Rally for RICLAPP!

by: Geoffrey Schoos

recipient: The Rhode Island General Assembly

The Rhode Island Center For Law And Public Policy (RICLAPP) is a non-profit tax exempt 501(c)(3) legal services agency serving Rhode Island's low and modest income residents. Over the past six years, RICLAPP has provided civil legal services in a variety of areas including fair housing, debt collection/hardship defense, social security issues, Medicare/Medicaid issues, and a variety of public benefits issues to name just a few. And in an attempt to improve Rhode Island's economic climate, we've colloborated with low income entrepreneurs in forming and supporting over 200 small businesses over the past six years. Presently there are two companion bills in the Rhode Island Senate (Senate Bills 2368 & 2369) and House (House Bills 7841 & 7842) that would impose a modest increase in certain court filing fees, with the increases coming directly to RICLAPP that would sustain our current services and allow us to expand to serve more of our traditionally underserved residents. These bills are both in the Senate and House Judiciary Committees. With the legislative session ending in less than four weeks, we need you to sign this Petition urging the Senate President and Speaker of the House to allow the legislation to be discharged from their respective committees for a vote by the full membership of the Senate and House.

read petition letter ▾ Senate President Paiva Weed and Speaker of the House Mattiello,

For more than six years, The Rhode Island Center For Law And Public Policy (RICLAPP) has provided a variety of civil legal services to Rhode Island's traditionally underserved residents. Its services include, but are not limited to, fair housing issues, credit debt/hardship defense, social security issues, Medicare/Medicaid appeals, public benefits appeals, and elder law issues.

RICLAPP has also provided legal services to low and modest income entrepreneurs aiding in the formation and support of over 200 small businesses over the past six years.

RICLAPP partners with a variety of community providers by conducting regular office hours in 11 remote locations throughout Rhode Island. In addition, RICLAPP is the legal partner to the Rhode Island Medical Legal Partnership, an interdisciplinary approach designed to achieve better health outcomes among traditionally underserved populations.

Ninety percent of all RICLAPP clients receive pro bono legal services; the remainder pay modest fees on a sliding fee scale.

Currently, Senate Bills 2368 and 2369 remain in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and House Bills 7841 and 7842 remain in the House Judiciary Committee. These companion bills would modestly increase certain court fees, with the increases to be distributed to RICLAPP so that it can continue providing it's vital legal services to low and modest Rhode Island residents.

We, the undersigned, urge you to release these bills from the respective committees for a vote by the full membership of the Senate and House. We also urge you to support these bills once they reach the floors of the Senate and House. These bills will not cost the taxpayers one dollar and will enable RICLAPP to continue providing its services those most vulnerable members of the Rhode Island community.