Provides for warming center and cooling center alerts to trigger certain procedures municipalities shall follow during extreme heat or cold to help at-risk individuals with resources including, but not limited to, warming and cooling centers.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would create a formal system in Rhode Island for responding to extreme weather — both dangerously cold and dangerously hot conditions. When temperatures reach certain dangerous levels, official "warming center alerts" or "cooling center alerts" would be triggered, requiring cities and towns to follow specific steps to help people who are most at risk, such as the elderly, homeless individuals, and others who may not have safe shelter or climate control at home.

Under the bill, when one of these alerts is activated, municipalities (cities and towns) would be required to take action — which could include opening warming or cooling centers where vulnerable residents can go to stay safe. The bill sets out clear procedures that local governments must follow, rather than leaving it up to each community to decide on its own whether and how to respond during extreme weather emergencies.

This bill would primarily affect local government officials, who would have new responsibilities during extreme weather events, and at-risk residents who would benefit from guaranteed access to safe, temperature-controlled spaces. It is part of Rhode Island's broader emergency management framework and would be overseen through the state's military affairs and emergency management structure. The bill has been recommended by committee and is currently moving through the state Senate for further consideration.