Last Week At The State House

Minimum Wage Activity
Last week the Senate passed a minimum wage hike (S.2147 SubA) on the Senate floor 30-6.  The SubA calls for an increase to $11.50 per hour starting October 1, 2020.  This is more palatable than the proposal to raise the wage to $15 per hour.  The implementation date is still problematic.  The Chamber continues to advocate for a January 1 implementation date of any increase in the minimum wage.  The House Labor Committee took testimony last week on H.7157 which calls for a wage increase to $15 by 2024.  The Sponsor – Rep. Bennett – testified that he would be willing to amend his bill to mirror the Senate version.
 
This Week At the State House
This week promises to be a very busy week.  This Thursday is the deadline for filing bills without going through extra hoops.  Also, the week of February 17^th is the first recess for the General Assembly.
Today, the House Labor Committee is expected to pass a minimum wage bill identical to the bill passed by the Senate.  This would call for a $1 per hour increase effective October 1, 2020.
The Senate Finance Committee will take testimony today in room 211 at around 4:30 pm on the Governor’s FY2020 supplemental budget proposal to scoop, from the current year budget, $5 million from the Resource Recovery Fund, $1 million from the Oil Spill Prevention Administration and Response Fund, $1 million from the Underground Storage Tank fund, and $12.8 million from the Municipal Road and Bridge Revolving Loan Fund.  The scoops appear to be more about next year’s fiscal budget than closing a deficit for the current year.  According to the House Fiscal Staff report, all of the Governor’s proposed changes to the current fiscal year budget – including the scoops – would leave the State with a $24.4 million surplus which could then be used for programs next year.
On Wednesday, the House Finance Committee will hear testimony in room 35 at around 4:30 pm on a 27-page budget Article that addresses tobacco and vaping issues.  The Article raises the legal age to purchase tobacco to 21 which is already federal law following President Trump’s signing of a bill December 19, 2019.  The Article raises the tax on a pack of cigarettes and additional $.35 (to $4.10 per pack) and gives municipalities the authority to regulate the sale of tobacco within their jurisdiction – giving rise to many different rules.  The Article bans the sale of flavored vape products (other than tobacco) in the State of Rhode Island and restricts the nicotine content in tobacco flavored vaping products.  The nicotine content is lower than the content in the current market products – effectively banning the products for adults.  This Article has been called a response to the health outbreak from vaping.  However, studies so far have shown that the vaping illnesses were linked to the use of black market vaping products – most laced with TCH (a marijuana component).  The FDA is undertaking studies on specific products.  Starting May, 2020, the FDA is expected to begin releasing rulings on products that can be sold on the market. Should Article 21 pass without amendment, products permitted to be sold under the FDA ruling would not be permitted to be sold in Rhode Island.
On Thursday, the House Environment Committee will take testimony on H.7362 which would increase the bio requirement in heating fuel.  Rhode Island was the first state in the country with a state-wide requirement (5%) that was implemented. New York has a 5% requirement for a portion of the state.  Massachusetts suspended its requirement opting instead for a financial incentive to those that use a bio component.   H.7362 requires increasing requirements of biobased product. The percentage requirement would increase to 10% July 1, 2023, and would continue increasing until July 1, 2030, when the percentage would reach fifty percent (50%).  At this time, biofuel is more expensive to purchase than non-biofuel.  The other question is the availability of the quantity of the bio component.  Proponents of the bill – the oil heat industry – included a waiver provision in the language should the Governor determine product is not available or too costly, and they have testified that the addition of bio saves money on cleaning of heating systems.
 
Governor FY2021 Budget
Article 5 – Relating to Capital Development Program
Article 5 is the “bond question” Article.  If passed, the following questions would go before the voters in November:

• $117.3 million for capital improvements to higher education facilities - $57.3 to URI for a Fine Arts Center, $38 million to RI College Clarke Science Building renovation, $12 million to CCRI to renovate and modernize academic and student support areas, and $10 million to URI for a Center for Ocean Innovation  (This issue will be heard in the House Finance Committee Thursday, February 13^th At the Rise – approximately 4:30 in Room 35)
• $64 million for Beach, Clean Water and Green Bond - $35 million for state beaches, parks and campground improvements; $4 million to rehabilitate local recreational facilities; $3 million for the purchase of forest conservation easements; $15 million for wastewater collection and treatment upgrades and storm water projects; and $7 million for vulnerable coastal habitats and restoring floodplains
• $87.5 million Housing and Infrastructure Bond - $25 million to increase availability of affordable housing, $20 million for a new Pier Five at Davisville in Quonset to accommodate offshore wind project needs, $21.5 million to prepare sites to be ready for industrial uses, $15 million for physical improvements to early childhood care facilities, $5 million for a matching grant program to cultural entities such as Trinity Repertory Company ($2.5 million), RI Philharmonic ($1.5 million) and other RI State Council on the Arts projects ($1 million) and $1 million to municipalities for historic sites, museums and cultural art centers.