S 2553Emergency Management

Military Affairs and Defense - Emergency Management

This bill provides guaranteed annual funding to regional emergency control centers to coordinate communications during major disasters.

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Introduced Feb 13, 2026Committee Senate Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation mandates that the Rhode Island state government set aside a minimum of $80,000 every year for the state's Emergency Management Agency. This funding is specifically designated for "mutual aid control centers." These are the communication hubs that coordinate police, fire, and rescue services when a town is overwhelmed by an emergency or during major disasters. The money is to be divided among four regional control centers (Metro, East Bay, Northern, and Southern) and their designated back-up centers to ensure they remain operational.

For younger readers

This bill makes sure the state saves money every year to help police and firefighters talk to each other during big emergencies. Sometimes, a storm or accident is too big for one town to handle alone, so they need help from neighbors. This is called "mutual aid." This bill says the government must pay at least $80,000 a year to the centers that organize this help. This money helps make sure that when people call for help, the emergency teams can communicate clearly and arrive quickly.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

First respondersEmergency dispatchersRI Emergency Management AgencyLocal municipal governmentsGeneral public

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

$0.05

Estimated revenue

None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Strengthens the public safety infrastructure by ensuring reliable funding for emergency communications, which protects the welfare of all community members during disasters.
Supports a cooperative model of government services where communities help one another, ensuring that resource-poor towns are not left behind during major incidents.
Ensures that emergency management services remain robust and publicly funded, rather than relying on privatization or uncertain local budgets.
Allocates funds specifically for emergency management hardware and operations rather than addressing the root causes of community instability or social needs.
The mandated funding amount is relatively small and fixed, which may not keep pace with inflation or the actual growing costs of emergency services.
Focuses on responding to disasters rather than investing in preventative infrastructure or climate resilience that could prevent emergencies from happening.

For Conservatives

Prioritizes a core function of government by ensuring public safety and order are maintained during major emergencies and disasters.
Supports local control and mutual aid agreements, allowing towns to manage resources efficiently without massive federal overreach.
Provides specific, targeted funding for essential emergency infrastructure rather than wasteful spending on new social programs.
Creates a mandatory annual appropriation, removing flexibility from future budgets and forcing taxpayers to fund this specific line item regardless of economic conditions.
Increases the size and budget of the state executive department rather than encouraging private sector solutions or purely local funding.
Sets a funding floor ("not less than") without a ceiling, potentially opening the door for ballooning costs in the future without further legislative oversight.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 13 additions

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 30-15 of the General Laws entitled "Emergency Management" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 30-15-46. Funding to support mutual aid control centers.

(a) The general assembly shall make an annual appropriation of not less than eighty thousand dollars ($80,000) to the Rhode Island emergency management agency in the executive department and created pursuant to the provisions of §30-15-5, to assist with emergency communications during major or multiple emergency incidents or when a community has exhausted its emergency resources and has requested assistance by the control centers under their mutual aid agreement.

(b) These funds shall be distributed annually as follows:

(1) An amount of not less than twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($12,500) to the communities designated as metro control, east bay control, northern control, and southern control; and

(2) An amount of not less than seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) to the communities designated as back-up control centers.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.