Legislative Testimony

Throughout the legislative session, the Economic Progress Institute tracks the budget and other bills being considered by the Rhode Island General Assembly affecting the economic well-being of low- and modest-income Rhode Islanders. We present policy information and data-based testimony to committees in the General Assembly.


2023 Testimony

Testimony in Support of an Act Relating to Insurance – Individual Health Insurance Coverage: S23
Senate Health and Human Services Committee: 3/23/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports S23, which codifies the basic consumer protections that are part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by maintaining the current prohibition on pre-existing condition exclusions

Testimony in Support of Bill Relating to Payday Lending: HB5331
House Committee on corporations: 3/21/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Lombardi’s bill HB5331, which would eliminate the harms of deferred deposit transactions that drive the predatory payday loan industry in Rhode Island.

Testimony in Support of Bill Relating to Payday Lending: HB5160
House Committee on Corporations: 3/21/2023

The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Alzate’s bill HB5160, which would eliminate the harms of deferred deposit transactions that drive the predatory payday loan industry in Rhode Island.

Testimony in Support of requiring the Department of Corrections to collect additional data: SB373
Senate Committee on Judiciary: 3/21/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports Senator Acosta’s SB373 to require the Department of Corrections to collect additional data from those individuals entering its custody. To understand whether policy and program proposals and changes are likely to increase or decrease disparities, it is critical to have adequate data.

Testimony in Support of limiting the monthly cost of specialty drugs: HB5350 ans HB5554
House Committee on Health and Human Services: 3/21/2023

The Economic Progress Institute supports HB5350, which limits the monthly cost of specialty drugs, and HB5554 which limits the monthly cost of asthma inhalers – which can be life-saving medication.

Testimony in Support of Act Relating to Towns and Cities – Zoning Ordinances: HB6084
House Committee on Municipal Government and Housing: 3/16/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports H6084, an act to create a transit-oriented development pilot program to encourage residential housing near convenient public transportation.

Testimony Relating to Rental Application Fees: HB6087
House Committee on Municipal Government & Housing: 3/16/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports the intent behind Representative Cruz’s HB6087 to “eliminate the rental application fee,” as the March 2, 2023 press release from the Office of the Speaker characterized the proposal.

Testimony in support of relating to concerning nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses: HB5929
House Committee on Labor: 3/15/2023

The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Tanzi’s HB5929 which would prohibit employers from requiring employees, as a condition of employment, to agree to nondisclosure and non-disparagement requirements in regard to possible civil rights violations.

Testimony in support of Relating to Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprises: HB5748
House Committee on Labor: 3/15/2023

The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Giraldo’s HB5748 which would increase the percentage of dollars reserved for minority-owned and women-owned businesses in state procurement and construction contracts.

Testimony in support of increasing paid leave: HB5447
House Committee on Labor: 3/15/2023
The Economic Policy Institute supports Representative Diaz’s HB5447 which aims to makes Temporary Disability Insurance and Temporary Caregiver Insurance accessible to all Rhode Islanders. Rhode Island was one of the nation’s leaders in passing a paid family leave program in 2013. Now a decade later, the program lags behind those in other states, including our neighbors in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and leaves many Rhode Islanders unable to make use of these important benefits.

Testimony in supoprt of Equity Impact Statements: HB5763
House Committee on State Government and Elections 3/14/2023
The Economic Progress Institute strongly supports Representative Kislak’s bill, H5763, which would require an equity impact statement for each piece of legislation, describing the way in which the legislation will or will not impact populations differently based on race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex sexual orientation, gender expression, disability, age, or country of ancestral origin.

Testimony in support of reducing fees associated with driver's privilege cards: HB5780
House Committee on Judiciary 3/9/2023

The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Alzate’s HB5780, which would reduce the fees associated with the driver’s privilege cards. Under the current rules, undocumented Rhode Islander’s pay $50 for a driver’s privilege card and then $30 every 5 years to renew their cards, if they are under 75 years old. Reducing the cost of the driver’s privilege cards would allow more people to apply for and benefit from this new resource.

