Bill > H5029

This bill amends Rhode Island's existing minimum wage law by setting the minimum wage at sixteen dollars ($16) per hour starting January 1, 2026, and then increasing it to seventeen dollars ($17) per hour on January 1, 2027. The bill continues a pattern of annual minimum wage increases that the state has been implementing since 1999, with the most recent increases bringing the minimum wage to fifteen dollars per hour by January 1, 2025. By proposing these additional increases, the bill aims to help low-wage workers keep up with the rising cost of living and provide a more livable wage. The legislation would take effect immediately upon passage, and it follows the existing structure of the state's minimum wage statute by specifying the new hourly rates in the legal code. The proposed increases represent a continuation of Rhode Island's ongoing efforts to gradually raise the minimum wage to support workers' economic well-being.

Labor and Employment

https://status.rilegislature.gov/