Speaker Shekarchi announces CCAP for Child Care Staff Pilot

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, Governor Dan McKee and Department of Human Services Director Kimberly Merolla-Brito today announced the launch of the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) for Child Care Staff pilot, which was approved in the FY 24 Budget, and expands income eligibility for qualifying providers needing affordable child…

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Speaker Shekarchi tours RI Community Food Bank

Speaker at RI Community Food Bank

Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) took part in a tour of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank today to see first-hand the impact that is being made with a $3 million allocation of ARPA funds in the current state budget.  Andrew Schiff, the chief executive officer of the Food Bank, led…

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Speaker Shekarchi celebrates $25M RAISE grant for Rt. 37 work

RIDOT grants

Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, Senate President Pro Tempore Hanna M. Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick) and Rep. David Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston) joined members of Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation, Governor Dan McKee and transportation officials to celebrate a $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant to fund multimodal improvements…

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Speaker Shekarchi’s housing legislation enacted

Thirteen bills from Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s package of legislation to help address Rhode Island’s housing crisis have now been enacted into law. “I am truly grateful to my colleagues in both the House and the Senate for their support and collaboration on the passage of our housing bills. Regardless of party or district, every…

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Budget amendment adds $7 Million for early childhood programs

Statement from Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi:“The budget the House will consider today will include an amendment to add $7 million for early childhood programs from unspent federal funds.  This includes $3 million to preserve for Head Start and Early Head start seats and $4 million for a pilot program to expand eligibility for child care,…

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House approves 2024 state budget bill

The House of Representatives voted 68-4 today to approve a $14 billion budget for the 2024 fiscal year that commits funding toward addressing the housing crisis, supports business development and makes education funding more equitable while limiting the use of one-time revenue to one-time expenditures. The budget bill (2023-H 5200Aaa) now goes to the Senate,…

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RIDE awards $7.5 million in Learning Inside Out Outdoor Classroom Grants; Seven Warwick schools selected for grants totaling $700,000

RIDE outdoor classroom event

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, Mayor Frank Picozzi, Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, and the Rhode Island Department of Education joined school district leaders, students, and staff at Wyman Elementary School to award $7.5 million in RIDE’s Learning Inside Out Outdoor Classroom grants. In total, 89 projects across 29 local education agencies (LEAs) will receive grants to create, enhance,…

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