“A woman’s right to reproductive freedom is personal. It’s unfathomable that, in 2020, our country is saying it’s OK for her boss at work, or her husband or partner’s boss, to make that decision for her. The federal government has shown that it has no interest in protecting the rights of women, so states must take their own action to prevent an enormous step backwards in reproductive health and freedom, and in maintaining the progress we’ve made in preventing unintended pregnancies,” said Senator Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) in a statement.

Senator Euer and Representative Kazarian are the sponsors of legislation (2020-S 2390/2020-H 7987) to enact the birth control coverage protections originally included in the federal ACA at the state level, including restrictions on cost-sharing by patients, requiring plans to cover all FDA-approved contraception drugs, products and sterilization procedures.

Sen. Dawn Euer is heralding the sale of the Festival Field Apartments as a victory for much-needed affordable housing in Newport.

“This apartment community could have been redeveloped as market-rate or even more expensive apartments that would have significantly reduced the availability and affordability of housing on our island. Instead, not only will it remain affordable, Fairstead will renovate every unit and the complex as a whole, making it a better home for all who live there,” said Senator Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) in a statement, who had been advocating for months for a commitment to maintain the property as affordable housing.

Jamestown’s state senator is advocating for changes to the way that Rhode Island redraws its legislative districts.

Sen. Dawn Euer, a Democrat from Newport, wants to shift control of the decennial redistricting from the General Assembly to an independent commission created solely for that purpose. The change is intended to prevent redistricting from being used for the consolidation of power, and to ensure district maps are designed to rid the process of the public perception that it is politically controlled.

Legislation sponsored by Sen. Dawn Euer and Rep. Joseph M. McNamara to protect student loan borrowers and establish oversight of student loan servicers operating in Rhode Island was ceremonially signed by Gov. Gina M. Raimondo today.

Euer, D-Newport, added in a statement “The heavy burden of student debt is challenging enough for the majority of college graduates. Incompetent, inefficient or even deceitful loan servicers should not be allowed to exacerbate their struggles. Student loan servicers must be held accountable to ensure that they are providing honest, reliable information and services to their borrowers.”

The legislation sets standards for student loan servicing, both prohibiting predatory behavior and providing best practices for protecting consumers’ rights.

The more far-reaching of the two pieces of legislation that were the subject of the rally organized by the Environment Council of Rhode Island is the Global Warming Solutions Act, which would make existing greenhouse-gas reduction goals for the state mandatory.

The goals, which ultimately aim to cut emissions 80 percent by 2050, were approved by the General Assembly with the passage of the Resilient Rhode Island Act in 2014, but environmental groups say the law lacks teeth.

“We have set our carbon-reduction goals in Rhode Island, and it’s time to make them mandatory, and it’s time to make them enforceable,” said Sen. Dawn Euer, the Newport Democrat who introduced the bill in the Senate.

“Nobody should lose their home or their car or go into default on their student loans as a result of this shutdown. Employees are either locked out or have been working without pay, and this financial hardship is no fault of theirs. Just as we afford similar protections to deployed service members, we should protect those who are going unpaid because of the shutdown from long-term financial consequences,” said the sponsor, Senator Dawn Euer, D-Newport.

Euer’s bill too would apply to unpaid federal workers “during periods when the federal government ceases the operation of government functions, in whole or in part, as a result of the United States Congress failing to pass adequate appropriations bills ... or as a result of the president of the United States failing to sign into law an appropriations bill or resolution.”