The 2025 Session Begins
Welcome to the 2025 Edition of Advocacy in Action. The legislature began its session last week. Bills are currently being filed and we expect hearings to begin in the upcoming weeks.
Key dates for 2025 include the following:
Governor McKee’s State of the State Address – January 14, 2025, 7:00 p.m.
Last day for Senate public bill introduction – To Be Announced (usually prior to Winter recess)
Last day for House public bill introduction – To Be Announced (usually prior to Winter recess)
Winter Recess – February 17-21, 2025
Spring Recess – April 14-18, 2025
New Laws Now in Effect
This is a reminder that a few new laws went into effect as of January 1, 2025.
Minimum Wage – The minimum wage increased to $15.00 per hour.
Temporary Caregiver Benefits - The TCI dependent’s allowance benefit increased from $10 to $20 per month beginning January 1, 2025. The law lengthens the benefit weeks available to employees from six weeks to seven weeks beginning January 1, 2025, and to eight weeks beginning January 1, 2026. No change was made to the definition of eligibility for benefits.
New Poster Requirement for Businesses - Employers with 50 employees or more must display a poster containing information on veterans’ benefits available. The Department of Labor and Training is charged with creating the poster and providing it to employers; and they are currently working on the poster content. When the final product is available the Chamber will publish the link to the document.
Customer Paper Receipts and Invoices - It is now illegal for businesses to charge any fee to a person 65 years of age or older for a hard-copy paper bill, statement, or invoice. Anyone doing so, is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of $500.
Independent Contractor Filing - Independent contractors must file annually with the Department of Labor. This law specifies that independent contractors must file annually for each client to be legally considered an individual contractor. The process is simple. To file DWC-11-IC form online, go to: https://dlt.ri.gov/workers-compensation/independent-contractors If you are a company that hires independent contractors, the Chamber encourages you to verify the form has been filed.
CHAMBER MEMBER ACTION REQUEST - Preparations for 2025 Session
If you attended the January “Eggs and Issues” breakfast with the Speaker of the House, you heard him say loudly and clearly that business people must be engaged with their state Representatives and Senators or face the passage of harmful legislation. Legislators are not experts in your business. They need to hear from you directly in order to understand the challenges you confront on a daily basis.
Throughout the legislative session, the Chamber may be calling on you, asking for your assistance conveying our message on legislation to legislators. Please go to https://vote.sos.ri.gov and click on “Find Your Elected Officials.” Enter your zip code and address. Find your “Representative District” legislator and your “Senate District” legislator (if you live in Rhode Island). Email your name and the legislators name to _____________________. The Chamber will be compiling a database for future grassroots efforts. If you also know a legislator who lives in another district, please send that information to the Chamber as well and we will include it in the database.
Thank you for your help!
The following new bills have been filed:
House Bill No. 5027 Diaz, Tanzi, McNamara, Azzinaro, Batista, Phillips, Edwards, Giraldo, Shallcross Smith, Ajello, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- PUBLIC HEALTH AND WORKPLACE SAFETY ACT (Provides that any law or regulation which prohibits or protects a person from exposure to second-hand smoke would include second-hand marijuana smoke or vapor.) https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/HouseText25/H5027.pdf
House Bill No. 5029 Bennett, Potter, Diaz, Edwards, Slater, Corvese, Solomon, Craven, Kazarian, Casimiro, AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- MINIMUM WAGES (Sets the minimum wage for 2026 at $16 per hour, 2027 at $17 per hour, 2028 at $18 per hour, 2029 at $19 per hour and for 2030 at $20 per hour.) https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/HouseText25/H5029.pdf
