# Rhode Island S2438: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SCHOOL WASTE RECYCLING AND REFUSE DISPOSAL . Rhode Island S2438, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SCHOOL WASTE RECYCLING AND REFUSE DISPOSAL ., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bridget Valverde (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-18 (Signed by Governor — Chapter 129) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S2438-2026 - 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 S2438 - State: Rhode Island - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- SCHOOL WASTE RECYCLING AND REFUSE DISPOSAL . - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-06 - Last action: 2026-06-18, Signed by Governor — Chapter 129 - Sponsor: Bridget Valverde (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 9 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (100 yes, 8 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Schools favor 10% Rhode Island food: benefit, low. State policy tells school food‑service RFPs and IFBs to encourage vendors that buy at least 10% of products from Rhode Island‑based food companies. This applies to the state, the education department, and local schools. - School sharing tables and food donations: benefit, low. Schools may run Department of Health–approved sharing tables during meal times. Only safe, unopened or properly wrapped items, and chilled perishables like milk at 41°F or below, are allowed. Unclaimed items can be donated to food banks or nonprofits. School food contracts must require vendors to d… - Vendors must recycle food waste: cost, medium. Schools must use food‑service vendors that recycle organic waste at an authorized composting or anaerobic digestion facility. A vendor that does not comply cannot bid on new school food‑service contracts until it fixes the issue. - Vendors must report donations or pay: cost, medium. Vendors that donate unserved food must file a yearly report to the education department. The report lists how much was donated and any tax deductions or credits used, and the state publishes it. If a vendor fails to report, the law fines $1,000 per violation and bars the vendor from future school f… - Stronger organics recycling in schools: cost, medium. From January 1, 2023 through January 1, 2029, a school that generates at least 30 tons of organic waste a year and is within 15 miles of an authorized facility with capacity must recycle that waste. Beginning January 1, 2029, every educational entity must recycle organic waste at an authorized faci… - Regular school waste audits and lessons: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, schools must report waste‑audit results to the education department every three years, and the state posts the results online. The Commissioner issues rules and gives schools a yearly notice about waste and disposal policies, with rules due by January 1, 2027. Every publi… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Bridget Valverde (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Alana M. DiMario (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Louis P. DiPalma (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Dawn Euer (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Victoria Gu (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Meghan E. Kallman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Pamela J. Lauria (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tiara T. Mack (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mark P. McKenney (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lammis J. Vargas (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-06-10 | House | SCHOOL WASTE RECYCLING PASSAGE IN CONCURRENCE | pass | 62 | 8 | | | 2026-06-09 | Senate | EDUCATION -- SCHOOL WASTE RECYCLING AND REFUSE DISPOSAL Passage | pass | 38 | 0 | | ## Actions (12) - 2026-06-18: Signed by Governor — Chapter 129 (Governor) - 2026-06-16: Transmitted to Governor (Governor) - 2026-06-10: House passed Sub A in concurrence (House) - 2026-06-09: Placed on House Calendar (06/10/2026) (House) - 2026-06-09: Senate passed Sub A (Senate) - 2026-06-04: Placed on Senate Calendar (06/09/2026) (Senate) - 2026-06-02: Committee recommends passage of Sub A - 2026-06-01: Proposed Substitute - 2026-05-29: Scheduled for consideration (06/02/2026) - 2026-04-15: Committee recommended measure be held for further study - 2026-04-10: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/15/2026) - 2026-02-06: Introduced, referred to Senate Environment and Agriculture (Senate) ## Bill text - S2438 - As Introduced, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2438.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2438.pdf) - S2438 - Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2438A.htm), [PDF](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2438A.pdf) ## Related bills - S3047: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRICT COURT PRACTICE . (became law) - 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) ## Sources - [S2438 - As Introduced (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2438.htm) - [S2438 - As Introduced (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2438.pdf) - [S2438 - Substitute (HTML)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2438A.htm) - [S2438 - Substitute (PDF)](https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/SenateText26/S2438A.pdf) ## Related - [S3047: AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- DISTRIC…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/RI-S3047-2026) - [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) - [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-S2438-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).