Testimony in Support of the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act: HB5749
House Committee on Municipal Government & Housing 3/7/2023

The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Speakman’s HB5749, the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act. Given the lack of affordable housing in Rhode Island and the much greater need for it, we should seek out reasonable opportunities to increase the state’s affordable housing supply.

Testimony in Support of An Act Relating to Elections – Conduct of Election and Voting Equipment and Supplies (repeals the state voter identification law): SB364
Senate Judiciary Committee 3/7/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports SB364, an act to repeal the state voter identification law. The current voter identification law is one of the strictest in the United States; it disenfranchises Rhode Islanders, disproportionately affects low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly, and people with disabilities, and aims to solve a “problem” (in-person voter fraud) that does not, in fact, exist.

Testimony in Support of establishing a committee eithin Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission to provide recommendations for homeless shelter standards: HB5120
House Committee on Municipal Government and Housing 3/7/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Lombardi’s HB5120, which would establish a committee within the Rhode Island Housing Resources Commission to provide recommendations for homeless shelter standards. This committee will be comprised of individuals with lived experience, advocates, and providers.

Testimony in Support of the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act: HB5006
House Judiciary Committee 3/6/2023
The Economic Progress Institute is a nonpartisan research and policy organization that
advocates for the economic well-being of low- and modest-income Rhode Islanders. Access to
abortion is an economic, racial, and healthcare justice issue.

Testimony Relating to rent increases: HB5362 and HB5691
House Committee on Judiciary 3/2/2023
The Economic Policy Institute supports Representative Stewart’s HB5362 and HB5691, a pair of bills that would protect tenants, particularly low-income tenants, against unmanageable rent increases.

Testimony Relating to Extending the Sunset Dates of Tax Incentive Programs for Economic Development: HB5200 Budget Article 7
Senate Committee on Finance 3/2/2023
Sunset dates are critical elements of tax incentive programs for economic development – and they are of greatest value when used for oversight of such programs. The sunset dates are put in place so that members of the General Assembly have the opportunity to exercise their responsibility to oversee the programs.

Testimony in Support of Increasing the Diversity of Rhode Island’s Teaching Workforce: HB542`
House Committee on Education 2/1/2023
The Economic Policy Institute supports Representative Giraldo’s HB5421 which would create a committee and require a report aimed at increasing the diversity of Rhode Island’s teaching workforce. The education of our children is critical for the long-term health of the state’s workforce and economy.

Testimony Relating to Support of standardizing the quality rating system for early care and early education: HB5339
House Committee on Education 2/1/2023
The Economic Policy Institute supports Representative Donovan’s HB5339 which would standardize the quality rating system for early care and education.

Testimony Relating to Creating a New Personal Income Tax on the Top One Percent: SB232
Senate Committee on Finance
The Economic Progress Institute supports Senator Murray’s SB232 to create a new 3% surtax for income above the top 1% of income. This would impact approximately 5,000 taxpayers, those with Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) above $557,000.

Testimony Relating to Increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit: SB80
Senate Committee on Finance
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a common-sense tax break that reduces the income tax owed by lower-wage working families, allowing them to contribute more to vibrant local economies. The Economic Progress Institute supports Senator Felag’s SB80 to raise the state credit from 15% to 16% of the federal one. Rhode Island’s EITC was last increased seven years ago.

Testimony Realting to Proposals to Tax Capital Gains and Other Wealth: SB233
Senate Committee on Finance
The Economic Progress Institute supports three proposals contained in Senator Kallman’s SB233 omnibus legislation that seeks to take important steps to rectify an imbalance in the way wages and salary income are taxed at higher rates than income from investments.

Testimony Relating to Make Improvements to the Temporary Caregiver’s Insurance (TCI) Program: SB139
Senate Labor Committee
The Economic Progress Institute writes in support of Senator Lawson’s bill (S-139) to make improvements to the Temporary Caregiver’s Insurance (TCI) program. One of only 11 state-based paid leave programs, TCI provides up to six weeks of partial (about 60%) wage replacement for workers who need to take time from their jobs to care for a new child or seriously ill family member.

