After approval by the House and Senate Finance committees today, the RhodeWorks legislation to rebuild Rhode Island’s roads and bridges is headed for votes on the floors of the House and Senate.
Here’s how Aquidneck Island’s legislation voted in the two finance committee meetings for RhodeWorks (truck tolls) today and how remaining reps are expected to vote on Wednesday & Thursday…
****HO– USE****
VOTED IN FAVOR ON 2/9: (7 Reps represent Aquidneck Island)
1 – Representative Deborah Ruggiero (District 74, Jamestown and Middletown)
2 – Representative Marvin Abney (District 73, Newport and Middletown)
3 – Representative Raymond Gallison (District 69, Portsmouth and Bristol)
VOTED AGAINST ON 2/9:
1 – Representative Daniel Reilly (District 72, Middletown and Portsmouth)
HOW EXPECTED TO VOTE WHEN IT HITS HO– USE FLOOR
1 – VOTE FOR – Representative Lauren Carson (District 75, Newport)
2 – UNK – Representative Dennis Canario (District 71, Portsmouth, Little Compton and Tiverton)
3 – UNK – Representative John Edwards (District 70, Portsmouth and Tiverton)
****SENATE**** (3 Senators represent Aquidneck Island)
VOTED IN FAVOR ON 2/9:
1 – Senator Louis P. DiPalma (District 12, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton)
VOTED AGAINST ON 2/9:
1 – Senator John Pagliarini (District 11, Bristol, Portsmouth & Tiverton)
HOW EXPECTED TO VOTE WHEN IT HITS SENATE FLOOR
1 – VOTE FOR – Senator M. Teresa Paiva Weed (District 13, Newport & Jamestown)
The House will take up the bill during its session tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 10, which is scheduled earlier than usual at 3 p.m. in the House chamber on the second floor of the State House.
The Senate is scheduled to take up the bill during its session Thursday, Feb. 11, which is scheduled to begin earlier than usual at 2 p.m. in the Senate Chamber on the second floor of the State House.
Both sessions will be televised live by Capitol Television, which can be seen on Cox and Full Channel on Channel 15, or in high definition on Channel 1013 for Cox subscribers, and on Channel 34 by Verizon viewers. They will also be live streamed at www.rilin.state.ri.us/CapTV.
Both the House and Senate Finance committees approved their respective chamber’s version of the legislation today, adding identical amendments to strengthen oversight of project management, including timelines and performance metrics for the Department of Transportation, along with reporting and auditing requirements.
The House Finance Committee voted 14 to 4 to approve the House bill (2016-H 7409 Sub. A), which is sponsored by House Majority Leader John J. DeSimone (D-Dist. 5, Providence).
The Senate Finance Committee voted 8 to 2 to approve the identical Senate bill (2016-S 2246 Sub. A), sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence).
After passage in its respective chamber, each bill must also be approved by the opposite chamber and be sent to the governor for signature before it can become law.