News for General News Article

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, August 6, 2024 CONTACT Olivia DaRocha Press Secretary Olivia.DaRocha@governor.ri.gov (401) 602-2701 PRESS RELEASE    New England States Selected to Receive $389 Million in Federal Funding for Transformational Offshore Wind Transmission and Energy Storage Infrastructure Investments States secure highly competitive funds from the U.S. Department of Energy’s ...read more

Final 2024 Legislative Wrap-up In this last 2024 edition of Advocacy in Action, we provide you with a list of bills that have become law in 2024, along with the effective dates of the new laws. Your Chamber was very engaged, tracking just over 400 pieces of legislation, and providing testimony on many of them verbally or in writing. This year is an election year. We encourage you to register and ...read more

Last Week At the State House   Revenue Estimating Conference – The Numbers Are In   The conferees completed their estimates during a seven-hour meeting Friday. The bottom line – in FY2024, total taxes are up $26.8 million with general revenues up $47.7 million. For FY2025, taxes are estimated to be $10.2 million more than originally thought, with general revenues up only $9.7 million more ...read more

Legislative Break April 15 – 20   The General Assembly is on vacation break this week. They will return April 23rd for the third phase of the session. This last phase is marked with the development and passage of the final budget which should take place in June. The House and Senate Finance Committees have almost completed hearings on the Governor’s proposed budget. They will now wait for the ...read more

Call to Action – Now is the Time! The Chamber Needs Your Help!   The Chamber is asking you to contact your State Representative and State Senator and let them know how H.7171 and S.2121 will affect your business.   H.7171, An Act Relating to Labor and Labor Relations – Temporary Disability Insurance, (S.2121 is the identical bill) increases the weekly dependance allowance provided under ...read more

*** ACTION ALERT ***   In a recent conversation with Legislative Leaders about legislation that could harm the business community, they remarked that they don't hear enough from business owners like you at the State House. The Chamber realizes that it is difficult to come to the state house and sit through a hearing because you are busy facing the challenges of running a business. However, you ...read more

Senate Labor Committee Passes Family Leave Bill   On a 4-2 vote, the Senate Labor Committee recommended passage of S.2467, An Act Relating to Labor Relations – Rhode Island Parental and Family Medical Leave Act. The bill increases the number of benefit weeks provided to employees from thirteen weeks every two years, to twenty-four weeks every two years. While the Chamber understands that this ...read more

This Week At the State House   Tuesday, March 5th   House Finance Committee   The House Finance Committee has scheduled several hearings on the Governor’s proposed budget. As reported last week, the committee is scheduled to take testimony on sections of Article 6 – Tax Article at the Rise (approximately 4:30). Article 6 sections 3, 6 and 16-20 affect businesses engaging in the sale of ...read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, February 16, 2024 CONTACT   Olivia DaRocha Press Secretary Olivia.DaRocha@governor.ri.gov (978) 854-2191     PRESS RELEASE   Governor McKee, DEM Announce over $200,000 in Grant Awards for Community Engagement on Climate Change, Advancing Environmental Justice, And Cutting Fossil Fuels   PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee and the Department of ...read more