Legislation

Domestic workers – a demographic of employees largely comprised of lower-income women of color – are inappropriately exempted from the state’s minimum wage laws. We supported the repeal of this exemption.

In supporting the repeal of a statute which allows for individuals with disabilities to be paid less than minimum wage for their work, we noted the flagrant discriminatory impact of this provision and noted that it could inappropriately limit the economic mobility for individuals with disabilities.

We supported legislation which would have formally codified an ongoing program in our state Department of Corrections which provides medicated assisted treatment for individuals who are incarcerated.

Despite the initial temporary nature of the power granted to the University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees to meet virtually throughout the pandemic, legislation was introduced to make this provision permanent in state law. We opposed the bill.

We strongly supported legislation that eliminates the requirement that an applicant to become a licensed clinical social worker pass a standardized written test to obtain a license.

We opposed legislation which would have inappropriately imposed a broad criminal record check requirement on individuals who seek to be engaged in the business-side of the medical marijuana industry, as well as on patients who may need this medicine to manage a health condition.

Though we support recreational marijuana legalization, we raised a number of concerns about this bill and called for amendments to strengthen the language.

We opposed legislation which would have allowed a court to appoint pro bono attorneys to act as animal advocates in animal cruelty and abuse cases.

We opposed legislation which would have increased the penalties for individuals convicted of unnecessary cruelty to an animal and would have placed a life prohibition on that individual owning or possessing an animal for life.