajello | Democratic | Yea |
| Enrique George Sanchez | Democratic | Yea |
| Evan P. Shanley | Democratic | Yea |
| Grace Diaz | Democratic | Yea |
| Gregory J. Costantino | Democratic | Nay |
| Jacquelyn M. Baginski | Democratic | Yea |
| Jason Knight | Democratic | Yea |
| Jenni A. Furtado | Democratic | Yea |
| Jennifer A. Stewart | Democratic | Yea |
| Jennifer Smith Boylan | Democratic | Yea |
| John G. Edwards | Democratic | Yea |
| John J. Lombardi | Democratic | Nay |
| 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 |
| Matt S. Dawson | Democratic | Yea |
| Megan L. Cotter | 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 | Not Voting |
| 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 | Nay |
| Terri Cortvriend | Democratic | Yea |
| Thomas E. Noret | Democratic | Not Voting |
| Tina L. Spears | Democratic | Yea |
| Jon D. Brien | Independent | Yea |
| Brian C. Newberry | Republican | Yea |
| Christopher G. Paplauskas | Republican | Yea |
| David J. Place | Republican | Yea |
| George A Nardone | Republican | Yea |
| Marie A. Hopkins | Republican | Yea |
| Michael W. Chippendale | Republican | Yea |
| Paul M. Santucci | Republican | Yea |
| Richard R. Fascia | Republican | Yea |
| Robert J. Quattrocchi | Republican | Not Voting |
| Sherry Roberts | Republican | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 56 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Unaffiliated | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 68 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| % of votes cast | 91% | 0% | 0% | 9% |
How each member voted (75)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Speaker | — | Yea |
| O'Brien | — | Yea |
| ShallcrossSmith | — | Yea |
| Alex Finkelman | Democratic | Yea |
| Alex Marszalkowski | Democratic | Yea |
| Anthony J. DeSimone | Democratic | Yea |
| Arthur Handy | Democratic | Yea |
| Arthur J. Corvese | Democratic | Yea |
| Brandon C. Potter | Democratic | Yea |
| Brandon T. Voas | Democratic | Yea |
| Brian Patrick Kennedy | Democratic | Yea |
| Carol Hagan McEntee | Democratic | Yea |
| Charlene M. Lima | Democratic | Yea |
| Cherie L. Cruz | Democratic | Yea |
| Christopher R. Blazejewski | Democratic | Not Voting |
| David A. Bennett | Democratic | Yea |
| David Morales | Democratic | Yea |
| Deborah A. Fellela | Democratic | Yea |
| Earl A. Read, III | Democratic | Yea |
| Edith H. Ajello | Democratic | Yea |
| Enrique George Sanchez | Democratic | Yea |
| Evan P. Shanley | Democratic | Yea |
| Grace Diaz | Democratic | Yea |
| Gregory J. Costantino | Democratic | Yea |
| Jacquelyn M. Baginski | Democratic | Yea |
| Jason Knight | Democratic | Yea |
| Jenni A. Furtado | Democratic | Yea |
| Jennifer A. Stewart | Democratic | Yea |
| Jennifer Smith Boylan | 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 |
| Matt S. Dawson | Democratic | Yea |
| Megan L. Cotter | 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 | Not Voting |
| 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 | Not Voting |
| Tina L. Spears | Democratic | Yea |
| Jon D. Brien | Independent | Yea |
| Brian C. Newberry | Republican | Yea |
| Christopher G. Paplauskas | Republican | Yea |
| David J. Place | Republican | Yea |
| George A Nardone | Republican | Yea |
| Marie A. Hopkins | Republican | Yea |
| Michael W. Chippendale | Republican | Yea |
| Paul M. Santucci | Republican | Not Voting |
| Richard R. Fascia | Republican | Yea |
| Robert J. Quattrocchi | Republican | Not Voting |
| Sherry Roberts | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does HB 5516 do?
- Requires all write-in votes, regardless of qualification, to be reported and published by the state board of elections, on its website.
- Who sponsors HB 5516?
- HB 5516 is sponsored by Charlene M. Lima (Democratic), Christopher G. Paplauskas (Republican), and Jacquelyn M. Baginski (Democratic).
- What is the current status of HB 5516?
- This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “Passed House” 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 5516?
- Track HB 5516 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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