News for General News Article

This Week At the State House Wednesday, March 26 Unemployment Benefits The Senate Committee on Labor & Gaming (4:30 p.m. in Room 212) will be considering the removal of 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 ...read more

This Week At the State House   Tuesday, March 4th 3:00 p.m.   RI Utility and Energy Programs Presentation   Anyone in the hallways of the state house knows that energy prices are a hot topic. As recent electric and heating bills are arriving in consumers’ mailboxes, legislators are receiving emails and phone calls from constituents. About 51% of the residential electric bill reflects the ...read more

Legislative Break Week   The General Assembly is observing the annual February legislative break this week.     Next Week At the State House – Finance Committee Hearings   Most hearings for the week of February 25 – 27 will be posted this week. However, the House Finance Committee has provided extra preparation time for a few hearings by posting them last Friday. The information provided ...read more

This Week At the State House   Tuesday, February 4th   Retail Holiday Requirements for Juneteenth   The House Corporations Committee, in Room 135 At the Rise (approximately 4:30 p.m.) will hear H.5250, An Act Relating to Businesses and Professions – Holiday Business. The bill adds Juneteenth National Freedom Day to the holiday requirements for retail establishments. In 2023, the General ...read more

Governor McKee Unveils Budget   The Governor released his budget January 16th. Over the next few editions of Advocacy in Action, we will share summaries of the various Articles of interest to the business community. The $14.2 billion budget includes program cuts, as well as targeted taxes and fees in an effort to deal with annual anticipated increased revenues of 2.5% coupled with increasing ...read more

Rhode Island-Based Jobs Rose by 300 from July; August Unemployment Rate Increased to 4.6 Percent   CRANSTON, R.I. – Jobs at Rhode Island businesses rose by 300 jobs in August as the state’s unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.6 percent. Over the year, jobs were up 4,200 from August 2023, and the unemployment rate was up one and seven-tenths percentage ...read more

This Week At the State House   As we approach the last few weeks of session, most of the bills mentioned in this publication will be scheduled for a vote by the committee, with a few hearings sprinkled throughout. The House Finance Committee has not posted the budget yet, but is expected to do so at any moment.   Tuesday, May 28th   H.7837, An Act Relating to Labor and Labor Relations – ...read more

Last Week At the State House   The Senate Labor Committee passed two bills of particular note, sending them to the Senate floor for a vote Tuesday, April 30th.   S.2123 SubA, An Act Relating to Labor and Labor Relations – Payment of Wages, was amended by the committee. Today employers must include with wage payments, an account of the hours worked, deductions from gross earnings and an ...read more

PRESS RELEASE    Governor McKee, DEM, CRMC and RIIB Announce Availability of Nearly $4M in Grants for Resilience Projects to Protect Coastal Habitat Shoreline Access on Public Lands   PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) are jointly soliciting project proposals for ...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