Establishes an opportunity for employee ownership where the owner notifies all current full-time and part-time employees and provides them with a 30-day window in which to initiate a process to potentially purchase the business as a workers' cooperative.
Increases the minimum hourly wage commencing January 1, 2029, by an amount equal to the total percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Northeast Region for the calendar year 2027.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates the registration requirements for architecture firms and individual architects in Rhode Island. It clarifies that individual architects must maintain valid registration certificates that expire every two years and require renewal fees, with additional requirements if renewal is late. For architecture firms, the bill establishes specific ownership rules requiring two-thirds of leadership to be registered in any state or reciprocal jurisdiction and one-third to be registered in Rhode Island. The legislation also mandates that firms obtain a certificate of authorization from the state board, which must be renewed biennially and requires firms to report changes in ownership or leadership within 30 days. A transition period through 2027 allows existing firms to maintain their current authorizations until they undergo structural changes or leadership transitions.
Maddy summarySB 2503 establishes a maximum 8-hour workday for most state peace officers (with a 10-hour limit for correctional officer stewards) to protect their health and safety. The bill prohibits the state from requiring overtime beyond these limits, except in unforeseeable emergencies like riots, and only after the employer makes reasonable efforts to secure volunteer staff. If the state violates this rule, it must pay affected officers double time and a half of their regular hourly wage. The law takes effect upon passage and does not override existing collective bargaining agreements.
Maddy summarySB 2740 requires healthcare workers (such as nurses, technicians, and support staff in hospitals or clinics) to receive time-and-a-half pay for any work performed on Sundays or public holidays. This applies directly to employees in healthcare settings who work on these days, mandating higher compensation for that specific schedule. The key provision replaces the current pay structure for Sunday/holiday shifts with a guaranteed 50% premium for all eligible healthcare workers. The bill aims to provide clearer compensation standards for these shifts without altering broader overtime rules.
Grants hourly credit of 288 hours against 576 hours if graduate of accredited trade school/raises to 4 years of work under master plumber and requires 8,000 hours of on-the-job training plus 5 years of registration with DLT.
Maddy summarySB 2015 removes an existing licensing exemption for lenders who originate fewer than six loans in any 12-month period in Rhode Island. This change directly affects small lenders, including independent brokers or micro-lenders, requiring them to obtain a license under the state's financial institution regulations starting January 1, 2027. The key mechanism eliminates a specific exception in current law that previously allowed these entities to operate without oversight. The bill does not alter other existing exemptions for nonprofit lenders, large commercial loans, or certain financial institutions.
Maddy summarySB 2184 removes the registration and plate transfer fee for vehicles displaying a Distinguished Service Cross license plate. This change directly affects veterans who have received the Distinguished Service Cross, the military's second-highest decoration for extraordinary heroism. The bill modifies the state's vehicle registration system by eliminating the standard fee that would otherwise apply when registering a vehicle or transferring this specific plate. This is a targeted administrative adjustment to reduce costs for eligible veterans using the special license plate.
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.
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.
