Rhode Island 2026 Session Status: Enacted 4 D cosponsors

HB 8252 — AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Last action — 06/18/2026 Signed by Governor

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 06, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Dan McKee (Democratic) on June 18, 2026.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 78% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 4 sponsors

    4 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (4 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

This bill exempts certain students from paying nonresident tuition in Rhode Island's public higher education institutions.

The legislation provides an exemption from nonresident tuition fees for eligible students attending Rhode Island's public universities, colleges, and community colleges. This aims to make higher education more accessible for those who qualify.

What this means for you
  • Families: This means families may save on the cost of higher education if their child qualifies for the tuition exemption.

Summary

Provides any student, who meets the requirements of this section, with an exemption from paying nonresident tuition at Rhode Island public universities, colleges, or community colleges.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. 06/18/2026 Signed by Governor

  2. 06/16/2026 Transmitted to Governor

  3. 06/11/2026 Senate passed as amended in concurrence

  4. 06/10/2026 Placed on Senate Calendar (06/11/2026)

  5. 06/10/2026 House passed as amended (floor amendment)

  6. 06/08/2026 Placed on House Calendar (06/10/2026)

  7. 06/08/2026 Committee recommends passage

  8. 06/06/2026 Scheduled for consideration (06/08/2026)

  9. 05/12/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  10. 05/08/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/12/2026)

  11. 03/06/2026 Introduced, referred to House Finance

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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4 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 110 not signed on · 9 voted No

Sponsors (4)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (110)

110 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 110 →

"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.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

AS AMENDED

Passed 61 Yea · 9 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 57004
Independent 1000
Republican 0901
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 61905
% of votes cast 81%12%0%7%
How each member voted (75)
Member Party Vote
Mr. Speaker — Yea
O'Brien — Yea
ShallcrossSmith — Yea
Alex Finkelman Democratic Not Voting
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 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 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
K. Joseph Shekarchi Democratic Not Voting
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 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
Tina L. Spears Democratic Yea
Jon D. Brien Independent Yea
Brian C. Newberry Republican Nay
Christopher G. Paplauskas Republican Nay
David J. Place Republican Nay
George A Nardone Republican Nay
Marie A. Hopkins Republican Not Voting
Michael W. Chippendale Republican Nay
Paul M. Santucci Republican Nay
Richard R. Fascia Republican Nay
Robert J. Quattrocchi Republican Nay
Sherry Roberts Republican Nay

Official roll call →

PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT

Passed 61 Yea · 7 Nay · 7 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 54007
Independent 1000
Republican 3700
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 61707
% of votes cast 81%9%0%9%
How each member voted (75)
Member Party Vote
Mr. Speaker — Yea
O'Brien — Yea
ShallcrossSmith — Yea
Alex Finkelman Democratic Not Voting
Alex Marszalkowski Democratic Yea
Anthony J. DeSimone Democratic Yea
Arthur Handy Democratic Yea
Arthur J. Corvese Democratic Yea
Brandon C. Potter Democratic Not Voting
Brandon T. Voas Democratic Yea
Brian Patrick Kennedy Democratic Yea
Carol Hagan McEntee Democratic Yea
Charlene M. Lima Democratic Yea
Cherie L. Cruz Democratic Not Voting
David A. Bennett Democratic Yea
David Morales Democratic Not Voting
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 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
K. Joseph Shekarchi Democratic Not Voting
Karen Alzate Democratic Yea
Katherine S. Kazarian Democratic Yea
Kathleen A. Fogarty Democratic Yea
Lauren H. Carson Democratic Yea
Leonela Felix Democratic Not Voting
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 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
Tina L. Spears Democratic Yea
Jon D. Brien Independent Yea
Brian C. Newberry Republican Nay
Christopher G. Paplauskas Republican Nay
David J. Place Republican Yea
George A Nardone Republican Nay
Marie A. Hopkins Republican Yea
Michael W. Chippendale Republican Yea
Paul M. Santucci Republican Nay
Richard R. Fascia Republican Nay
Robert J. Quattrocchi Republican Nay
Sherry Roberts Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 8252 do?
Provides any student, who meets the requirements of this section, with an exemption from paying nonresident tuition at Rhode Island public universities, colleges, or community colleges.
Who sponsors HB 8252?
HB 8252 is sponsored by Leonela Felix (Democratic), Jose F. Batista (Democratic), Scott A. Slater (Democratic), and Grace Diaz (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 8252?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 06, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 8252?
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