Navigation

Tag, you're it! PSN's website uses tags to categorize content. You are viewing a list of content tagged as Rhode Island.
For a more organized view, please visit the Rhode Island state page.

Rhode Island

New England Leads Fight for Marriage Equality

Marisol Thomer on March 26, 2009 - 9:52am
On Monday, March 23rd, the Vermont Senate overwhelmingly passed (26 to 4) a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, making the state the first in the nation to take legislative rather than judicial steps toward granting marriage rights to same-sex couples.  Although House Speaker Shap Smith was confident a majority of representatives would vote in favor of the "marriage equality" act, Governor Jim Douglas revealed in a press conference Wednesday that he would veto the bill, though he did say he would accept a legislative override.

Rhode Island Contractor Transparency Requirements

PSN on February 23, 2009 - 11:19am

Rhode Island

Gen. Laws Sec. 37-2.3-4 “As part of the budgetary process, each state agency shall provide an addendum to their submitted budget request listing all privatization contracts; the name of each contractor, subcontractor, duration of the contract provided and services provided; the total cost of each contract(s) for the prior year; and

Obama Allows California to Adopt Car Emission Standards - New Day for State Regulatory Authority

PSN on January 29, 2009 - 1:44pm
In a positive step forward for federal respect of state regulatory powers, President Obama directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider a previously denied waiver to allow California to set more stringent auto emissions and fuel efficiency standards than required by federal law.  In a statement by the White House, President Obama said "the federal government must work with, not against, states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."  The directive represents not only greater respect for state authority, but also a sharp break from the climate policies of President Obama's predecessor. 

Policy Checklist for the New State Legislative Sessions

PSN on January 6, 2009 - 3:59pm
With legislative sessions getting underway around the country, this Dispatch provides a list of key bills and policies that we encourage legislators to consider introducing.  While not exhaustive of the range of needed reforms in states, they emphasize initiatives of strategic importance that are being considered in multiple states.  Working with our various partners, Progressive States Network is providing staff support for these policies and will work to use movement in multiple states to generate national media and attention.  This in turn will create greater momentum to assist individual states in pushing bills to passage.  The following is a quick checklist of key policies with links to model legislation and policy summaries.

Privatization Update: Recent News from across the Country

Kayla Southworth on November 25, 2008 - 3:24pm

As states face mounting deficits, corporate lobbyists have been promoting the idea that privatization of public services and assets is a free lunch -- services can be delivered more cheaply than by public employees and public assets like highways can be sold or leased for a hefty return to the taxpayer.  As PSN has detailed in our December 2007 report Privatizing in the Dark: The Pitfalls of Privatization & Why Budget Disclosure is Needed, the promises of privatization too often yield to a reality of lost money and degraded services, weak oversight and lost expertise, assets sold off for short-term gains but long-term loss, lost democratic accountability, and the corruption of the political process.

Paid Sick Days on Ballot in Milwaukee

Nathan Newman on September 25, 2008 - 11:35am
Milwaukee has a paid sick leave referendum on the ballot for November that would allow employees to take leave for medical treatment, preventive care, or diagnosis for themselves, as well as to care for a close family member who is sick or who needs diagnosis or preventive care. Additionally, employees would be allowed to use the time to deal with domestic violence or sexual assault (for example, using accrued time to flee to safety.)  Employees at firms with 10 workers or less could accumulate up to 40 hours, whereas larger companies would have to provide up to 72 hours of paid sick leave.

Helping Poor and Working Families Build Financial Assets

PSN on August 4, 2008 - 8:32am
By one estimate, the federal government spent over $367 billion in 2005 aloneon subsidizing Americans' retirement savings and tax breaks to build upother assets like buying a home.  Unfortunately, those subsidies gooverwhelmingly to those Americans who already have high-incomes; almostnone of it goes to the poorest Americans who need the most helpbuilding the financial assets that can lead to long-term economicopportunities and security.

States Still Leading Feds on Minimum Wage

Nathan Newman on July 10, 2008 - 9:54am
With food and gas prices rising rapidly, low-wage workers can at least welcome an increase in the federal minium wage to $6.55 per hour scheduled to go into effect on July 24th.  Even better, a number of states will also be increasing their minimum wage rates even higher than the federal rate:

2008 Session Roundups: Rhode Island

PSN on July 7, 2008 - 9:39am
The Rhode Island General Assembly adjourned after lawmakers reached agreement on a $6.9 billion state budget which, among other things, closes a $422 million deficit for the next fiscal year.   Overall the Rhode Island legislative session ended in mix results, with Governor Carcieri vetoing some important foreclosure and environmental legislation.  In fact, over a four-day period last week the Republican Governor vetoed 49 of the bills approved late last month before the Democrat-dominated Assembly adjourned. The legislature may, if they choose, hold a special session before January to rescue the swath of bills.