Legislative Updates

2021

H 5938:

Provides increases in the minimum wage commencing July 1, 2021,to $13.00 per hour with a $1.00 increase to that amount on July 1, 2022,and on July 1, 2023.

Read the full text for H 5938 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Marcia Ranglin-Vassell
  • Representative Edith H. Ajello
  • Representative Jean P. Barros
  • Representative Rebecca M. Kislak
  • Representative Kathleen A. Fogarty
  • Representative Liana Cassar
  • Representative Karen Alzate
  • Representative Brianna E. Henries
Actions:
  • 02-25-2021

    Introduced, referred to House Labor

  • 03-05-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/10/2021)

  • 03-10-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Companion Bill: S 0143
H 5939:

Increases the minimum wage by using an annual fixed amount, increasing it one dollar per hour in 2022, 2023 and 2024,until January 1, 2025, where it reaches to fifteen dollars per hour, then raised annually thereafter by using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

Read the full text for H 5939 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Marcia Ranglin-Vassell
  • Representative Brianna E. Henries
  • Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi
  • Representative David A. Bennett
  • Representative Edith H. Ajello
  • Representative Kathleen A. Fogarty
  • Representative Liana Cassar
  • Representative Jean P. Barros
Actions:
  • 02-25-2021

    Introduced, referred to House Labor

  • 03-05-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/10/2021)

  • 03-10-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

See S 0143 , See H 5938 , See S 0001 as amended
H 6180:

Provides that public bodies not be required to hold open-forum sessions on any topic not on the meeting notice and limits comment on any topic not previously posted.

Read the full text for H 6180 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Joseph M. McNamara
Actions:
  • 03-26-2021

    Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections

  • 04-08-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/12/2021)

  • 04-12-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  • 06-28-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (06/30/2021)

  • 06-30-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

H 6206:

House Resolution commemorating April 4-10, 2021 as "National Library Week" in RI

Read the full text for H 6206 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung
  • Representative Jacquelyn M. Baginski
  • Representative Brandon C. Potter
  • Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski
  • Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi
  • Representative Katherine S. Kazarian
  • Representative Julie A. Casimiro
Actions:
  • 04-06-2021

    House read and passed

S 0001 as amended:

Increases the minimum wage from $11.50/hr to $15.00/hr over the next 4 years.

Read the full text for S 0001 as amended at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Ana B. Quezada
  • Senator Dominick J. Ruggerio
  • Senator Michael McCaffrey
  • Senator Maryellen Goodwin
  • Senator Sandra Cano
  • Senator Joshua Miller
  • Senator Hanna M. Gallo
  • Senator Gayle Goldin
  • Senator Bridget G. Valverde
  • Senator James Seveney
Actions:
  • 01-11-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Labor

  • 01-22-2021

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration

  • 01-22-2021
    Agenda

    Meeting postponed (01/27/2021)

  • 01-29-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/03/2021)

  • 02-03-2021

    Committee recommends passage

  • 02-03-2021
    Calendar

    Placed on Senate Calendar (02/10/2021)

  • 02-10-2021

    Senate passed as amended (floor amendment)

  • 02-11-2021

    Referred to House Labor

  • 05-07-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for consideration (05/12/2021)

  • 05-12-2021

    Committee recommends passage as amended in concurrence

  • 05-14-2021
    Calendar

    Placed on House Calendar (05/18/2021)

  • 05-18-2021

    House passed as amended in concurrence

  • 05-18-2021

    Transmitted to Governor

  • 05-20-2021

    Signed by Governor

S 0143:

Provides increases in the minimum wage commencing July 1, 2021,to $13.00 per hour with a $1.00 increase to that amount on July 1, 2022,and on July 1, 2023.

Read the full text for S 0143 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Frank A. Ciccone, III
Actions:
  • 01-26-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Labor

  • 02-01-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/03/2021)

  • 02-03-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Companion Bill: H 5938
S 0205:

Amends the constitution to guarantee Rhode Island residents with equal opportunity to receive an education and provide judicial enforcement of this provision.

Read the full text for S 0205 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
Actions:
  • 02-10-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Education

  • 04-09-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/14/2021)

  • 04-14-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study.

  • 06-25-2021

    Scheduled for consideration

  • 06-25-2021

    Meeting postponed (06/30/2021)

  • 06-25-2021

    Scheduled for consideration (06/28/2021)

  • 06-28-2021

    Committee recommends passage

  • 06-28-2021

    Placed on Senate Calendar (06/30/2021)

  • 06-30-2021

    Senate read and passed

S 0289:

Amends various sections of RI General Laws Chapter 29 - Relating to Libraries - to delete outdated provisions and update language to reflect current practices, and would increase from two (2) years to five (5) years the award of the statewide reference resource center contract

Read the full text for S 0289 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Hanna M. Gallo
  • Senator Maryellen Goodwin
  • Senator Michael McCaffrey
Actions:
  • 02-18-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Education

  • 03-05-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/10/2021)

  • 03-10-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  • 05-14-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for consideration (05/19/2021)

  • 05-19-2021

    Committee recommends passage

  • 05-20-2021
    Calendar

    Placed on Senate Calendar (05/25/2021)

  • 05-25-2021

    Senate read and passed

  • 05-27-2021

    Referred to House Finance

  • 06-26-2021

    Scheduled for consideration (06/28/2021)

  • 06-28-2021

    Committee recommends passage in concurrence

  • 06-28-2021

    Placed on the House Consent Calendar (06/30/2021)

  • 06-30-2021

    House passed in concurrence

  • 07-07-2021

    Transmitted to Governor

  • 07-09-2021

    Signed by Governor

S 0342:

Requires Internet service providers to follow Internet service neutrality requirements.

Read the full text for S 0342 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Louis P. DiPalma
  • Senator Roger A. Picard
  • Senator Kendra Anderson
  • Senator James Seveney
  • Senator Frank Lombardo III
  • Senator Walter S. Felag, Jr.
  • Senator Bridget G. Valverde
  • Senator Dawn Euer
  • Senator John P. Burke
Actions:
  • 02-25-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Commerce

  • 04-23-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/29/2021)

  • 04-29-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  • 06-04-2021

    Scheduled for consideration (06/10/2021)

  • 06-09-2021

    Proposed Substitute

  • 06-10-2021

    Committee recommends passage of Sub A

  • 06-16-2021

    Placed on Senate Calendar (06/22/2021)

  • 06-22-2021

    Senate passed Sub A

  • 06-24-2021

    Referred to House Innovation, Internet, & Technology

S 0512:

Requires that all meetings closed to the public be recorded by audio tape or other audio recording device.

Read the full text for S 0512 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Thomas J. Paolino
  • Senator Jessica de la Cruz
  • Senator Louis P. DiPalma
  • Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis
  • Senator James Seveney
  • Senator Walter S. Felag, Jr.
  • Senator Steve Archambault
  • Senator Dennis Algiere
Actions:
  • 03-04-2021

    Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

  • 04-09-2021
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/15/2021)

  • 04-15-2021

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study.