Authorizes and empower the department of transportation to plant pollinator friendly native species of trees, shrubs, grasses and plants within limits of a roadway, including state highways.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would give Rhode Island's Department of Transportation (RIDOT) the authority to plant native, pollinator-friendly trees, shrubs, grasses, and other plants along roadsides and state highways. Currently, the department may not have the explicit legal power to prioritize these types of plants in roadway landscaping decisions. This bill would formally grant that permission and ability.

The plants targeted by this bill are specifically those that support pollinators — creatures like bees, butterflies, and other insects that are essential to plant reproduction and food production. By planting native species (plants that naturally grow in Rhode Island), the roadsides could become habitats that help support these populations, which have been declining in many areas across the country.

This bill would primarily affect how RIDOT manages the green spaces along highways and roads throughout the state. It could mean changes in how roadsides are landscaped or maintained, potentially replacing traditional grass or non-native plants with species better suited to supporting local wildlife. Taxpayers and drivers would see the physical changes along roadways, while farmers and communities that depend on pollinators for gardens and agriculture could benefit indirectly.

As of now, the bill has been referred to the Senate Housing and Municipal Government Committee and was recommended to be held for further study, meaning lawmakers want more time to review it before moving it forward. It has not yet been passed into law.