Testimony Relating to Creating a New Personal Income Tax on the Top One Percent: SB232
Senate Committee on Finance
The Economic Progress Institute supports Senator Murray’s SB232 to create a new 3% surtax for income above the top 1% of income. This would impact approximately 5,000 taxpayers, those with Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) above $557,000.

Testimony Relating to Creating a Secure Choice State Retirement Plan Program: HB5417
House Committee on Corporations 2/28/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Shanley’s HB5417 to create Secure Choice, retirement plan option for the many tens of thousands of working Rhode Islanders who do not have access to employer-sponsored plans.

Testimony Relating to Minority-Owned Businesses and Women-Owned Business Enterprises: HB5200 Budget Article 3 Section 7 Article 8 Section 1
Senate Committee on Finance 2/16/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports the Governor’s FY2024 budget proposals in Article 3 Section 7 and Article 8 Section 1 to increase the percentage of dollars reserved for minority-owned and women-owned business in state procurement and construction contracts.

Testimony Relating to Extending the Sunset Dates of Tax Incentive Programs for Economic Development: HB5200 Budget Article 7
House Committee on Finance 2/16/2023
The sunset dates are put in place so that members of the General Assembly have the opportunity to exercise their responsibility to oversee the programs: to continue those that are generating economic activity; to improve those that could be doing a better job of achieving their goals; and to close those that are performing poorly and not providing a good return on investment for Rhode Islanders.

Testimony Relating to the Sales Tax: HB5200 Budget Article 4 Section 2
House Committee on Finance 2/15/2023
The Economic Progress Institute opposes the budget proposal to reduce the state sales tax from 7% to 6.85% as well as proposals to reduce the state sales tax to 6% or to 5%. The available data indicate that these proposals will disproportionately benefit the most well-off Rhode Islanders and thereby not increase equity in the state.

Testimony on HB5200 (Relating to the Motor Fuel Tax)
2/8/2023
The Economic Progress Institute opposes the budget proposal to suspend for two years the three-cent increase in the state’s motor fuel tax, at an estimated cost of $24.6 million in lost revenue. The main reason for our opposition is that there is no guarantee that this tax cut would be passed on to consumers. This is because the motor fuel tax is collected from the distributor and not from consumers at the pump, and the data show that gas tax changes are not reliably passed through to consumers.

Testimony on HB5200 (Relating to the Sales Tax)
2/7/2023

The Economic Progress Institute opposes the budget proposal to reduce the state sales tax from 7% to 6.85% as well as SB92 to reduce the state sales tax to 6% and SB76 to reduce the sales tax to 5%. The main reason for our opposition is that data indicate that these proposals will disproportionately benefit the most well-off Rhode Islanders and thereby not increase equity in the state.

Testimony on HB5217 (Relating to Department of Corrections Data)
2/8/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports Representative Diaz’s HB5217 to require the Department of Corrections to collect additional data from those individuals entering its custody. To understand whether policy and program proposals and changes are likely to increase or decrease disparities, it is critical to have adequate data.

Testimony on HB5200 (Relating to the Rainy Day Fund)
1/31/2023
The Economic Progress Institute supports the Governor’s budget proposal to create a supplemental “rainy day” fund account. Currently limited to 5% of the state’s General Revenue fund, Rhode Island’s cash stabilization or budget reserve account is much smaller than those of the majority of states, 29 of which are at 10% or higher. The other five New England states are all at least 12%, over twice Rhode Island’s capped fund.

Testimony on HB5200 (Relating to the Motor Fuel Tax)
1/31/2023
The Economic Progress Institute opposes the budget proposal to suspend for two years the three-cent increase in the state’s motor fuel tax, at an estimated cost of $24.6 million in lost revenue. The main reason for our opposition is that there is no guarantee that this tax cut would be passed on to consumers. This is because the motor fuel tax is collected from the distributor and not from consumers at the pump, and the data show that gas tax changes are not reliably passed through to consumers.