AI & Finance Policy: New York regulators are watching “agentic commerce” closely, focusing on where liability lands and how to keep consumer protections intact as AI systems can transact on a customer’s behalf. Retail & Jobs: Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee signed the Self-Service Checkout Stations Act, requiring grocery stores to keep at least one manually staffed lane for every three self-checkouts, with accessibility rules and fines for noncompliance. Workforce & Innovation Funding: Rhode Island Commerce opened applications for its Innovation Voucher Program, offering up to $75,000 for R&D partnerships that connect small businesses with local knowledge providers. Blue Economy Research: URI marked a milestone at its Narragansett Bay Campus with a ribbon-cutting for the Ocean Robotics Laboratory, backed by $145 million in bond funding. Local Governance & Land Use: A retiree is suing North Port over rezoning that blocks him from building on his property, a reminder that zoning changes can hit long-planned projects hard. Energy/AI Data Centers: Westerly’s council is weighing a potential moratorium after residents raised concerns about water and power demands from AI data centers. Healthcare Policy: Rhode Island’s CPA licensing rules were updated to add an alternative “bachelor’s plus two” pathway, joining a growing list of states easing certification requirements.