Woonsocket Radio News Room

 

McEntee, DiMario bill extending
outdoor dining passes Senate
Bill heads to governor’s desk

 

            STATE HOUSE – The Senate today passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Alana DiMario that allows restaurants to continue approved outdoor dining until Feb. 15, 2024. The legislation passed the House on March 16 and now heads to Governor McKee’s desk for his signature.

            “The take it outside campaign has proven to be very popular with residents, tourists and business owners alike,” said Representative McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett). “With confusing zoning ordinances that vary from town to town, the process of providing outdoor dining can be costly and overly burdensome on small businesses. Passing this bill provides a window of relief while Senator DiMario and I work with all the stakeholders, including the hospitality association, the league of cities and towns, and individual business owners, to find a long-term solution to keep outdoor dining going strong.”

            During the COVID-19 pandemic, the state imposed a moratorium on some local ordinances that prohibited outdoor dining, allowing more restaurants around the state to serve customers outdoors. That moratorium is currently scheduled to end on April 1, 2023.

The legislation (2023-S 0683, 2023-H 5264A) would extend that moratorium to Feb. 15, 2024. Both Senator DiMario and Reprehensive McEntee have introduced legislation (2023-S 0300) to make outdoor dining permanent, which they say they will continue to pursue.

“With the warm weather coming, our small-businesses deserve clarity and certainty,” said Senator DiMario (D-Dist. 36, Narragansett, North Kingstown, New Shoreham).  “By passing this extension, we ensure restaurants can plan for this spring and summer as we continue to work with local leaders and small business owners to make outdoor dining permanent.”

The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 36 to 0.

 

President Biden is praising lawmakers on both sides of aisles for coming together to pass a debt ceiling bill and avert a potential economic disaster. In his first address to the nation from the Oval Office, the president said the budget agreement was critical and the stakes could not have been higher. The president plans to sign the bill Saturday ahead of the Monday deadline, when the Treasury Department said the U.S. could default on its debt.        Former President Trump says he's "at least as innocent" as his vice president after Pence was cleared of charges related to classified documents at his home. The Justice Department said today it wouldn't bring charges against the former Vice President, and Trump wrote on Truth Social that he should be "fully exonerated" on what he called a "hoax." The DOJ found a few sensitive documents at Pence's home, but in Trump's case federal agents raided his Mar-a-Lago home last year after his refusal to cooperate with the National Archives for months.       The White House says the U.S. won't engage in a nuclear arms race with Russia and China. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told the Arms Control Association in Washington today that the U.S. does not need to increase its nuclear forces to successfully deter its nuclear competitors. He said the Biden administration is focusing on non-nuclear capabilities such as hypersonic missiles that can reach "heavily defended, high-value targets."        Amazon could soon offer low-cost or free mobile phone services to Prime subscribers. Bloomberg reports the tech giant is in talks with multiple telecom providers like Verizon and T-Mobile. Amazon is reportedly looking to be able to offer wireless plans for ten dollars or less a month.        Federal regulators warn Venmo and PayPal users not to store cash in the app. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Director warned in a statement that payment apps have been "increasingly used as substitutes for a traditional bank" but they don't have the same protections to make sure that cash is safe. The agency said more than three in four U.S. adults have used at least one of such apps.       Mexican police say they found 45 bags of human remains that match seven missing members of call center staff. According to the state prosecutor's office in Jalisco, police discovered them in a ravine near Guadalajara. Seven young employees at a call center were reported missing between May 20th and 22nd in the city.        

Old News Archives