Providence Conversation: Thomas Hoagland, Director, Providence Business Loan Fund

Providence League of Women Voters
Invites you to a
Providence Conversation

Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 7pm

Providence needs its small businesses.
Sometimes those small businesses need a boost from the city.

Come learn about the Providence Business Loan Fund

Guest: Thomas Hoagland, Director
          Providence Business Loan Fund

Conversation and coffee, tea and cookies


Date: Thursday, November 15, 2018
Place: 133 Dexterdale Rd, home of Barbara Riter
Time: 7 pm - 8:30 pm

Mayoral Candidate Forum - Audio online

The Providence League of Women Voters, in conjunction with URI's MPA Program at the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies hosted a Providence Mayoral Forum on September 4 at URI's Paff Auditorium on the Providence Campus. It was an informative night moderated by Scott MacKay a commentator for RIPR's (now the Public's Radio) Political Roundtable. Candidates shared their views on the proposed skyscraper in the city's jewelry district, how to solve billions of dollars in unfunded pension liabilities, how to improve public schools, and more.

Candidates: ROBERT A DEROBBIO, Democrat: JEFFREY E LEMIRE, Independent (present but not participating); JORGE O ELORZA, Democrat; KOBI JASON DENNIS, Democrat; and DIANNE S WITMAN, Independent

Thanks to RIPR you can listen to the full discussion here.

R.I. gun-safety task force releases final recommendations

By Katherine Gregg
Providence Journal Political Writer

Posted Oct 4, 2018 at 4:06 PM
Updated Oct 4, 2018 at 7:16 PM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The 43-member gun-safety task force that Gov. Gina Raimondo created last April in the wake of the Parkland, Florida, high school massacre released its final recommendations on Thursday, and they include passage of a passel of new laws that the Democratic leaders of Rhode Island’s General Assembly have thus far been unwilling to bring to a vote.

They include: a ban on ammunition feeding devices — known as magazines — with a capacity of more than 10 rounds, prohibiting the concealed carry of firearms on school grounds and within 1,000 feet of elementary or secondary schools and in government buildings, and raising the age to buy a “long gun” from 18 to 21, where it already stands for handguns.

The group stopped short, however, of backing a ban on military-style assault weapons, opting to call instead for a new requirement that they be registered with a state or local law enforcement agency.
Full Story

Last day to register before the November 6th Election is October 7.

The League of Women Voters  of Providence will be at the Stephen Hopkins House, 15 Hopkins Street (corner of Benefit St) Providence, RI 02903 Saturday, October 6, from 10am to 4pm to register voters, make address changes and answer questions.

Primary Election is Wednesday (not Tuesday), September 12

Voting Reminder from the Providence League of Women Voters

Because some polling places have changed,  check the Secretary of State’s website for your spot.

Click onto “Find a Polling Place.”

 Vote. Vote. Vote.

Memo Alert - Firearms in Schools

It has been brought to RIDE’s attention that there is confusion among local education agency (LEA) personnel regarding who may carry a firearm, including a concealed-carry firearm, in a school. This confusion stems from inconsistencies among various state laws, regulations, and LEA policies that govern safety and firearms on school grounds.

With the start of the new school year, this document provides direction on how to navigate this issue and will be binding on LEAs and their personnel, effective immediately and until such time as the underlying laws are reconciled. The intent of this document is to ensure that all students in Rhode Island attend safe and secure schools, and is based on feedback from public safety experts, including the State Police, local police, as well as school administrators, teachers, and town officials.

Full Document

Check your voter registration

If you registered to vote at the DMV this year, you can check your voter registration status at https://vote.sos.ri.gov/

Software glitch affects voter registration info for about 5,000 in RI
By: Ted Nesi 
Posted: Aug 31, 2018 05:56 PM EDT
Updated: Aug 31, 2018 09:13 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - About 5,000 voter registrations were processed incorrectly by the outside company that runs the official state website RI.gov, state officials confirmed Friday.

Joseph Graziano, a spokesman for Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, said her office learned earlier this month about "an issue regarding changes to voter records done through the online driver's license renewal webpage handled by RI.gov." The website is operated by NIC Inc., a publicly traded company based in Kansas.

Full Story