JA

Jonathon Acosta

State Senator · Rhode Island Senate District 16

Bills introduced (29)

RIS3252Passed

Amends the terms of the pension plan set forth in the respective collective bargaining agreements in effect on July 1, 2026, between Central Falls and the labor organizations representing members of the Central Falls plan.

Effective without Governor's signature · June 26, 2026

Yes 72No 0Other 3
See Bill & Votes
RIS2047Passed

Further delineates the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor.

Signed by Governor · June 22, 2026

Yes 32No 6Other 0
See Bill & Votes
RIS3087Passed

AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, IMPROVEMENT, ALTERATION, REPAIR, FURNISHING AND EQUIPPING OF SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL FACILITIES IN THE CITY BY THE ISSUANCE OF NOT MORE THAN $25,000,000 BONDS, NOTES AND/OR OTHER EVIDENCES OF INDEBTEDNESS THEREFOR

Effective without Governor's signature · June 12, 2026

Yes 63No 0Other 12
See Bill & Votes
RIS2207Engrossed

Allows municipalities participating in the state prekindergarten program to accept students from outside the municipality under certain conditions and establishes a lottery for enrollment in the program.

Referred to House Education · June 5, 2026

Yes 34No 4Other 0
See Bill & Votes
RIS3289Introduced

Requires public schools to give congressionally chartered youth organizations limited access for recruitment and brief student presentations with parent notice, while preserving school safety and discretion.

Committee recommended measure be held for further study · June 4, 2026

Yes 9No 0Other 0
See Bill & Votes
RIS2727Introduced

Creates an intervenor compensation program to provide compensation in the form of grants for legal fees, expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs to an intervenor in both, energy siting board and public utilities commission proceedings.

Committee recommended measure be held for further study · May 21, 2026

Yes 8No 0Other 2
See Bill & Votes
RIS2046Introduced

Prohibits family court from detaining or committing any youth,12 years or younger, to training school, for any offense other than murder, first degree sexual assault, or an attempt to commit such offenses there is no other reasonable placement.

Committee recommended measure be held for further study · May 19, 2026

Yes 8No 0Other 2
See Bill & Votes
RIS2083Introduced

Establishes a statewide “Healthy School Meals for all” universal school breakfast and lunch program in Rhode Island public schools phased in over 3 years.

Committee recommended measure be held for further study · May 19, 2026

Yes 7No 0Other 3
See Bill & Votes
RIS2226Introduced

Provides that a student's enrollment in Medicaid would be included in calculating and determining the student success factor for use in the foundation education-aid formula.

Committee recommended measure be held for further study · May 19, 2026

Yes 7No 0Other 3
See Bill & Votes
RIS2613Introduced

Permits the family court to retain jurisdiction over juveniles and allow the family court to order juveniles detained in the training school until the age of twenty-one if the court finds that it is in the best interest of the child.

Committee recommended measure be held for further study · May 19, 2026

Yes 8No 0Other 2
See Bill & Votes
RIS2087Introduced

Includes municipal detention facility corporations as exempt from taxation, and requires that an amount equal to 27% of all tax that would have been collected if the property was taxable be paid to the municipality annually.

Committee heard · May 12, 2026

No recorded vote yet.

See Bill & Votes
RIS2977Introduced

Establishes the restrictive housing oversight committee ("committee") for the purpose of monitoring the use of restrictive housing ("solitary confinement"), as well as disciplinary and administrative confinement at the department of corrections.

Committee recommended measure be held for further study · May 12, 2026

Yes 10No 0Other 0
See Bill & Votes

Showing the 12 most recently active.

Recent votes

BillVote onVote
S3288

Allows for the issuance of a Class BV license for the property located at 1814 Broad Street in the city of Cranston.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Passage

May 21, 2026

Yes
S2829

Establishes a procedure to permit DCYF to apply for benefits on behalf of children, who are eligible, that are within temporary custody or guardianship of the department.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage of Sub A

June 10, 2026

Yes
S2829

Establishes a procedure to permit DCYF to apply for benefits on behalf of children, who are eligible, that are within temporary custody or guardianship of the department.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Indefinite postponement

June 10, 2026

Yes
S2829

Establishes a procedure to permit DCYF to apply for benefits on behalf of children, who are eligible, that are within temporary custody or guardianship of the department.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 5, 2026

Yes
S2369

Direct the manage existing workforce development and compensation programs for the early educators workforce.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

June 2, 2026

Yes
S2186

Allows persons with disabilities to receive up to two (2) motor vehicle disability parking privilege placards.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Passage

