# Rhode Island H8529: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE RHODE ISLAND LIFE SCIENCE HUB ACT . Rhode Island H8529, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE RHODE ISLAND LIFE SCIENCE HUB ACT ., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jacquelyn M. Baginski (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-23 (Signed by Governor — Chapter 424) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8529-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Rhode Island H8529 - State: Rhode Island - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- THE RHODE ISLAND LIFE SCIENCE HUB ACT . - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-05-06 - Last action: 2026-06-23, Signed by Governor — Chapter 424 - Sponsor: Jacquelyn M. Baginski (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 1 (66 yes, 4 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 9 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New help for life‑science companies: benefit, low. The law creates the Rhode Island Life Science Hub. If your life‑science company is certified by the Hub, you can compete for grants, loans, or investments. The Hub can also help you go after federal, state, or nonprofit money and set up clinical trials. Any grant, loan, or incentive needs a board v… - Faster one‑stop permits in I‑195: benefit, low. Inside the I‑195 district, the commission is the only permitting authority. The State Fire Marshal and State Building Code Commissioner must issue needed safety and building permits and work to speed them up. The commission can use accelerated or phased reviews and allow some work to start before f… - No casinos or gambling in district: benefit, low. The commission cannot allow casinos or any gambling in the I‑195 district. A deed restriction that bans gambling must be recorded on each property and binds future owners. Only the General Assembly can remove the ban, subject to constitutional limits. - Commission jobs lack state pensions: cost, medium. If you work for the I‑195 commission, you are not a state or city employee. You do not earn state or city pension benefits while employed by the commission. The executive director job must be advertised, approved in a public meeting, and new members must complete ethics training within six months. - Abutting land falls under commission: cost, low. If a project uses both I‑195 surplus land and abutting land under the same ownership, the abutting land is reviewed by the commission, not the city, once the Providence City Council authorizes this by ordinance. Abutting land means parcels that share a property line, not land across a public street. - Old life‑science credits kept; program ended: mixed, medium. The life‑science jobs incentive program ended on December 31, 2021. If your company was in the district, qualified on or before that date, and kept its certification, the tax credits you acquired stay valid for 10 years from your qualification date. - I‑195 commission ends by 2039: mixed, low. The commission ends when all district properties are developed and sold, or on December 31, 2039, whichever comes first. Its authority then returns to the proper state or local agencies. Any property and leases it still holds move to the Commerce Corporation. District parks may be transferred to a… - New makeup and powers of commission: mixed, low. The I‑195 commission has seven voting members appointed by the governor with senate approval, using candidate lists from the Providence mayor and House speaker for some seats. The chair of the Life Science Hub joins as a non‑voting member. The commission may meet in private on land deals if disclos… - Rules for the Life Science Hub: mixed, low. The Hub’s board has 17 members with specific public and institutional seats. The CEO sits on the board but does not vote. The I‑195 commission chair also sits on the board as a non‑voting member. Directors can join meetings by video and still count for quorum and votes. The board hires the CEO with… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jacquelyn M. Baginski (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Scott A. Slater (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-10 | House | RI LIFE SCIENCE HUB ACT PASSAGE | pass | 66 | 4 | | ## Actions (12) - 2026-06-23: Signed by Governor — Chapter 424 (Governor) - 2026-06-18: Transmitted to Governor (Governor) - 2026-06-11: Senate passed Sub A in concurrence (Senate) - 2026-06-11: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar (06/11/2026) (Senate) - 2026-06-10: House passed Sub A (House) - 2026-06-08: Placed on House Calendar (06/10/2026) (House) - 2026-06-08: Committee recommends passage of Sub A - 2026-06-07: Proposed Substitute - 2026-06-06: Scheduled for consideration (06/08/2026) - 2026-05-21: Committee recommended measure be held for further study - 2026-05-15: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/21/2026) - 2026-05-06: Introduced, referred to House Finance (House) ## Bill text - H8529 - As Introduced, 2026-05-06: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8529.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8529.pdf) - H8529 - Substitute, 2026-05-06: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8529A.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8529A.pdf) ## Related bills - H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS . (became law) - H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY . (became law) - H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT . (became law) - H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN . (became law) - H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES . (became law) - H8437: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION . (became law) ## Sources - [H8529 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8529.htm) - [H8529 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8529.pdf) - [H8529 - Substitute (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8529A.htm) - [H8529 - Substitute (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8529A.pdf) ## Related - [H8605: JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8605-2026) - [H8586: AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS -- RHODE ISLAND TURNPIKE AND BRIDGE AUTHORITY .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8586-2026) - [H8580: AN ACT RELATING TO THE NORTH TIVERTON FIRE DISTRICT .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8580-2026) - [H8506: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RELATING TO CENTRAL FALLS PENSION PLAN .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8506-2026) - [H8525: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8525-2026) - [H8437: AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION .](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8437-2026) - [Rhode Island bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island/bills) - [Rhode Island state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/rhode-island) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8529-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).