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HR 8638

HOUSE RESOLUTION HONORING REPRESENTATIVE DAVID MORALES FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jose Batista and 9 co-sponsors

Honors Rep. David Morales for his public service and leadership, highlighting his work to expand workers’ protections, housing stability, health care access, and civil liberties.

06/11/2026 House read and passed
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Bill Summary · HR 8638

Summary of HR 8638 (Rhode Island, 2026)

Purpose

  • Honor and recognize the service of Representative David Morales to the residents of Rhode Island, particularly those in Providence (District 7). The resolution also acknowledges his leadership roles and public service contributions, and wishes him health, happiness, and continued success.

Key Provisions and Provisions Summary

  • Formal Recognition:
    • The Rhode Island House of Representatives honors Rep. David Morales for his service since being elected in 2020 to District 7 in Providence (Mount Pleasant, Valley, Elmhurst neighborhoods).
    • Notes his roles on multiple committees: Labor; Innovation and Technology; Municipal Government and Housing.
    • Highlights his 2025 election as Co-Chair of the RIBLIA Caucus (Rhode Island Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander).
  • Legislative and Civic Accomplishments Highlighted:
    • Advocated for workers and families, including:
    • Banning tip theft.
    • Prohibiting employers from threatening to reveal an employee’s immigration status in retaliation for whistleblowing.
    • Extending the winter utility shut-off moratorium.
    • Allowing tenants exposed to lead to place rent in escrow until lead-related repairs are completed.
    • Promoted health care access improvements:
    • Prohibiting copayments for COVID-19 treatment and vaccinations by insurers.
    • Capping costs of certain specialty medications for serious illnesses.
    • Supported the 2025 Freedom to Read Act to protect libraries and patrons from partisan book-banning efforts and to defend free speech rights of authors, publishers, and readers.
    • Backed broader legislative and budget priorities benefiting Rhode Islanders, including:
    • Expanding health coverage for low-income children.
    • Strengthening public education funding.
    • Supporting the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and public libraries.
    • Enhancing protections for workers, tenants, and consumers.
  • Personal Background (as presented in the resolution):
    • Born September 16, 1998; raised in California by a single immigrant mother.
    • Education: Soledad High School; UC Irvine BA in Urban Studies; Brown University Public Affairs master’s (2019) as the program’s youngest graduate.
    • Professional roles: Director of Community Programs at the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council; member of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials.
    • Noted distinction: Youngest Latino ever elected to a Rhode Island state legislature.
    • Additional activities: Competed as a professional wrestler with the Renegade Wrestling Alliance; noted as a two-time HYPE Champion.
  • Future Plans:
    • The resolution mentions Morales’s candidacy for Mayor of Providence.

Who/What Is Affected

  • Individuals and groups highlighted by the resolution (constituents in District 7 and broader Rhode Island residents) benefit indirectly through the recognition of Morales’s advocacy work and the issues he has championed (workers’ rights, housing protections, public health, education, libraries, and access to care).
  • Government and public institutions referenced in the resolution (e.g., insurers, libraries, public health systems) are those implicated by the described policies and legislative efforts associated with Morales’s tenure.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Introduced: June 11, 2026.
  • Action taken: The House read and passed the resolution on June 11, 2026.
  • Next step: Transmission of a certified copy to Representative Morales by the Secretary of State.

Bottom Line

  • HR 8638 is a non-binding House resolution honoring Rep. David Morales for his public service, leadership roles, and legislative efforts to improve worker protections, housing stability, access to health care, and civil liberties (notably freedom of reads). It also documents his personal background and future political aspirations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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