GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEBSITE http://www.rilin.state.ri.us  Click on Legislation.

For information on a Bill, click on “Bill Status History.”  For information on Committee schedules, click on “Committee Agendas.”  SEE BELOW.  Bill language printed in BLUE is NEW wording.

BILLS:  Click on “Bill Status History.”  Click on Bill Status History again (in BLUE letters).  Type in the Bill number (for H1234, type in ONLY 1234).  For more than one Bill, type in 1234, 1235, 1236. Then, if you want to read the Bill, click on the BLUE Bill number.  If you are searching by sponsor OR category of the Bill, click on the ARROW at the end of the Sponsor or Category line to get a listing.  Click on the one you want, then click on ENTER at bottom of screen.

To go back to the Bill Status History screen, click on the left-pointing arrow at top left of screen.  You CAN type over a Bill number, but to wipe a category or sponsor name, click on the ARROW and go all the way to the top—WHICH IS A BLANK SPACE—and click there.

On the Bill Status History screen you can also look at Bills introduced daily—BY DATE.  Under “Daily Introductions,” click on either House Bills or Senate Bills.  The date screen comes up, and you click on the date you want—then click on ENTER at bottom of screen.  To back out you can click on BACK or the arrow at top left of screen.

COMMITTEE SCHEDULES:  Click on “Committee Agendas.”  Click on the Committee name.  Screen gives you the Committee name, meeting room, date of hearing, and Bills to be heard.  If you want to go to the Bill itself, click on the BLUE Bill number.  Use the arrow at left top to back out.

HELD FOR FURTHER STUDY (HFFS) - H7256 Racial Profiling Act; S2585 Labor-Wages-punish unscrupulous employers who don’t pay employees (illegal aliens?);H-7927 E-Verify; H7314 to enact law for former Gov. Carcieri’s Exec. Order to Control Illegal Immigration; H7324 Driver’s licenses for anyone with an Alien Registration number.  (See two websites below.)  NOT YET SCHEDULED - H7266 STOP in-state tuition for illegal aliens- House Finance; H7340 GIVE in-state tuition to illegal aliens-House Finance; S2202 Earned Income Tax Credit-increase from 15% to 100% (illegal aliens)-Senate Finance;

S2252 Racial Profiling (see House Bill)-Senate Judiciary; S2279 GIVE in-State Tuition to Illegal Aliens-Senate Finance; S2294 Immigrant Assistance in Crime Fighting-Don’t ask about immigration status-Senate Judiciary; S2282 Business Tax Credit if an employer pays for English language training plus expenses (books, supplies, tuition, wages for time in class) for their employees who do not speak English- Senate Finance.

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODE/ProJo/ - Hearing on licensing immigrants – Rep. Leo Medina finds many detractors to his bill to allow driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants – Karen Lee Ziner Journal Staff Writer.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=515cfb41c8596210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=515cfb41c8596210VgnVCM100000b92ca60aRCRD  updated 6/8/11 – Glossary - Alien Registration Number (“A” Number) or Alien Number.  A unique seven-, eight- or nine-digit number assigned to a noncitizen at the time his or her A-file is created.

NEW:  Senate Resolution No. S2806 Sen. John Tassoni (D-Smithfield) (by request),  Joint Resolution for an amendment to the R.I. Constitution.  Would allow every permanent legal resident alien of the U.S. to vote in all statewide and local elections.  Resolution was “withdrawn at sponsor’s request” March 26, 2012.  Sen. Tassoni is a former Senior Business Agent, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 94, is on the Executive Board, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Unions, and publishes Common Ground, a monthly union newspaper.