Rhode Island

It’s time to end the predatory trap of unregulated payday lending | Opinion

Published

8 months ago

April 26, 2025

Press Room

It’s time to end the predatory trap of unregulated payday lending | Opinion

Rep. Karen Alzate
| Guest columnist

Payday lenders in Rhode Island exploit a legal loophole to charge exorbitant interest rates, trapping borrowers in a cycle of debt.
These loans, often used for basic necessities, carry triple-digit APRs, leading to devastating financial consequences for vulnerable families.
While other states have banned or regulated payday lending, Rhode Island has yet to take action.

As Rhode Islanders struggle to make ends meet in an increasingly uncertain economy, one threat continues to fly under the radar while quietly wreaking havoc on our communities ‒ payday lending. These predatory loan shops, with their bright signage and promises of fast cash, lure in the most vulnerable among us with what looks like a lifeline, but is in truth a trap. It’s time for our state to close this loophole once and for all.

Payday lenders advertise themselves as providers of quick financial help, especially for those with low incomes or bad credit, but the reality is far more sinister. These loans come with triple-digit annual percentage rates, sometimes over 260%, that trap borrowers in a vicious cycle of debt. In Rhode Island, unlike in many other states, these practices are still legal because of a carve-out in our state’s usury laws. That means payday lenders can charge exorbitant interest rates that would be illegal for any other lender.

The consequences are devastating. Borrowers often take out a loan to cover basic needs ‒ rent, groceries, medical bills ‒ only to find that when the loan comes due, they can’t pay it back, so they take out another loan. And then another. What started as a $300 loan can spiral into thousands of dollars of debt, causing long-term financial harm. For families already living paycheck to paycheck, this cycle can lead to eviction, bankruptcy, or worse.

Make no mistake, the storefronts you see in our neighborhoods are just the beginning. The payday lending industry has expanded online, using apps and digital platforms to reach deeper into communities and continue exploiting those who are struggling. In an economy where inflation remains high and wages stagnant for many, people are more desperate than ever, and the lenders know it.

We cannot allow this to continue. Rhode Island has the opportunity and the moral obligation to step up and protect its residents. More than a dozen states, from New York to Colorado, have already banned or tightly regulated payday lending. These reforms work. After these protections went into place, research shows that borrowers saved hundreds of millions of dollars, with no decrease in access to credit ‒ just an end to exploitative lending.

There is no justifiable reason for us to delay any longer. We need legislation like the bill (H5042) that I introduced that ends the payday loan loophole and caps interest rates at a reasonable level, just like we do for other lenders. We must also invest in safer, community-based financial alternatives ‒ credit unions, small-dollar loan programs and emergency assistance ‒ so that people facing tough times aren’t forced into debt traps to begin with.

Let’s be clear, this is about economic justice. It’s about saying that Rhode Island values people over profit. We must close the payday lending loophole and protect our communities from financial predators. The time for action is now.

Rep. Karen Alzate, a Democrat, represents District 60 in Pawtucket and Central Falls.

Source link

Click to comment

Rhode Island

RI Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Dec. 16, 2025

Published

11 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 16, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

20-24-46-59-65, Mega Ball: 07

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

03-04-19-24-39, Lucky Ball: 11

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

Midday: 0-5-9-8

Evening: 8-5-3-5

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Dec. 16 drawing

03-14-15-29-38, Extra: 30

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.

Source link

Rhode Island

RI schools urged to review safety protocols in wake of Brown University shooting

Published

23 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

RI schools urged to review safety protocols in wake of Brown University shooting

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is urging local elementary and secondary schools to review safety protocols following the mass shooting at Brown University.

Days after two people were killed and nine others were injured in a shooting on the college campus, the department reminded schools statewide to ensure they are following existing safety policies, including keeping exterior doors closed and locked at all times.

“While the events of this weekend are tragic, they are also a reminder and an opportunity to re-train, reinforce, and go through the necessary safety steps, once more,” Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green said in a statement.

She emphasized the importance of following the protocols, including visitor policies, “as designed and written.”

In its latest announcement, RIDE also provided a list of resources for students, families, and school staff for “navigating difficult conversations” about topics such as violence and hate.

Rhode Island schools reminded to keep interior doors closed, exterior doors closed and locked

While all exterior doors should remain closed and locked, the department said, all interior doors should also remain closed. All visitors should go through a single, secure point of entry, according to RIDE.

In Providence, all elementary, middle, and high schools are also required to establish staff “crisis teams” and conduct 15 safety drills each year, according to the district’s existing safety protocols.

In the wake of the Brown University shooting on Dec. 13, Providence Public Schools said students should expect an increased police presence on and near their campuses.

All after-school activities, sporting events, and field trips at Providence schools planned for Monday, Dec. 15, and Tuesday, Dec. 16, were canceled out of an “abundance of caution.”

The district said that it would announce its plans for the rest of the week as soon as possible.

Source link

Rhode Island

RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Dec. 15, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 15, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

23-35-59-63-68, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

12-16-27-34-41, Lucky Ball: 12

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

Midday: 4-9-8-3

Evening: 1-3-5-3

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

10-13-28-33-37, Extra: 35

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.

Source link