News Clips

An extemporaneous speech Tuesday afternoon about Black History Month devolved into a tense shouting match on the Rhode Island House floor involving the deputy speaker and multiple lawmakers of color.

The last time a U.S. census form arrived in the mail, Marcela Betancur helped her mother fill it out.

Amid an uptick in member dissent, Senate leaders are proposing changes to its rules that would enshrine longstanding customs, consolidate power in the hands of the Senate president and prevent a filibuster from ever happening in Rhode Island again.

It’s time for the cynicism and the games to end. Gov. Gina Raimondo and the General Assembly should use their clout this year to make sure a strong line-item veto appears on the 2020 ballot. As we have long noted, this reform currently benefits 44 states. Rhode Island is one of only six that refuses to provide this check on corruption. A 2016 poll by Common Cause Rhode Island found that 66 percent of voters support the line-item veto.

Congressman Cicilline is holding out hope that the 2020 Census will turn up enough Rhode Islanders to hold onto one of the state's two U.S. House seats. "I actually don't think it's settled," Cicilline said on this week's Newsmakers. While that's true -- and a famously aggressive effort by Massachusetts in 2000 helped the Bay State keep a 10th House seat -- it's safe to say most other observers sound far more pessimistic.

The early phase of Rhode Island’s legislative session remains busy, with scores of people coming to the Statehouse to sound off on one of the nation’s most divisive issues. That’s part of what we’re looking at, so thanks for stopping by for my weekly column. As usual, your tips and comments are welcome, and you can follow me through the week on the twitters. Here we go.