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SB 2709

AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- COMMITTEES AND STAFF

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Appollonio and 9 co-sponsors

Rhode Island SB 2709 requires nonprofits receiving over $50,000 in a year to disclose top compensation and benefits, including all funding sources, within 90 days.

05/28/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 2709

Overview

SB 2709, introduced in Rhode Island during the 2026 session, would enhance transparency around funding for nonprofit entities that receive grants or other financial support from the General Assembly or the state budget. The bill focuses on requiring disclosure of compensation and benefits for high-paid employees of those nonprofits.

Main purpose and intent

  • Increase transparency in the use of state funding by nonprofit organizations.
  • Ensure the General Assembly and the public can see how funds are used in terms of executive/upper-level compensation and benefit packages.
  • Require reporting within a defined timeframe after receiving funding.

Key provisions and changes

  • Scope: Applies to nonprofit entities that receive grants or funding exceeding $50,000 in a fiscal year, whether provided directly or appropriated through the state budget.
  • Timing: Nonprofits must provide the required disclosures within 90 days of receipt of the grant or appropriation.
  • Content of disclosure (a): The nonprofit must report information relating to employee compensation, including:
    • The highest paid director, officer, and employee (names and salaries) and all costs/benefits.
    • Details on benefits such as health insurance, retirement/pension benefits, rental cars, lodging, communication devices, and any other form of compensation.
    • Disclosure must cover all funding sources, including fundraising, endowments, trusts, memorial gifts, and any activities that fund the nonprofit.
  • Content of disclosure (b): The nonprofit must disclose the total compensation package for the five highest-compensated employees with reportable compensation of at least $100,000, including:
    • Job description/position.
    • Total salary/compensation and all benefits (health insurance, retirement/pension contributions, etc.).
    • Any other allowances (e.g., automobiles, lodging, devices).
    • Individual names are not required to be disclosed (the requirement specifies that names need not be disclosed for these top five employees).
  • Section 1 also establishes that annual appropriations shall be necessary to carry out the provisions of Sections 22-6-10 to 22-6-14 and 22-6-16.
  • Section 2 provides that the act takes effect upon passage.

Who/what is affected

  • State-funded nonprofit entities that receive more than $50,000 in a fiscal year from Rhode Island’s General Assembly or state budget appropriations.
  • These nonprofits and, by extension, the entities that fund them (state agencies and the legislature) would be subject to the new disclosure requirements and timelines.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: Immediate upon passage.
  • Reporting deadline: 90 days after receipt of the grant or appropriation.
  • Reporting scope: Includes compensation, benefits, and total compensation packages for key personnel, from all funding sources.
  • Relationship to annual appropriations: The act codifies that the General Assembly shall annually appropriate funds as necessary to carry out related provisions.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Increased transparency, enabling better public understanding of how state-funded nonprofits use their funds.
  • Possible administrative burden on nonprofits to compile and disclose compensation data, including aggregated benefits from multiple funding sources.
  • Public accessibility of disclosure could influence public perception or policy discussions around nonprofit funding and executive compensation.
  • Names of the top five officers/employees with compensation above $100,000 would be kept confidential, while the compensation data itself would be disclosed.

Sponsor and status

  • Introduced by Senators Raptakis, Burke, de la Cruz, Bell, Ciccone, Famiglietti, Appollonio, Dimitri, Rogers, and Thompson.
  • Co-sponsors include Jessica de la Cruz, Brian Thompson, Pete Appollonio, Andrew Dimitri, Sam Bell, Gordon Rogers, Stefano Famiglietti, John Burke, Frank Ciccone, and Lou Raptakis.
  • Referred to the Senate Judiciary committee; scheduled for hearing/consideration in late May 2026.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side before/after comparison with current law (Sections 22-6-15 and 22-6-16) or a brief FAQ for nonprofit compliance teams.

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

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