Eleven members of Gov. Dan McKee’s cabinet will see their salaries increase Sunday, after the Rhode Island Senate declined to stop the pay bumps from taking effect.
Senate President Valarie Lawson announced the news Thursday afternoon, one hour before the chamber’s scheduled floor session and its final opportunity to take up a resolution passed by the Rhode Island House of Representatives Tuesday.
“The Senate leadership considered whether this action by the executive branch warrants a highly unusual intervention by the legislative branch,” Lawson said in a statement. “We determined it does not.”
State law empowers the Rhode Island General Assembly to reject the executive’s proposed raises for department heads through a concurrent, joint resolution, which both chambers must vote on within 30 days of receiving the governor’s written proposal for pay hikes.
McKee sent the letter formalizing his proposed $82,000 worth of pay hikes for members of his cabinet to the legislature on April 18.
On Tuesday, the House unanimously approved a resolution blocking the increases from taking effect — the first time on record the legislature has wielded its statutory authority to reject the governor’s annual pay raise plan. House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi sponsored the resolution, calling for prudence in a tight fiscal year.
Shekarchi reiterated this viewpoint Thursday after Lawson broke the news that the Senate would not follow the House’s lead.
“I respect the Senate’s decision,” Shekarchi said in an emailed statement. “However, all 75 members co-sponsored the House resolution to block the raises and I stand behind the unanimous vote that was taken on Tuesday. These are challenging and uncertain economic times and House members believe that Cabinet raises are not appropriate right now.”
The state is facing a $185 million deficit for fiscal 2026, along with major threats to federal funding, which comprises 35% of McKee’s proposed spending package.
Lawson acknowledged Shekarchi’s concerns, along with the arguments put forth by McKee about raising wages to attract and retain key state administrators.
“In some cases, directors’ salaries have fallen behind the salaries of the staff in the departments they oversee,” Lawson said.
McKee in response Thursday expressed appreciation for the “outcome” of the Senate’s non-action.
“I respect the General Assembly’s statutory role in reviewing these salary adjustments,” McKee said in an emailed statement. “I appreciate the outcome, which will help keep Rhode Island competitive in attracting and retaining top talent for crucial leadership positions.”
Lawson’s move, or lack of, marks her first major decision since she was elected Senate president on April 29, following the death of the chamber’s former leader, Dominick Ruggerio. Her rise to power late in the session has shifted attention and pressure to the Senate on key votes, including a proposed ban on assault-style weapons and, potentially, raising taxes on top earners.
Both bills have yet to advance out of committee in their respective chambers, with the Senate Committee on Judiciary having just concluded its initial hearing on a series of gun bills, including an assault weapons ban, Wednesday night.
As proposed by McKee, directors of nine departments will see their base salary increase by 5%: the Departments of Administration; Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals; Business Regulation; Children, Youth and Families; Corrections; Environmental Management; Human Services; Labor and Training, and Revenue.
The Department of Transportation director will get a 2% raise while the Rhode Island State Police superintendent, who also serves as director of the Department of Public Safety, will receive a 0.5% raise.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
