Stephen M. Casey (D) has served the residents of Woonsocket in District 50 since his first election in November 2012. He is the chairman of the House Health and Human Services Committee and he is a member of the House Corporations Committee, the House Labor Committee, the House Special Legislation Committee and the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

Casey co-sponsored successful legislation in the 2018 session urging Gov. Gina Raimondo to designate several communities in the Blackstone Valley as Qualified Opportunity Zones, taking advantage of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to encourage long-term investments in low-income urban and rural communities nationwide. That designation became official early in June.

In 2016, he introduced legislation to make several updates to the state fire code and its reference to the term and adoption of portions of the national fire codes. He also submitted legislation authorizing the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals to certify recovery housing facilities.

Representative Casey has been at the forefront of legislation aiming to improve the City of Woonsocket and the economic landscape of the state.

Several items benefitting the people of Woonsocket were included in the 2015 state budget, including includes appropriations for the maintenance of World War II Memorial Park, development of the Stadium Theatre, improvements to the athletic facilities of Woonsocket High School, and funding for the music programs at Woonsocket high and middle schools.

Statutes he sponsored in 2014 led to a homestead tax exemption for elderly residents of Woonsocket during a period of financial strife and the allowance of city and town councilors to serve on their municipality’s budget commission.

In 2013, the governor signed his bill directing the Board of Education to – at the request of the commissioner of elementary and secondary education – hold a hearing on whether to withhold state aid from a school district for failure to meet district accounting compliance rules.

Representative Casey was born on Sept. 12, 1968. He attended Melrose High School in Massachusetts before receiving a bachelor’s degree in communications from Boston College in 1990.

In addition to his duties as a legislator, Representative Casey is a firefighter in the City of Woonsocket. He serves as the secretary of the Paul Deziel Memorial Scholarship Fund and is a member of the Rhode Island Freemasons, Rhode Island Shriners and Woonsocket Firefighters Union Local 732. He is also an Eagle Scout from Troop 725 of Wakefield, Mass.

He has assisted in endeavors such as the Woonsocket 125th Anniversary Celebration in 2013, Autumnfest, the Milk Fund and the World War II Honor Flight.

Representative Casey resides in Woonsocket with his wife, Debra (Deziel-Hunt) Casey.

 CURRENT LEGISLATION

H5675- This act would provide that effective January 1, 2022, any participating municipality as defined in § 45-21-2 may elect to offer to its employees the deferred compensation plans offered by the state. The account of any municipal employee who participates in the state deferred compensation plan would be subject to the same administration, rules, and regulations as are applicable and applied to the accounts of employees in the state deferred compensation plan.

H5677- This act would create a tax deduction for military retirement benefits of a veteran or the veteran's surviving spouse.

H5678- This act would exempt from state taxation certain pension benefits that originate from, and were taxed in another state.

H5689- This act would eliminate the exception the current law gives to Woonsocket regarding the composition of city or town school committees.

H5690- This act would define as “disabled,” persons receiving veterans’ affairs disability benefits paid by the federal government for purposes of property tax relief.

H5727- This act would require the office of the attorney general to issue a report containing the total cases charged with a firearm in all Rhode Island courts and a list of cases charged with a firearm which have been disposed during the calendar year. Said report would include the make, model number and caliber of the firearm involved in said charges, and would also include if the firearm was stolen, altered, or obliterated serial numbers, and indicate if the firearm was a 3D printed firearm or ghost firearm.

H5765- This act would require any public utility or its contractor to reimburse an excavator for lost time expense incurred, including manpower and equipment from the utility's incorrect marking of underground utilities.

H5812- This act would exempt from the sales and use tax that portion of a motor vehicle lease payment collected for tangible personal property tax, municipal property tax, excise, or any other similar tax.

H5849- This act would require insurance coverage for health care services provided by a naturopathic doctor licensed in this state.

H5850- This act would change the name of doctor of naturopathy to naturopathic doctor and permit them to administer IVs, perform phlebotomy, and consult, but not change, patient’s prescription medication.

H6010- This act would extend injured-on-duty (IOD) benefits to police officers and firefighters that suffer from diagnosed post-traumatic stress injuries, except under certain conditions. This act would also provide that municipal police officers and firefighters that are unable to perform their duties by reason of post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) would be entitled to receive an accidental disability retirement allowance as well as IOD benefits.

H6032- This act would amend the provisions of the telemedicine coverage act and provide coverage for telemedicine under Rhode Island Medicaid.

H6041- This act mandates that any notice to the public required of a municipality be posted in a newspaper that is published on a daily basis and is distributed in that municipality.

H6068- TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF RANERE ASSOCIATES, INC.

H6120- This act would allow the Honorable Stephen R. Ucci to join Darlene M. Boudreau and the Honorable Michael A. Morin in marriage on or about July 30, 2021, within the City of Warwick, Rhode Island