Bills affecting Low-income / working-class in Rhode Island — 2026 session

Sets the minimum wage for 2027 at twenty dollars ($20) per hour.

Amends the Rhode Island works program to allow lawful permanent residents to receive benefits without a waiting period and increases the monthly cash benefit to one hundred percent (100%) of the federal poverty level effective July 1, 2026.

Requires small employers with one to fifty (1-50) employees and large employers with fifty (50) or more employees to pay overtime wages to exempt workers if their salary exceeds varying multipliers of minimum wage for a forty (40) hour workweek.

Provides that in local education agencies when over 45% of the children have a family income that is at or below 185% of federal poverty guidelines, then the student success factor will be 50% by the core instruction per-pupil amount.

Amends the determination of the state's share statute by amending the calculation for the poverty loss stabilization fund.

Provides that commencing January 1, 2027, the minimum wage shall be twenty-four dollars ($24.00) per hour.

Increases the minimum wage amount for any person committed to the adult correctional institution from $3.00 to $5.00 a day for every day the person shall labor.

Effective January 1, 2028, Increases the hourly minimum wage in accordance with the Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Region for the previous four (4) fiscal years.

Provides that a family eligible for cash assistance pursuant to § 40-5.2-11, shall if qualified, be provided SNAP benefits.

Commencing January 1, 2027, this act would increase the minimum wage for employees receiving gratuities, from the current three dollars and eighty-nine cents ($3.89) to six dollars and seventy-five cents ($6.75) per hour.