Rhode Island

Bills to de-stigmatize language in state law on alcohol addiction progress in R.I. General Assembly • Rhode Island Current

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1 year ago

May 16, 2024

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Bills to de-stigmatize language in state law on alcohol addiction progress in R.I. General Assembly • Rhode Island Current

What do you call someone who “who habitually lacks self-control as to the use of alcoholic beverages”?

They’re an “alcoholic,” according to Rhode Island General Law.

But the state’s statutory language surrounding alcohol use and treatment could soon change thanks to the recent passage of bills in both chambers of the General Assembly.

“We don’t talk that way anymore. We don’t think that way anymore. Yet it’s still codified into our statute,” said Rep. Jennifer Boylan, a Barrington Democrat, during a March 5 hearing of the House Committee on Health and Human Services.

The bill she introduced that night, H7736, saw successful passage May 7 during a House floor vote. On Thursday, May 9, the Senate unanimously passed Bill S2087 by Sen. Joshua Miller, a Cranston Democrat. The twin bills allow revision of how state law defines alcohol disorders and their treatment.

“These statutes have not been approached for revision in over 40 years,” Miller said on the Senate floor. “There are many flaws in it, including commitment to public hospitals where the actual commitment doesn’t exist, the beds do not exist. And the language is embarrassing to the departments and those involved as providers.”

Both bills direct the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities (BHDDH) and Hospitals to coordinate proposed revisions that would align the state’s law books with best practices by Jan. 1, 2025.

Miller previously worked on the Governor’s Overdose Commission and has sponsored other bills relating to substance use in the past. This is Boylan’s first bill relating to substance use.

“I challenge you to find someone who doesn’t know anyone who has this problem (alcohol use disorder),” Boylan said in a recent phone interview. “It’s a problem that a lot of people struggle with, and I think our statutes should be updated to be more modernized.”

Person-first language

Many doctors and advocates consider terms like “alcoholic” stigmatizing and loaded. Both the National Institute on Drug Abuse and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest using “person with alcohol use disorder” in keeping with a person-first approach to language use.

The notion of self-control as the main motivating factor in one’s drinking is contrary to clinical understanding, which sees alcohol use disorder as a more complex pattern.

“Yes, there is an element of choice when a person first starts drinking. For some people, however, a mix of genetic and environmental factors facilitates a transition, often without full recognition, to increasingly heavier drinking,” according to a core resource document from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

It’s a problem that a lot of people struggle with, and I think our statutes should be updated to be more modernized.

– Rep. Jennifer Boylan, a Barrington Democrat

Now the bills have to pass in opposite chambers, said Larry Berman, a House spokesperson, in an email: “In other words, the House now has to pass Sen. Miller’s bill and the Senate now has to pass Rep. Boylan’s bill. Once each bill passes in both chambers, they will be transmitted to the Governor.”

Boylan said on the phone that she’s “very hopeful” the bill will land on the governor’s desk this year. And on the Senate floor, Miller said the simultaneous OK is an improvement over previous years. In the 2023 legislative session, Miller’s bill secured Senate approval. But its momentum ended when it was referred to the House Committee on Health and Human Services.

“I’ve had this bill for several years without any action on it on the House side,” Miller said. “The House passed it a few days ago, which will be a great relief to those involved in deciding in June what passes and doesn’t pass, [who] won’t have to hear from me about ‘Why didn’t this bill pass?’ Because it’s so simple and so important.”

The identical bills add only six sentences to existing statutes. Miller’s bill generated no discussion on the Senate floor. In the House, Minority Leader Mike Chippendale wondered if Boylan’s legislation would also change other instances of outdated language buried in state law.

“There are other sections in the law…where we use the term ‘habitual drunkard,’” Chippendale said. “I think obviously that sounds a little bit more offensive than ‘alcoholic.’”

Laws on taverns, cookshops and oyster houses, for example, lump together “Drunkards, wastrels, and minors” as prohibited from entry into these businesses. Business owners face possible fines if they count among their customers “any common drunkard or person addicted to the intemperate use of spirituous or intoxicating liquors.” The section was first written in 1896 and most recently updated a century later in 1996.

“Would this also change that or would that be something that we perhaps overlooked and will change later?” Chippendale asked Rep. Susan Donovan, who chairs the House Committee on Health and Human Services and presented Boylan’s bill.

“I’d have to refer to counsel. I would hope that it would change all of those terms,” Donovan said.

Last year, Gov. Dan McKee signed into law legislation sponsored by Sen. Jonathan Acosta that replaced terms like “mentally retarded,” “alcoholic,” and “drug abuser” with less stigmatizing language. That legislation targeted different sections of state law, however. Boylan said her bill hones in on a very specific section of state law.

Statutes that. include a definition for alcohol disorders and treatment have not been considered for revision in over 40 years. (Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

Because circumstances can change

Beth Lamarre, executive director of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, wrote via email how stigmatizing words like “alcoholic” can hold “a negative connotation, because of how alcoholism/alcohol use disorder has been viewed throughout time.”

“It also spotlights the issue, as though it is that person’s only characteristic,” Lamarre said. “Describing someone as having an alcohol use disorder, on the other hand, describes a circumstance or a situation, one that can be changed.”

Other states have also begun to read the fine print surrounding spirits. “It’s hard to say how many states have replaced their language entirely, but we have noticed more states using AUD (alcohol use disorder) in current legislation,” said Karmen Hanson, a senior fellow in the National Conference of State Legislatures’ health program, via email.

