Rep. Pacheco has worked towards bettering education, healthcare, the economy, and the overall quality of life for all Rhode Islanders. Rep. Pacheco successfully introduced legislation regarding campaign finance reform, health care reform, voter’s rights, and job creation. All while reaching beyond the lines of party affiliation for the betterment for our community by working with both Democrats and Republicans alike:

Voted Against Tax Breaks for the Rich

Rep. Pacheco stood up to House and Senate leadership by voting against legislation that would give tax breaks to the wealthiest 3% of Rhode Islanders who make over $300,000 or more a year. During the 2009 legislative session Rep. Pacheco intends to introduce legislation repealing the Carcieri tax breaks and instead giving tax breaks to low- and moderate-income Rhode Islanders.

Pilot Law Repealed

Before Rep. Pacheco was elected to the state general assembly, the town of Burrillville had been penalized for eight years because of a tax treaty established between the town and Ocean State Power, a power plant given authority to do business by the state. Burrillville tax payers lost over $1 million in state aid because legislation passed in 2000. Rep. Pacheco, after campaigning on his pledge to right this wrong, introduced legislation repealing the law. Subsequently, the 2004 budget reflected Pacheco’s legislation.

Job Growth

Understanding that the best way to help the state’s economy is to put people to work, Rep. Pacheco co-sponsored House bill 6514A which enabled Fidelity to maintain offices and high paying jobs in Rhode Island. Fidelity announced after the legislation passed that 1,200 new jobs would be created right here in the Ocean State.

Election Reform

In 2005, Rep. Pacheco built a coalition of individuals and organizations to work on reforming Rhode Island campaign finance laws. The reform was meant to create a more transparent system of reporting which would allow voters to see how money was being spent on ballot initiatives. After considerable preparation and input by the coalition and the endorsement of the ACLU, RI Foundation, United Way of RI, Common Cause, and the Rhode Island Board of Elections Pacheco introduced H –7529Aaa and ushered the bill through both the House and Senate.

Protecting our Children

Rep. Pacheco has introduced a number of bills that would keep sex offenders off of our streets. In 2006 Pacheco lobbied and voted for the passage of Jessica’s Law, increasing time served and level of punishment for offenders.

Protecting our Elderly

Rep. Pacheco voted and advocated for the creation of the Elder Justice Unit headed by the RI Attorney General’s office. The responsibility of the Elder Justice Unit is to manage the investigation and prosecution of crimes involving elderly victims of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation.

Healthcare

During the 2008 legislative session, Rep. Pacheco introduced House Bill 7914a repealing the term “health status” from Rhode Island insurance law. Previously, “health status” – a term health insurer’s use to define the general health of people in the group they are writing policies for – was used by insurance companies to vary premiums by up to 22 percent, a significant factor in the cost of insurance. By eliminating the term “health status” from Rhode Island law, Rep. Pacheco’s legislation increases the likelihood that new insurers will enter the Rhode Island market, creating more choice for consumers. Tufts Healthcare subsequently announced it will enter the Rhode Island market as a result of the passage of Pacheco’s bill.

Public Transit

Rep. Pacheco co-chaired the Joint Committee to Study Transit and Service (2007 session), which consisted of 10 members including advocates, and transit authority members such as RIPTA General Manager Al Moscola. The purpose of this commission was to study all aspects of transit including ways to increase paying rider ship, financial issues the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority faces, ways to maximize the level of transit service the state can afford on a long-term basis, and ways to measure performance of service.

As a result Pacheco has introduced House Bill 7264a that would allow for RIPTA buses to be more fuel efficient and rider friendly. H – 7264a would have allowed transit buses to extend green lights – a system called Transit Signal Prioritization that has national standards and safety guidelines. Transit Signal Prioritization is a major component to moving toward Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, a more affordable way to provide transit service usually offered by light rail or subways. BRT would make bus travel more effective by helping to keep buses running on time with little disruption to normal traffic flow. It would also significantly reduce RIPTA’s fuel and maintenance costs and use equipment and driver time more efficiently.

Labor

Healthcare/Service Employees – Along with the hard working men and women of Eleanor Slater Hospital, Rep Pacheco developed comprehensive legislation to provide oversight for decisions regarding privatization, ensuring fair and equitable treatment of Eleanor Slater healthcare and service professionals.

Police Officers & Fire Fighters – Rep Pacheco sponsored H-5078a that allowed for off duty police officers or fire fighters to collect their salary if left incapacitated in an unavoidable emergency, the legislation passed in (insert date).

State Employees – Rep Pacheco sponsored H-5216a, a bill repealing the law requiring Rhode Island residency for tenure in classified positions, treating all employees equally.

Democracy in Action

Since 2003, Representative Pacheco has introduced a measure that would allow sixteen year olds to Pre-Register to vote. By Pre-registering, an individual would automatically become eligible to vote upon turning eighteen years of age. The legislation has passed overwhelmingly by the general assembly for three years, only to be vetoed by the Governor.

Supporting High Education

Representative Pacheco has proposed providing tax breaks to individuals seeking higher education. A federal tax deduction for college tuition and fees would be extended to Rhode Islanders on their state income taxes. Rep. Pacheco recognizes that to stimulate Rhode Island’s economy it is essential to invest in education.