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SB 2923

AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- MINIMUM WAGES

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Appollonio and 8 co-sponsors

Establishes a fixed wage schedule through 2027 and links 2028 onward wage increases to the Northeast CPI-U, preventing decreases if CPI falls.

05/06/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 2923

Summary of Rhode Island SB 2923 (2026)

Title: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS — MINIMUM WAGES

Jurisdiction: Rhode Island

Session: 2026

Status: Introduced March 4, 2026; referred to Senate Labor & Gaming. Hearing/consideration scheduled May 6, 2026.

Primary sponsors: Senators Thompson, Raptakis, Burke, Ciccone, Tikoian, E. Morgan, Dimitri, Appollonio, Murray (with additional co-sponsors listed).

1) Purpose and Intent

  • The bill estleges a framework for minimum wage levels through January 1, 2027, and then links future increases to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Northeast Region, based on 2027 data.
  • The overarching aim is to provide periodic, inflation-adjusted updates to Rhode Island’s minimum wage, with a specific mechanism for increases starting in 2028.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

  • Section 28-12-3 (Minimum Wages) is amended to specify a schedule of wage rates from 1999 onward and includes a CPI-U-based adjustment starting in 2028.
  • Explicit wage schedule through 2027:
    • 1999: $5.65
    • 2000: $6.15
    • 2004: $6.75
    • 2006: $7.10
    • 2007: $7.40
    • 2013: $7.75
    • 2014: $8.00
    • 2015: $9.00
    • 2016: $9.60
    • 2018: $10.10
    • 2019: $10.50
    • 2020: $11.50
    • 2022: $12.25
    • 2023: $13.00
    • 2024: $14.00
    • 2025: $15.00
    • 2026: $16.00
    • 2027: $17.00
  • CPI-U adjustment starting January 1, 2028:
    • From January 1, 2028 onward, the minimum wage shall be increased by the total percentage increase in the CPI-U (Northeast Region) for the calendar year 2027.
    • The minimum wage cannot decrease if CPI-U declines (i.e., no negative adjustment).
  • Section 2 notes:
    • The act takes effect upon passage (immediate operative date for the 2028 adjustment mechanism, and potentially retroactive to the date of passage for the rest of the schedule).

3) Who/What Is Affected

  • Employers in Rhode Island: required to pay at least the specified minimum wage to each employee as the schedule progresses and thereafter adjust wages annually based on CPI-U (Northeast Region) for 2027.
  • Employees: receive progressively higher scheduled minimum wages through 2027, with inflation-based adjustments beginning in 2028.
  • Businesses must track CPI-U data and apply the 2028 adjustment to wages accordingly.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective date: upon passage (immediate operative effect for the CPI-U adjustment provision in 2028; earlier wage schedule is set to apply retroactively as listed).
  • 2028 and beyond: annual wage adjustments tied to CPI-U, Northeast Region, as calculated from 2027 CPI-U data.
  • If CPI-U decreases for 2027, the law ensures no wage decrease in 2028 (minimum wage would not drop).

5) Notable Details

  • The bill codifies a long-standing incremental wage ladder through 2027, culminating at $17.00 per hour in 2027.
  • The inflation-driven adjustment mechanism emphasizes predictability for workers while tying future growth to a widely-used economic index.
  • The act contains no explicit exemptions or carve-outs beyond what is inherent in the general Rhode Island minimum wage framework; it focuses on the wage schedule and CPI-based adjustments.

6) Considerations for Stakeholders

  • For workers: potential for steady wage growth with a formal CPI-based increase beginning in 2028.
  • For employers: need to plan labor costs with the 2028 CPI-U adjustment and ensure compliance with annual wage updates thereafter.
  • For policymakers: the bill shifts Rhode Island’s minimum wage policy toward inflation-indexed future increases, reducing the need for annual legislative action to raise the rate.

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

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