# Rhode Island H8624: AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CRANSTON TO FINANCE THE ACQUISITION, IMPROVEMENT, RENOVATION AND REPAIR OF FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT BY THE ISSUANCE OF NOT MORE THAN $8,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND NOTES THEREFOR . Rhode Island H8624, AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CRANSTON TO FINANCE THE ACQUISITION, IMPROVEMENT, RENOVATION AND REPAIR OF FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT BY THE ISSUANCE OF NOT MORE THAN $8,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND NOTES THEREFOR ., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Christopher G. Paplauskas (Republican); status became law, last action 2026-06-26 (Effective without Governor's signature) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-H8624-2026 - 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 H8624 - State: Rhode Island - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CRANSTON TO FINANCE THE ACQUISITION, IMPROVEMENT, RENOVATION AND REPAIR OF FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT BY THE ISSUANCE OF NOT MORE THAN $8,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND NOTES THEREFOR . - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-06-05 - Last action: 2026-06-26, Effective without Governor's signature - Sponsor: Christopher G. Paplauskas (Republican) - Cosponsors: 7 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 1 (72 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Property tax backstop for bond payments: cost, medium. Each year the city must set aside enough to pay bond principal and interest. If it does not, the shortfall is added to the property tax levy. All taxable property can be taxed without a rate or amount limit to cover these payments. This means property taxes can rise to pay the bonds. - Voters decide $8M for public safety: mixed, medium. Cranston can borrow up to $8 million to buy, improve, renovate, and repair fire and public safety equipment. Voters will decide this at the November 3, 2026 election, or at a city-wide special election. Money can also repay short-term notes, cover bond sale costs, and fund capitalized interest. Sev… - Bond terms and debt limit rules: mixed, low. Bonds can have the first principal payment within 5 years and the last within 30 years. The city can issue serial, term, zero-coupon, or capital appreciation bonds. For debt limits, only the original principal counts; later appreciation is treated as interest. These bonds do not count under a speci… - Short-term notes and funding tools: mixed, low. The city can issue short-term notes before bonds or aid arrive. Notes must be paid within five years, and refunds cannot leave notes over 200% of the bond amount. With council approval, the treasurer can advance city funds now and repay them later without interest. The treasurer can invest unspent… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Christopher G. Paplauskas (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jacquelyn M. Baginski (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: David A. Bennett (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Richard R. Fascia (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Arthur Handy (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Joseph M. McNamara (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Brandon C. Potter (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Robert J. Quattrocchi (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-11 | House | CRANSTON - BONDS AND NOTES PASSAGE | pass | 72 | 0 | | ## Actions (9) - 2026-06-26: Effective without Governor's signature (Governor) - 2026-06-18: Transmitted to Governor (Governor) - 2026-06-11: Senate passed in concurrence (Senate) - 2026-06-11: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar (06/11/2026) (Senate) - 2026-06-11: House read and passed (House) - 2026-06-10: Placed on House Calendar (06/11/2026) (House) - 2026-06-10: Committee recommends passage - 2026-06-08: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (06/10/2026) - 2026-06-05: Introduced, referred to House Municipal Government & Housing (House) ## Bill text - H8624 - As Introduced, 2026-06-05: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8624.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8624.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 - [H8624 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8624.htm) - [H8624 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H8624.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-H8624-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).