May 27, 2026

Yes
S2186

Allows persons with disabilities to receive up to two (2) motor vehicle disability parking privilege placards.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Be held for further study

April 15, 2026

Yes
S2234

Allows members of the retirement system who served in the national guard or reserves and qualify as veterans, to purchase retirement service credits based on their years of service in the National guard or reserves.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage

June 2, 2026

Yes
S2234

Allows members of the retirement system who served in the national guard or reserves and qualify as veterans, to purchase retirement service credits based on their years of service in the National guard or reserves.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 14, 2026

Yes
S2095

Gives 20% of proceeds in RI Highway Maintenance Account to RIPTA.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

April 2, 2026

Yes
S3152

Amends the pension benefits for both current and former Rhode Island State Police members.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage of Sub A

June 11, 2026

Yes
S3152

Amends the pension benefits for both current and former Rhode Island State Police members.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 14, 2026

Yes
S2332

Provides that exemptions to the prohibition of liquor licenses within two hundred feet (200') of schools or places of worship do not eliminate neighboring property owners’ remonstrance rights to object to the license.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Passage

April 29, 2026

Absent
S2747

Permits Johnston to require 2 parking spaces for each studio, one-bedroom, or two-bedroom low- or moderate-income housing unit upon the determination that limited or no local public transportation or off-street parking is available near these units.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Be held for further study

April 15, 2026

Yes
S3216

JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $500,000 TO ONWARD WE LEARN IN SUPPORT OF RHODE ISLAND GEAR UP (Appropriates the sum of $500,000 to Onward We Learn in support of Rhode Island GEAR UP.)

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S2849

Allows an individual school district that can utilize its own buses or vendors at a lower cost than the statewide system, to obtain reimbursement for these costs from state funds.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S2027

Changes retired teacher income for drivers ed classes to $25,000 per year from $15,000 per year.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 14, 2026

Yes
S2367

Allows an individual, who is a first-time homebuyer, to contribute funds to a first-time homebuyer savings account with Rhode Island housing to pay for eligible costs to purchase a home and receive tax deductions and exemptions.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 7, 2026

Yes
S2845

Changes annual reporting requirements for the state’s family home-visiting program and also impacts appropriation and spending of funds in order to access maximum federal funding for these programs.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 5, 2026

Yes
S2452

Provides $100,000 to support the mental health and emotional well-being of children in OST settings.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage

June 11, 2026

Yes
S2452

Provides $100,000 to support the mental health and emotional well-being of children in OST settings.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S3084

Establishes a restricted receipt account for RIPTA to fund it operations from sales tax collected from ride-share companies. Exempts the account from indirect cost recovery provisions.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

April 2, 2026

Yes
S3128

Provides for annual appropriations to the substance use mental health leadership council to address hazardous and underage cannabis use.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

March 31, 2026

Yes
S2357

Provides that funds or monies collected by designated quasi-public corporations or agencies not be subject to transfer or reallocation by order of the governor or general assembly.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 21, 2026

Absent
S2226

Provides that a student's enrollment in Medicaid would be included in calculating and determining the student success factor for use in the foundation education-aid formula.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S2356

Directs the department of environmental management to administer and manage the land and natural resources of the Big River Reservoir.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

April 28, 2026

Yes
S2093

Makes students in workforce-ready certificate programs at the community college of Rhode Island eligible to receive the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage

June 2, 2026

Yes
S2093

Makes students in workforce-ready certificate programs at the community college of Rhode Island eligible to receive the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S2249

Authorizes an annual two and one-half percent (2.5%) escalation for all active and retired police and firefighter's retirement pension allowance, compounded each year on January 1 following the year of retirement and continuing yearly, on that date.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 14, 2026

Yes
S2819

Removes funding requirement from department of elementary and secondary education.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S2553

Provides the general assembly make an annual appropriation of not less than eighty thousand dollars ($80,000) to the Rhode Island emergency management agency to assist with emergency communications during major or multiple emergency incidents.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 28, 2026

Yes
S2630

Repeals § 3-7-19 which prohibits retail liquor licenses within two hundred feet (200') of schools and religious institutions.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Be held for further study

April 29, 2026

Absent
S2548

Amends State funding calculations for special education, revising extraordinary cost calculations for FY 2028-2029, and providing additional funds for excess costs when special education students move into a district after the budget is approved.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S2545

Adds the administrator of community confinement and the home confinement coordinator to the state retirement system.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 14, 2026

