Under the Dome -Advocacy in Action

This Week At the State House
We are awaiting the posting of the FY2026 budget in the House Finance Committee. The Committee is hoping to take it up this week for a vote. If that happens, the full House will debate and vote on the budget seven days later in accordance with the House rules. Meanwhile other committees are busy passing amended forms of bills that were heard over the last five months. Amendments to bills can be posted online 24 hours before the vote is taken and bills can be amended on the floor as well. The following is a list of bills scheduled for a vote or a hearing this week as of Sunday, June 1, 2025.
Monday, June 2nd
Senate Labor & Gaming Committee at 5:30 – Votes Only
S.70, An Act Relating to Payment of Wages, changes an employer’s responsibilities as it relates to providing employees with statements of earnings. Today employers must include the hours worked, deductions from gross earnings and an explanation of those deductions. The legislation adds items such as the last four digits of the social security number, deduction explanations in “understandable language and form,” the employer’s address and name, and output information if pay is based on quantity. The bill was altered compared to last year’s bill to clarify that employers must only keep records for three years which is consistent with current law. It also requires employers to provide a type of “mini employee handbook” to employees. The sponsor did change the bill to include English as the language for the handbook. https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/SenateText25/S0070.pdf
S.124, An Act Relating to Labor and Labor Relations – Labor Relations Act changes the definition of “employee” under Rhode Island law. Members of the unions are pushing this bill as a means to head off any changes in the National Labor Relations Board. S.124 is scheduled to be amended as the Chamber requested related to the definition of “employee.” The new definition, if passed, will read “"Employee" specifically includes any teaching assistants, research assistants, fellows, residential assistants and proctors who perform services for an employer or are under an employer's control or right of control, in return for payment or other compensation, notwithstanding whether the employee is a student, or the supervised teaching, research, or other services are a component of their academic development.” These individuals are currently covered in Rhode Island. https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/Proposed25/S0124A.pdf
S.361, An Act Relating to Fair Employment Practices expands the current law to include menopause and menopause related conditions in the law on fair employment practices pertaining to pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions. https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/SenateText25/S0361.pdf
S.586, An Act Relating to Health and Safety, requires employers, starting January 1, 2026, to protect employees from extreme temperatures through rest breaks, PPE, training, and equipment, and mandate training, to recognize and mitigate heat and cold-related risks. The act would require the department of health to establish and implement the training program. https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/SenateText25/S0586.pdf
S.622, An Act Relating to Labor and Labor Relations, removes a sunset provision in the unemployment benefit arena. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly and Governor increased the total amount of earnings a partial-unemployment insurance claimant could receive before being entirely disqualified for unemployment insurance benefits and increased the amount of earnings disregarded when calculating a weekly benefit rate. At the time, it was deemed necessary because jobs were hard to find as many places were forcibly closed by the state. The law is about to sunset June 30, 2025. S.622 removes the sunset, making the benefit calculation permit. The bill was introduced at the request of DLT. https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/SenateText25/S0622.pdf
Tuesday, June 3rd
Senate Finance Committee is holding a hearing on one bill of interest at the Rise in room 211. S.1040, An Act Relating to Taxation – Tax on Gains from the Sale or Exchange of Real Property, was introduced May 9th for the first time. The bill creates a new tax on gains from the sale or exchange of real property held for six years or less.
*Gain, as a percentage of basis (tax cost)
Years property held by transferor 0-99% 100-199% 200% or more
Less than 4 months 60% 70% 80%
4 months, but less than 8 35% 52.5% 70%
8 months but less than 1 year 30% 45% 60%
1 year, but less than 2 25% 37.5% 50%
2 years, but less than 3 20% 30% 40%
3 years, but less than 4 15% 22.5% 30%
4 years, but less than 5 10% 15% 20%
5 years, but less than 6 5% 7.5% 10%
The bill can be viewed in its entirety at https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/SenateText25/S1040.pdf Testimony can be submitted to [email protected]


House Labor Committee Vote At the Rise


H.5029, An Act Relating to Labor and Labor Relations – Minimum Wage is scheduled for a vote. The SubA posted version calls for two increases in the minimum wage - $16 starting January 1, 2026; and $17 starting January 1, 2027. This amended version does not include the business community’s request to phase out the Sunday premium pay requirements that only exist in this state and no other. https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/Proposed25/H5029A.pdf
The following new bills have been filed:
House Bill No. 6365 Cotter, Carson, Speakman, Boylan, Spears, Potter, Cruz, Stewart, Giraldo, Casimiro, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION -- RETAIL DELIVERY FEE (Imposes a fifty cent delivery fee (tax) per transaction for deliveries in the state.) https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/HouseText25/H6365.pdf
House Bill No. 6378 Morales, Shallcross Smith, Felix, Cruz, Potter, Stewart, Giraldo, AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT (Provides for the sealing of eviction records under certain circumstances.) https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/HouseText25/H6378.pdf