RIBLIA Caucus announces 2025 legislative priorities
"We are prepared to act with urgency, with a legislative priority package that puts the needs of people first."
From a press release:
The Rhode Island Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian-American, and Pacific Islander (RIBLIA) Caucus released its 2025 legislative policy agenda at a press conference at the State House on Tuesday. Senator Tiara Mack (Democrat, District 6, Providence) and Representative David Morales (Democrat, District 7, Providence) chair the caucus.
Here’s the video:
“The RIBLIA Caucus has grown from a dream into a powerful force that fights for legislation that will directly support our communities,” said Senator Mack and Representative Morales. “We are living through times of uncertainty and worry as a community and as a caucus, and we are ready to meet the moment. We are prepared to act with urgency, with a legislative priority package that puts the needs of people first. From demanding fair funding for our public schools, to protecting tenants from displacement, to ending the predatory practice of payday lending to empowering economic opportunity through higher wages, we are here to make sure that Rhode Island is a place where everyone, no matter their racial background, their ZIP code or immigration status can thrive.”
RIBLIA will be focusing their attention and advocacy on legislation addressing the following issues:
Support for Businesses of Color:
2025-S 0311, 2025-H 5684 — This bill sponsored by Senator Lammis Vargas (Democrat, District 28, Cranston, Providence) and Representative Joshua Giraldo (Democrat, District 56, Central Falls) would require the Department of Administration to provide a list of certified minority and women-owned business enterprises to contractors.
Economic Justice and Labor Rights:
2025-S 0310, 2025-H 5029 — This bill sponsored by Senator Ana Quezada (Democrat, District 2, Providence) and Representative David Bennett (Democrat, District 20, Warwick, Cranston) would increase the minimum wage to $20 by 2030.
2025-S 0070, 2025-H 5042 — The Paystub Transparency Act sponsored by Senator Jonathon Acosta (Democrat, District 16, Central Falls, Pawtucket) and Representative Giraldo would require employers, at the time of hiring, to give their employees an itemized list of the terms and conditions of the employee’s employment and mandate that the employer provide every employee each payday with a pay stub explaining exactly how their wages were calculated and the reason for each deduction from their gross wages.
2025-S 0329, 2025-H 5473 — This bill sponsored by Senator Melissa Murray (Democrat, District 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield) and Representative Karen Alzate (Democrat, District 60, Pawtucket, Central Falls) would apply an additional tax of 3% of personal income above $625,000 on the top 1% of Rhode Island tax filers.
Support for All Students:
2025-H 5744 — This bill, sponsored by Representative Morales, would establish scholarship programs in urban core and urban ring schools for bilingual and dual language students and world teacher certificates for college students and teachers. Senator Vargas will introduce companion legislation in the Senate shortly.
2025-S 0259, 2025-H 5751 — This bill sponsored by Senator Acosta and Representative Giraldo would use Medicaid enrollment rates when measuring student poverty related to the state education funding formula.
Rights for Renters:
2025-S 0212, 2025-H 5503 — This bill sponsored by Senator Mack and Representative Cheri Cruz (Democrat, District 58, Pawtucket) would provide just-cause eviction protections for tenants.
2025-S 0274, 2025-H 5674 — This bill sponsored by Senator Quezada and Representative Giraldo would prohibit landlords from asking about the immigration status of a tenant or perspective tenant.
Consumer Protections:
2025-S 0229, 2025-H 5042 — This bill sponsored by Senator Quezada and Representative Alzate would end payday lending in Rhode Island.
2025-S 0385, 2025-H 5577 — This bill sponsored by Senator Linda Ujifusa (Democrat, District 11, Portsmouth, Bristol) and Representative Megan Cotter (Democrat, District 39, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton) would require utility companies to be more transparent in reporting the explanations and costs associated with rate increases.
Criminal Justice Reform:
2025-S 0063, 2025-H 5502 — This bill sponsored by Senator Acosta and Representative Leonela Felix (Democrat, District 61, Pawtucket) would revise the state’s definitions of felonies, misdemeanors and petty misdemeanors.
2025-S 0281, 2025-H 5178 — This bill sponsored by Senator Quezada and Representative John Lombardi (Democrat, District 8, Providence) would allow expungement of multiple felony convictions for nonviolent felonies 10 years after the sentence is completed.
2025-S 0295, 2025-H 5724 — This bill sponsored by Senator Acosta and Representative Giraldo would prohibit any state or municipal government official or agency from entering into any contract to detain individuals for civil immigration violations. It would further prohibit using public resources to detain individuals for federal civil immigration violations.
Health and Wellness Reform:
2025-S 0117, 2025-H 5463 — This bill sponsored by Senator Ujifusa and Representative Jennifer Stewart (Democrat, District 8, Providence) would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from using spread pricing and prohibits several other harmful PBM practices including keeping “rebates,” or legal manufacturer kickbacks that PBMs get for giving certain drugs favorable placement on covered or preferred drug lists known as “formularies.”
Equity and Culture:
2025-S 0519, 2025-H 5841 — This bill sponsored by Senator Mack and Representative Stewart would prohibit discrimination based on race by expanding the definition of race to include traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.
The RIBLIA Caucus represents and advocates for the interests of people of color throughout Rhode Island. Through legislative advocacy and community engagement, it is dedicated to building a more inclusive and representative government that reflects the diversity of Rhode Island residents.
In addition to Senator Mack and Representative Morales, the caucus includes Representatives Marvin Abney (Democrat, District 73, Newport, Middletown), Alzate, José Batista (Democrat, District 12, Providence), Nathan Biah (Democrat, District 3, Providence), Cruz, Grace Diaz (Democrat, District 11, Providence), Felix, Jenni Furtado (Democrat, District 64, East Providence, Pawtucket), Giraldo, Raymond Hull (Democrat, District 6, Providence, North Providence), Ramon Perez (Democrat, District 13, Providence, Johnston), Enrique George Sanchez (Democrat, District 9, Providence) and Stewart, and Senators Acosta, Robert Britto (Democrat, District 18, East Providence, Pawtucket), Victoria Gu (Democrat, District 38, Charlestown, South Kingstown, Westerly), Quezada, Ujifusa and Vargas.
I hope (such a RI thing) that the General Assembly has the wisdom to pass this legislative package.