PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The state Senate's commerce committee on Thursday approved three bills they hope will help improve the state's economy, but it held for further study the most comprehensive bill on the agenda. That would have renamed the Economic Development Corporation as the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation and outlines a host of changes to make the agency more transparent and accountable.
Also, the committee approved a fifth director to fill an empty seat on the current EDC board of directors -- Jason E. Kelly, executive vice president of Moran Shipping Agencies. Kelly's nomination now goes before the full Senate.
The bills were part of a broader package introduced last month in response to "Moving the Needle." That January report by the Senate and the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council focused on how to improve the state's business climate.