The minimum wage in Rhode Island finally ended its years-long march to $15 an hour on Wednesday — one of a number of state laws that go into effect or change on the first of the year.
In 2021, Gov. Dan McKee signed a law that gradually raised the minimum wage from $11.50 an hour on the first day of every year for the next four years. Now, Rhode Island joins Massachusetts with a $15 hourly minimum, while Connecticut just bumped its rate to $16.35.
It is also illegal to sell flavored vaping products in Rhode Island, thanks to a new state law that codifies a 2019 executive order and went into effect on Wednesday.
Then-Gov. Gina Raimondo issued the order banning the sale of flavored “electronic nicotine-delivery products” after the U.S. Surgeon General called e-cigarettes an epidemic, especially among youth.
In 2024, lawmakers codified that ban into law.
Other new laws on the books
Other laws that take effect on Jan. 1 include:
- Changes to The Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights (LEOBOR): McKee signed into law the first major overhaul of LEOBOR in decades. It allows unpaid suspensions for up to 14 days for some violations and enables chiefs to publicly discuss cases of misconduct by officers.
- Medical debt reporting: A new law bans medical providers like hospitals from reporting medical debt to credit bureaus.
- Cameras in nursing homes: A new law will allow residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities to OK having a camera in their rooms to monitor their treatment.
This story was reported by The Public’s Radio. You can read the entire story here.
