By Alexander Castro | Reporter
It’s Thursday!
And it’s another busy, busy, busy day at the Rhode Island State House as the 2026 legislative session stretches toward its season finale. On the dockets today: dozens of floor votes across both chambers (did I mention it was a busy day already?), including a Senate vote on a charter school moratorium, plus committee votes on bills pertaining to AI regulations and much, much, much more. Maybe open more browser tabs than can be feasibly consumed, load Capitol TV in each one, and hope to catch all the action?
Dr. Ann Hagan Webb, a survivor who was abused by a priest from 1957 to 1965 while she attended Sacred Heart School in West Warwick, watches the Senate deliberate from the chamber gallery on June 3, 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)
By Christopher Shea
The Rhode Island Senate unanimously approved a bill to create a two-year window for new clergy sex abuse lawsuits against institutions. The legislation now heads to the House for consideration.
Daniel Trafford (left), a State House publicist, speaks with Rep. Joseph Solomon on the House floor on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)
By Nancy Lavin
A joint resolution to repeal Rhode Island's 1861 ratification of the ultimately unsuccessful Corwin Amendment went to a House floor vote Wednesday, 165 years after Rhode Island lawmakers voted in support of its attempt to appease southern states by preventing federal interference in slavery.
The Crook Point Bascule Bridge in Providence, seen here on June 3, 2026, has been locked in an upright position over the Seekonk River since 1976. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)
By Alexander Castro
The iconic Crook Point Bascule Bridge in Providence is a step closer to finding new life, due to the General Assembly's passage of legislation that would create the Crook Point Bridge Authority. The new quasi-public agency would take over ownership of the bridge from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and manage its preservation and potential redevelopment.
President Donald Trump salutes as a U.S. Army carry team moves a flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of Sgt. Declan J. Coady at Dover Air Force Base on March 7, 2026 in Delaware. Six soldiers from the 103rd Sustainment Command were killed in action by an Iranian drone strike on March 1 in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
By Ariana Figueroa | DC Bureau
The U.S. House passed a resolution Wednesday to force President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran and require congressional approval for further military action in the country. The 215-208 vote saw four Republicans voting with all Democrats in support of the resolution.
A computer monitor displays the Sportsbook RI website, Rhode Island’s sole online source for wagering on sports games run by Brightstar. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)
COMMENTARY
By Cory Fox
Rhode Island moved quickly to legalize sports betting after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to strike down the federal ban. But being one of the first states to legalize sports betting is not the same thing as maintaining a competitive market. Today, Rhode Island operates one of the most restrictive sports betting markets in the country, argues Cory Fox, a senior vice president for public policy and sustainability at FanDuel.
ICYMI
Farm animal welfare rules might be rolled back by Congress | Kevin Hardy, Stateline
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