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SB 957

AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- COURTS -- COURT CLERKS' INCENTIVE PAY

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Bissaillon and 6 co-sponsors

Rhode Island establishes performance-based incentive pay for court clerks to improve retention and judicial administration efficiency, effective without gubernatorial signature.

07/03/2025 Effective without Governor's signature
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Bill Summary · SB 957

Legislative bill overview

SB 957 establishes an incentive pay program for Rhode Island court clerks, providing additional compensation based on performance metrics or tenure. The bill became effective on July 3, 2025, without the Governor's signature, indicating it passed with sufficient legislative support to override a potential veto.

Why is this important

Court clerk positions are critical administrative roles that directly affect case processing speed, public access to courts, and judicial efficiency. Incentive pay programs aim to improve retention of experienced staff and potentially enhance court operations, which affects citizens' access to justice and case resolution timelines.

Potential points of contention

  • Fiscal impact and sustainability: The bill's cost to state budgets and whether sustained funding is guaranteed for multi-year incentive programs remains unclear from the bill summary
  • Performance metrics definition: How "performance" is measured and whether metrics are objective or subjective could create fairness concerns among court clerks
  • Equity across court systems: Whether all court locations and clerk positions receive equal access to incentive pay, or if disparities emerge based on court size or caseload

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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