Legislatures where similar legislation has been introduced include Connecticut, Maryland, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and the Virgin Islands, but Hanson noted “that’s not a reflection of everything that may be out there.”

Global opinions differ on people-first language, although what words are used also owes much to the disability being described. England’s national health agency, for example, prefers “disabled people” to “people with a disability” — a choice underlined by an argument that society makes barriers for people with disabilities, rather than the disabilities themselves. This alternative, known as identity-first language, is also common among autistic and deaf people in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Regardless of what language one uses, disability advocates seem to agree that the overall idea is ensuring people feel comfortable speaking up about their struggles.

“Words matter, and how we talk about someone’s health (including and especially behavioral health) can make the difference in whether they feel supported in getting the treatment and help they need,” Lamarre said.

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Rhode Island

General Assembly Raises Minimum Wage To $16 In 2026, $17 In 2027 – WarwickPost.com

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8 hours ago

June 18, 2025

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General Assembly Raises Minimum Wage To In 2026, In 2027 – WarwickPost.com

[CREDIT: Rob Borkowski] The Rhode Island State House is located at 82 Smith St. Providence. The General Assembly hass passed bills raising RI Minimum wage to $17 over two years.

STATE HOUSE — The General Assembly today approved legislation introduced by Rep. David A. Bennett and Sen. John Burke that would increase Rhode Island’s minimum wage from $15 to $17 over a two-year period.

The bill (2025-H 5029A, 2025-S 0125A) would increase the minimum wage to $16 on Jan. 1, 2026, and raise it to $17 on Jan. 1, 2027. The measure now moves to the governor’s office.

“Over the past few years we have increased our minimum wage to help offset the rising cost of living, helping our working families support themselves and keeping us competitive with our neighboring states. But it’s important for us to keep that progress going, because the cost of living continues to rise and our minimum wage is not scheduled to increase after this year,” said Representative Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston). “This legislation will keep our minimum wage rising in a predictable, stable way that allows Rhode Island’s businesses to comfortably plan for the coming increases, while keeping our commitment to livable wages for our constituents.”

The minimum wage in Rhode Island was last raised to $15 on Jan. 1, 2025. Massachusetts also has a current minimum wage of $15. Connecticut’s minimum wage, which is indexed to increase with inflation, is currently $16.35.

“Thousands of workers across Rhode Island earn less than a livable wage,” said Senator Burke (D-Dist. 9, West Warwick), who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor and Gaming. “Raising the minimum wage regularly, as the General Assembly has been doing, ensures that these workers can meet their basic food, housing and health care needs. It also tends to stimulate the economy by increasing their purchasing power.”

“Regular and affordable increases in the minimum wage are an important component to the Rhode Island economy. They increase economic security for working class Rhode Islanders who depend on wages for housing, health care, and meeting kitchen table requirements while also providing economic predictability for businesses across the Ocean State,” said Patrick Crowley, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO.

Representative Bennett, who is chairman of the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee, has been the primary sponsor of every law enacted to raise Rhode Island’s minimum wage since 2012, when minimum wage was $7.40.

Minimum wage in Rhode Island
The minimum wage in Rhode Island was last raised to $15 on Jan. 1, 2025. Massachusetts also has a current minimum wage of $15. Connecticut’s minimum wage, which is indexed to increase with inflation, is currently $16.35.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life winning numbers for June 17, 2025

Published

1 day ago

June 18, 2025

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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at June 17, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 17 drawing

16-23-39-46-55, Mega Ball: 12

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from June 17 drawing

04-07-28-36-46, Lucky Ball: 02

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from June 17 drawing

Midday: 1-9-4-2

Evening: 1-2-3-4

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from June 17 drawing

15-22-28-30-32, Extra: 37

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Rhode Island

RI Chef Named 2025 James Beard Winner

Published

2 days ago

June 17, 2025

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PROVIDENCE, RI — Sky Haneul Kim, of the restaurant Gift Horse in Providence, was honored at Monday’s James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.

The awards, regarded as the Academy Awards of the U.S. restaurant industry, honor excellence across a range of categories, from fine dining to casual gems.

Kim won the award for Best Chef in the Northeast.

Gift Horse is a full-service raw bar and restaurant from chef/owner Benjamin Sukle, of Oberlin, a Providence restaurant that was also named a James Beard finalist. Gift Horse has a “strong focus on local shellfish, seafood, and daily catches from New England waters via raw bar dining in a style distinctive of Chef Sukle’s approach to seasonality, as well as the cultivated relationships he has with farmers and fishermen alike,” according to the restaurant’s website.

2025 is the 35th anniversary of the prestigious culinary awards that recognize eateries and chefs who create exceptional food, food media content, and better food systems, according to the James Beard Foundation. Awards also recognize a demonstrated commitment to racial and gender equity, community, sustainability, and a culture where all can thrive.

This year in celebration of the pivotal anniversary, the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Awards were presented across 25 categories, with an expanded focus on beverages, introducing three new categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service.

Other categories include outstanding restaurateur, outstanding chef, outstanding restaurant, emerging chef, best new restaurant, outstanding bakery, outstanding pastry chef or baker, outstanding hospitality, outstanding wine and other beverages program, outstanding bar and best chef.

Other Rhode Island restaurants and chefs were named semifinalists earlier this year were:

Outstanding Hospitality

Best Chef (Northeast)