Yes
S2021

Establishes a simplified exemption from state income tax for small-scale Bitcoin transactions up to $5,000 per month, or $20,000 per taxable year.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

June 8, 2026

Yes
S3327

Establishes the office of inspector general to investigate the management and operation of agencies in an effort to prevent and deter fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage of Sub A

June 10, 2026

Yes
S3327

Establishes the office of inspector general to investigate the management and operation of agencies in an effort to prevent and deter fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Indefinite postponement

June 10, 2026

Yes
S3327

Establishes the office of inspector general to investigate the management and operation of agencies in an effort to prevent and deter fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 28, 2026

Yes
S2180

Authorizes and fund the painting of a portrait of the president of the senate and former presidents of the senate to be hung in the senate lounge or thereabouts.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Be held for further study

May 27, 2026

Yes
S2180

Authorizes and fund the painting of a portrait of the president of the senate and former presidents of the senate to be hung in the senate lounge or thereabouts.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Be held for further study

April 8, 2026

Yes
S2029

Raises the amount of life insurance the state provides at no charge to Rhode Island National Guard members called up for federal duty to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage

June 2, 2026

Yes
S2029

Raises the amount of life insurance the state provides at no charge to Rhode Island National Guard members called up for federal duty to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 26, 2026

Yes
S2821

Requires a review by the department of elementary and secondary education of the formula components used to compute the aid needed to support high need students.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S3252

Amends the terms of the pension plan set forth in the respective collective bargaining agreements in effect on July 1, 2026, between Central Falls and the labor organizations representing members of the Central Falls plan.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage

June 2, 2026

Yes
S3252

Amends the terms of the pension plan set forth in the respective collective bargaining agreements in effect on July 1, 2026, between Central Falls and the labor organizations representing members of the Central Falls plan.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 14, 2026

Yes
S2370

Authorizes the tax administrator to waive interest and penalties on delinquent taxes paid in full during a one week amnesty period. Also reinstates a suspended driver’s license upon payment in full.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage

June 2, 2026

Yes
S2370

Authorizes the tax administrator to waive interest and penalties on delinquent taxes paid in full during a one week amnesty period. Also reinstates a suspended driver’s license upon payment in full.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 26, 2026

Yes
S2838

Provides that the month of September in each year be designated "Rhode Island Senior Center Month" with appropriate exercises in public places.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Passage

April 29, 2026

Yes
S2838

Provides that the month of September in each year be designated "Rhode Island Senior Center Month" with appropriate exercises in public places.

Senate · Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Be held for further study

April 8, 2026

Yes
S2543

Increases the number of days a retired municipal employee could work in a calendar year without interruption of pension benefits to ninety (90) days or its equivalent of six hundred thirty (630) hours.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage

June 2, 2026

Yes
S2543

Increases the number of days a retired municipal employee could work in a calendar year without interruption of pension benefits to ninety (90) days or its equivalent of six hundred thirty (630) hours.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 14, 2026

Yes
S2826

Provides that in local education agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines, then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 19, 2026

Yes
S2227

Amends modifications to income tax for residents to now include an exemption for a foreign service officer's pension.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 28, 2026

Yes
S3183

JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $250,000 TO 401 TECH BRIDGE TO STUDY AND EXPLORE SEAGLIDERS IN RHODE ISLAND (This resolution would make an appropriation of $250,000 to 401 Tech Bridge to study and explore seagliders.)

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage

June 2, 2026

Yes
S3183

JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $250,000 TO 401 TECH BRIDGE TO STUDY AND EXPLORE SEAGLIDERS IN RHODE ISLAND (This resolution would make an appropriation of $250,000 to 401 Tech Bridge to study and explore seagliders.)

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 7, 2026

Yes
S2451

Generates an estate tax discharge upon the recording of a statement by the executor or other estate representative that the value of the decedent’s gross estate does not require a state or federal tax filing.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 28, 2026

Yes
S2084

Increase the personal needs allowance of nursing facility residents from $75.00 to $100 per month.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 26, 2026

Yes
S2834

Permits extended early intervention services for children with developmental disabilities whose third birthday is between May 1 and August 31.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Passage of Sub A

June 10, 2026

Yes
S2834

Permits extended early intervention services for children with developmental disabilities whose third birthday is between May 1 and August 31.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Indefinite postponement

June 10, 2026

Yes
S2834

Permits extended early intervention services for children with developmental disabilities whose third birthday is between May 1 and August 31.

Senate · Senate Committee on Finance: Be held for further study

May 5, 2026

Yes