Governor Signs Bill Increasing RI Minimum Wage to $9.60

Workers earning the minimum wage in Rhode Island will see an increase of .60 cents per hour come the first of next year.

Governor Gina Raimondo on Monday signed a bill delivered to her desk by the Rhode Island General Assembly, which passed companion bills in the House and Senate sponsored by Rep. David A. Bennet and Sen. Erin P. Lynch.

Rhode Island’s minimum wage has gone up each year since 2013, when lawmakers, notably Lynch and Bennett, both Democrats representing Warwick and Cranston, began to push for incremental increases.

Before 2013, the state’s minimum wage stood at $7.40 and hadn’t been touched for six years.

President Barack Obama had called for a $10.10 minimum wage in his 2014 State of the Union address. Bennett and Lynch said they agreed to a compromise to get the bill passed this legislative session.

There has been some resistance to the wage increase, notably from small business owners who have small staffs.

In January, the wage increased from $8 to $9 and if it becomes $9.60 next year, Rhode Island will have parity with Connecticut, which has a $9.60 minimum wage that is set to increase to $10.10 in 2017. In Massachusetts, meanwhile, the wage will be $10 in 2016 and $11 in 2017.

Here are comments from the leaders:

“I’m proud to sign this bill, which marks an important step forward in our efforts to make work pay for the hardworking men and women of Rhode Island,” said Governor Raimondo. “Yet we know the minimum wage is not enough to lift a family out of poverty. Everyone who works hard should have a chance to earn a decent living and provide for their family, and the Speaker, Senate President, and I are committed to working together to spark the economic comeback Rhode Islanders deserve.”

“I am proud that we have raised the minimum wage each of the last four years,” said Speaker Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston). “I am mindful that our neighboring states have been increasing their wages. I have always believed that we should be competitive with Massachusetts and Connecticut, including maintaining the standard of living for our citizens.”

“Rhode Islanders must be paid wages that realistically reflect the value of their work and the costs of products and necessities for living today,” said President of the Senate M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown). “Neighboring states’ minimum wages are a good barometer of where ours should be, because the costs of living are roughly similar. Keeping Rhode Island’s rate in line with the neighboring states’ will help bolster Rhode Islanders’ buying power and strengthen our economy.”

“Putting more money in the pockets of those with the lowest wages helps them buy the basic goods and services their families need,” said Representative Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston). “It also helps the economy, because those workers go out and spend that money locally, supporting local businesses. A stronger minimum wage will mean a stronger economy for Rhode Island.”

“Raising the minimum wage helps people support themselves and reduces the likeliness that they’ll need government assistance programs,” said Senator Lynch (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston.) “This is an increase that brings us more in line with our neighboring states, and helps our residents keep up with the costs of living in our region of the country, and will help Rhode Island’s economy keep up too.”

Photo: Gina Raimondo via Twitter.