RIBLIA Caucus announces 2025 legislative priorities
STATE HOUSE — The Rhode Island Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian-American and Pacific Islander (RIBLIA) Caucus Tuesday released its 2025 legislative policy agenda at a press conference at the State House. The caucus is chaired by Sen. Tiara T. Mack (D-Dist. 6, Providence) and Rep. David Morales (D-Dist. 7, Providence).
“The RIBLIA Caucus has grown from a dream into a powerful force that fights for legislation that will directly support our communities. We are living through times of uncertainty and worry as a community and as a caucus, and we are ready to meet the moment. We are prepared to act with urgency, with a legislative priority package that puts the needs of people first. From demanding fair funding for our public schools, to protecting tenants from displacement, to ending the predatory practice of payday lending to empowering economic opportunity through higher wages, we are here to make sure that Rhode Island is a place where everyone, no matter their racial background, their ZIP code or immigration status can thrive,” said Senator Mack and Representative Morales.
RIBLIA will be focusing their attention and advocacy on legislation addressing the following issues:
Support for Businesses of Color:
- 2025-S 0311, 2025-H 5684 — This bill sponsored by Sen. Lammis J. Vargas (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence) and Rep. Joshua J. Giraldo (D-Dist. 56, Central Falls) would require the Department of Administration to provide a list of certified minority and women-owned business enterprises to contractors.
Economic Justice and Labor Rights:
- 2025-S 0310, 2025-H 5029 — This bill sponsored by Sen. Ana B. Quezada (D-Dist. 2, Providence) and Rep. David A. Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston) would increase the minimum wage to $20 by 2030.
- 2025-S 0070, 2025-H 5042 — The Paystub Transparency Act sponsored by Sen. Jonathon Acosta (D-Dist. 16, Central Falls, Pawtucket) and Representative Giraldo would require employers, at the time of hiring, to give their employees an itemized list of the terms and conditions of the employee’s employment and mandate that the employer provide every employee each payday with a pay stub explaining exactly how their wages were calculated and the reason for each deduction from their gross wages.
- 2025-S 0329, 2025-H 5473 — This bill sponsored by Sen. Melissa Murray (D-Dist. 24, Woonsocket, North Smithfield) and Rep. Karen Alzate (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket, Central Falls) would apply an additional tax of 3% of personal income above $625,000 on the top 1% of Rhode Island tax filers.
Support for All Students:
- 2025-H 5744 — This bill sponsored by Representative Morales would establish scholarship programs in urban core and urban ring schools for bilingual, dual language and world teacher certificates for college students and teachers. Senator Vargas will introduce companion legislation in the Senate shortly.
- 2025-S 0259, 2025-H 5751 — This bill sponsored by Senator Acosta and Representative Giraldo would use Medicaid enrollment rates when measuring student poverty as it relates to the state education funding formula.
Rights for Renters:
- 2025-S 0212, 2025-H 5503 — This bill sponsored by Senator Mack and Cheri L. Cruz (D-Dist. 58, Pawtucket) would provide just-cause eviction protections for tenants.
- 2025-S 0274, 2025-H 5674 — This bill sponsored by Senator Quezada and Representative Giraldo would prohibit landlords from asking about the immigration status of a tenant or perspective tenant.
Consumer Protections:
- 2025-S 0229, 2025-H 5042 — This bill sponsored by Senator Quezada and Representative Alzate would end payday lending in Rhode Island.
- 2025-S 0385, 2025-H 5577 — This bill sponsored by Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol) and Rep. Megan L. Cotter (D-Dist. 39, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton) would require utility companies to be more transparent in reporting the explanations and costs associated with rate increases.
Criminal Justice Reform:
- 2025-S 0063, 2025-H 5502 — This bill sponsored by Senator Acosta and Leonela Felix (D-Dist. 61, Pawtucket) would revise the state’s definitions of felonies, misdemeanors and petty misdemeanors.
- 2025-S 0281, 2025-H 5178 — This bill sponsored by Senator Quezada and Rep. John J. Lombardi (D-Dist. 8, Providence) would allow expungement of multiple felony convictions for nonviolent felonies 10 years after the sentence is completed.
- 2025-S 0295, 2025-H 5724 — This bill sponsored by Senator Acosta and Representative Giraldo would prohibit any state or municipal government official or agency from entering into any contract to detain individuals for civil immigration violations and would further prohibit the use of any public resources to detain individuals for federal civil immigration violations.
Health and Wellness Reform:
- 2025-S 0117, 2025-H 5463 — This bill sponsored by Senator Ujifusa and Rep. Jennifer A. Stewart (D-Dist. 8, Providence) would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from using spread pricing and prohibits several other harmful PBM practices including keeping “rebates,” or legal manufacturer kickbacks that PBMs get for giving certain drugs favorable placement on covered or preferred drug lists known as “formularies.”
Equity and Culture:
- 2025-S 0519, 2025-H 5841 — This bill sponsored by Senator Mack and Representative Stewart would prohibit discrimination on the basis of race by expanding the definition of race to include traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles.
The RIBLIA Caucus represents and advocates for the interests of people of color throughout the state of Rhode Island. Through legislative advocacy and community engagement, the RIBLIA Caucus is dedicated to building a more inclusive and representative government that reflects the diversity of Rhode Island residents.