Labor & Employment

died · Rhode Island · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SR 2120: JOINT RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY SAFE STAFFING RATIOS IN HOSPITALS

Creates a 15 member commission to study and provide recommendations for safe staffing ratios in hospitals, who would report back to the General Assembly by March 31, 2027, and would expire on June 30, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStudies hospital staffing ratios to improve patient safety and care quality, aligning with healthcare protection goals without immediate funding or restrictions.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentStudies safe hospital staffing ratios to improve workplace safety for healthcare workers, aligning with labor protections and workplace safety indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

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passed · Rhode Island · Senate May 8, 2026

SB 2126: AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM

Removes the requirement that families consent to, and cooperate with the department of human services in establishing paternity and enforcing child and medical support orders as a condition of eligibility for child care assistance.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves compliance barriers for childcare assistance, facilitating workforce participation by eliminating mandatory paternity/child support conditions for eligibility.85% confidence

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signed · Rhode Island · Senate Jun 24, 2026

SR 2258: JOINT RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY SAFE STAFFING RATIOS IN HOSPITALS

Creates a 15-member joint commission to study and provide recommendations regarding safe staffing ratios in hospitals, and who would report back to the General Assembly by September 1, 2027, and expire on January 30, 2028.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates commission to study hospital staffing ratios, aiming to improve patient safety and care quality through evidence-based recommendations.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates commission to study hospital safe staffing ratios, directly addressing workplace safety for healthcare workers and aligning with labor protection indicators.95% confidence

died · Rhode Island · House May 14, 2026

HB 7319: AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM

Eliminates the sunset on the provision of funding, modify eligibility requirement to 85% of state median income and expand funding to at least 20 hours per week.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands funding eligibility and hours for Rhode Island Works Program, increasing access to employment support services and strengthening workforce participation.90% confidence

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died · Rhode Island · Senate May 28, 2026

SB 2085: AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- THE RHODE ISLAND WORKS PROGRAM

Eliminates the sunset on the provision of funding, modify eligibility requirement to 85% of state median income and expand funding to at least 20 hours per week.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands funding to 20+ hours/week and lowers income eligibility to 85% median, strengthening employment program access and support.90% confidence

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signed · Rhode Island · House Jun 18, 2026

HB 7290: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- RESTRICTIONS ON SELF-SERVICE CHECKOUT STATIONS ACT

Places limits on the number of self-service checkout stations a grocery store can have and on the workload of employees assigned to monitor those checkout stations.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestricts self-checkout stations and limits employee workload, protecting workers from excessive monitoring demands and promoting workplace safety.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

passed · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 1, 2026

SB 2160: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- RHODE ISLAND NONCOMPETITION AGREEMENT ACT

Prohibits noncompete agreements except for noncompete agreements between a seller and buyer of a business; creates civil action for an employer for the violation of an agreement by employee regarding disclosure or wrongful utilization of trade secrets.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits most noncompete agreements, protecting workers' mobility and job-changing rights, directly advancing labor rights protections.95% confidence

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died · Rhode Island · Senate May 6, 2026

SB 2410: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- PEACE OFFICER MAXIMUM WORKDAY AND OVERTIME COMPENSATION

SB 2410 sets a maximum 8-hour workday for most state peace officers (and 10 hours for correctional officer stewards) in the Department of Corrections, prohibiting mandatory overtime beyond these hours. Exceptions allow overtime only during unforeseeable emergencies like riots, but only after the state exhausts reasonable efforts to secure staff from available qualified employees. If the state violates the law by requiring unauthorized overtime, it must pay affected employees double time and a half for the overtime worked. The bill does not affect voluntary overtime or existing collective bargaining agreements.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRestricts mandatory overtime for state peace officers, mandates double pay for violations, directly protecting workers' rights and workplace conditions per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

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died · Rhode Island · House Jan 29, 2026

HB 7186: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- NOTIFICATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS AFTER EXPOSURE TO INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Amends the definition of infectious diseases to include the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and would include emergency medical technicians eligible for benefits.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAmends definition to include COVID-19 for EMT benefits, protecting medical professionals' access to healthcare-related benefits.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnsures benefits for first responders exposed to infectious diseases, enhancing workplace safety protections for emergency workers.90% confidence

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 7363: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- THE COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS ACT

Establishes the commuter transportation benefit chapter. Employers with five hundred (500) or more employees required to establish a pre-tax commuter transportation fringe benefit program.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates pre-tax commuter benefits for large employers, expanding employee transportation benefits and strengthening workplace compensation standards.95% confidence

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