ADVOCACY EFFORTS
Since being elected in September of 2020, I have used my platform as a State Representative to advocate for the changes our community deserves and help elevate important issues happening across our state.
On this page you will find some of the issues I've been advocating for and accomplishments.
​
As always, please contact me if you have ideas about any issues and/or areas that I should be focusing on.
Thank you for being engaged!
Rep. Morales passed his first bill requiring that the COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing always be free of cost. The bill also required that COVID related healthcare services remain free of charge for the duration of RI's state of emergency.
Rep. Morales introduced this bill in response to health insurance companies threatening to charge consumers for COVID services.
Governor McKee signed into law Rep. Morales' bill that established the strongest whistleblower labor protections in the country.
Therefore: employers are now prohibited from reporting a whistleblower's immigration status in retaliation; protections are now extended to job applicants and prospective employees; damages for employers who violate the law increased from “actual” to “treble”; and all workplaces are required to post the Whistleblower Protection Law in every language known to be spoken by their workers.
​
This bill was supported by numerous labor unions across the state, including the Carpenters Local 330.
David organized a letter signed by over 150 RI residents calling on the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) to reject proposals to increase health insurance rates.
With the support of over 20 organizations and legislators, David spoke at a press conference to advocate for his bill that would guarantee healthcare coverage to every child in the State.
David organized a letter signed by over 20 State Reps and Senators asking that the Energy Facilities Siting Board deny a permit for fossil fuel expansion in the Port of Providence.
David was ranked the second most engaged State Representative on social media by "RI Rank".
David spoke in favor of the 'THRIVE' Agenda which would require congress to invest re-invest in communities as we begin to recover from COVID.
Alongside grassroots organizations, David called for a moratorium on evictions and utility shut-offs given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
David spoke at a press conference to advocate for COVID Vaccine Clinics in the zip-codes hardest hit by the COVID-19 virus.
David introduced a bill to prohibit the use 'robot dog' technology in Rhode Island.
David spoke at a press conference to publicly oppose Governor Raimondo's proposal to cut state funding for "distressed communities" (Providence, Pawtucket, Cranston, and others).
David wrote a letter to the Public Utilities Commission demanding that they reject National Grid's proposal to raise utility rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. These rate hikes would increase utility bills by nearly $11 a month.
Advocated for Hazard Pay for All
Lifespan Healthcare Workers
David wrote a letter to Lifespan Health urging that they provide immediate Hazard Pay to all their frontline healthcare workers.
David protested and spoke out against the RI Department of Transportation's proposal to remove buses from their central location (Kennedy Plaza)
using voter-approved bond money.
Fought Against CCRI and RIC Layoffs Affecting More than 70 Workers
David joined other legislators to demand that the Community College of RI (CCRI) and Rhode Island College (RIC) reverse their layoffs. More than 70 workers were impacted by these layoffs.
Called for Action in Response to COVID Outbreak at ACI Facilities
David joined a coalition of advocates and other legislators to demand that the Governor, the
Attorney General, DOC Director and Adminstrator
take immediate action to address the outbreak of COVID cases inside the State's ACI facility.