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Rhode Island General Assembly Approves Protection for Hotel Workers Against Verbal Abuse – Newport Buzz

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Rhode Island General Assembly Approves Protection for Hotel Workers Against Verbal Abuse – Newport Buzz


The Rhode Island General Assembly has approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Frank A. Ciccone III and Rep. David A. Bennett to make permanent a provision allowing hotels to evict guests who verbally abuse or threaten hotel staff or other guests. This legislative move, requested by the hospitality industry, comes in response to a rise in incidents of attacks and abuse towards service workers in Rhode Island and beyond.

The legislation, designated as 2024-S 2271aa and 2024-H 7065A, now awaits the governor’s signature to become law. It aims to provide hotel employees and guests with stronger protections against abusive behaviors.

“No one deserves to be abused in the course of doing their job. Hotel employees, as well as guests, deserve to be protected from those who are abusing or threatening them. Their employers need this option to protect them and prevent verbal abuse from escalating into something even worse. Letting customers know that abusing the staff could result in eviction will help discourage the worst behavior that unfortunately, is becoming more common,” said Senator Ciccone (D-Dist. 7, Providence, North Providence).

Representative Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston) added, “Workers in the hospitality industry have endured a lot over the last few years, and they should not have to endure abuse on top of it. Making these protections permanent will protect them from abuse going forward.”

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Existing Rhode Island law permits hotels to evict guests who refuse to pay, are obviously intoxicated, destroy or threaten to destroy hotel property, engage in underage drinking or illegal substance use, bring dangerous items like firearms or explosives onto the property, or violate posted hotel rules.

The 2022 legislation (2022-S 2511Aaa, 2022-H 7910A) expanded these grounds for eviction to include verbal abuse and physical threats towards employees or other guests. Additionally, it allowed hotels to post their rules online rather than on guest room doors and permitted them to refuse admission to unaccompanied minors under 18.

The new legislation solidifies these provisions, which were set to expire on July 1, 2024, making them a permanent part of Rhode Island law. It also includes safeguards to ensure it is not used as a pretext for discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, or country of ancestral origin.

 

 

 

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The Most Expensive House in Rhode Island—Around the Corner From Taylor Swift’s Home—to Ask $23.5 Million

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The Most Expensive House in Rhode Island—Around the Corner From Taylor Swift’s Home—to Ask .5 Million


A waterfront estate in Rhode Island could set a record in the same neighborhood where Taylor Swift owns a home. 

The 2.75-acre estate on Pawcatuck Avenue in the village of Watch Hill will soon hit the open market for $23.5 million, making it the most expensive active listing in Rhode Island. The property is in Westerly, a peninsula in the state’s western-most section, at the meeting point with Connecticut and New York. 

MORE: A Former Gilded Age Inn Perched on a Cliff Above the Hudson River Lists for $2.9 Million

The main New England-style home spans 7,000 square feet across four levels, with five bedrooms, several reception rooms, a wet bar and a wine cellar. There is also a three-bedroom guest house, which spans close to 5,000 square feet, along with a saltwater pool surrounded by a bluestone deck and a newly refinished tennis court, according to the listing with Geb Masterson of William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty. 

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“Properties don’t often come up for sale in Watch Hill,” Masterson said via email. “People and families often stay for generations, holding onto the homes their parents bought.”

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The property, which has an alternate address on Bay Street, is fully outfitted with amenities for waterfront living, including a boat house, boat garage and a dock that can accommodate a 70-foot yacht. There is also a three-bedroom guest house, according to the listing. 

Swift has owned a home in the Watch Hill neighborhood since 2013—a bolthole where the global pop star reportedly throws the best July 4th bash in town. Additionally, earlier in the year, Swift and her fiance, football star Travis Kelce, were rumored to be marrying in a coastal wedding venue nearby, but recent gossip suggests the wedding will actually be held in New York City in less than a month, on July 3. 

Mansion Global Boutique: Why Your Home Needs a Little ‘Ugly Beauty’

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The sellers purchased the Watch Hill property in April 2020 for $10.4 million via a trust, from the family who built it in 2006, according to records accessed through PropertyShark. The 2020 sale was approved by a Connecticut District bankruptcy court, as the prior owner was in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings related to the home as well as to a ski resort he owned in Vermont, according to court documents and news reports. 

The sellers and previous owners couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. 



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R.I. Senate passes pair of DiPalma bills on dementia services and pension revocation for sex crimes – What’s Up Newp

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R.I. Senate passes pair of DiPalma bills on dementia services and pension revocation for sex crimes – What’s Up Newp


The Rhode Island Senate passed two bills sponsored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Louis P. DiPalma, D-Middletown, on Thursday — one creating a state dementia services coordinator and another allowing the state to revoke pension benefits from public employees convicted of job-related felony sex crimes.

The first bill (2026-S 2874) would create a dementia services coordinator within the Rhode Island Department of Health to oversee the state’s approach to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. According to DiPalma’s office, the coordinator’s duties would include overseeing implementation and updates of the Rhode Island Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorder State Plan, analyzing dementia-related data collected by the state and recommending strategies to improve coordination of services provided by public and private entities.

“Unfortunately, most of us have been touched in some way by Alzheimer’s and dementia,” DiPalma said in a statement. “Whether it’s caring for a loved one or seeing a friend suffering from these devastating diseases, the toll they take is significant. That’s why it’s important to have a central authority in the state whose job it is to support all those afflicted by these diseases.”

The second bill (2026-S 3296) would authorize the State Retirement Board to revoke or reduce a person’s pension benefits if the individual is convicted, or pleads guilty or no contest to, a felony sex crime related to their public office or public employment.

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“Any state worker who commits a sex crime in relation to their official duties does not in any way deserve the continued financial support of the state through pension benefits,” DiPalma said. “This is a common-sense measure that will hold sex offenders accountable for their despicable actions.”

DiPalma represents District 12, which includes Middletown, Little Compton, Newport and Tiverton. Both bills now head to the House for consideration. Rep. Julie A. Casimiro, D-North Kingstown, has introduced companion legislation on the dementia services coordinator (2026-H 7542), and House Judiciary Committee Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee, D-South Kingstown, has introduced companion legislation on the pension revocation (2026-H 7656).



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Rhode Island DCYF discloses fatality of 18-year-old

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Rhode Island DCYF discloses fatality of 18-year-old


The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families disclosed the fatality of an 18-year-old who was previously the subject of a near fatality notification on June 2.

According to the department, the 18-year-old died on Thursday and was involved with DCYF.

The Office of the Child Advocate was notified about the incident.

DCYF did not disclose additional information due to confidentiality laws.

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The original incident that required the prior notification occurred on May 27, officials said.

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According to DCYF, Rhode Islanders are required by law to report known or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect within 24 hours of becoming aware of such cases and can do so by calling 1-800-742-4453.



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