Rhode Island

Sweat The Small States: Why Rhode Island Legalizing Marijuana Is A Big Deal

Published

3 years ago

May 31, 2022

Sweat The Small States: Why Rhode Island Legalizing Marijuana Is A Big Deal

Earlier than New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu headed into the three-day information void of the Memorial Day weekend on Friday, the Republican governor of the final state in New England the place hashish isn’t authorized for all adults 21 and over indicated to the Boston Globe that, truly, he’d most likely be okay with legalizing marijuana.

Only some days earlier, on Might 25, close by Rhode Island turned the 19^th state to legalize adult-use hashish. That would have been New Hampshire, urged Sununu, if solely state lawmakers had managed to ship a invoice to his desk.

The timing of this “obvious softening” of Sununu’s stance on hashish, because the Globe noticed it, is an illustration of why even small states like Rhode Island legalizing hashish is a really large deal.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu urged he’d signal a marijuana legalization invoice into legislation, if solely … [+] state lawmakers would go one.

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The “relative measurement” of states that legalize hashish are “inconsequential,” mentioned Morgan Fox, spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based nationwide management of the Nationwide Group for the Reform of Marijuana Legal guidelines (NORML).

These “small” victories are an important a part of the nationwide technique to vary federal hashish coverage reform, a feat that can require cooperation from sixty U.S. senators. That would require senators to characterize not less than 30 states the place hashish is authorized.

What’s extra, yet one more state with authorized hashish means one much less state the place hashish can be utilized because the pretext for a visitors cease or different encounter with legislation enforcement.

Meaning one much less place the place out-of-state vacationers could be harassed just like the Delaware State College ladies’s lacrosse group, who had been stopped by police April 20 whereas touring on Interstate-95 via Georgia for (supposedly) having hashish on them. (They didn’t.)

“It’s a large deal every time we will cease anybody from being unnecessarily caught up within the prison justice system or take away insurance policies which have been used to marginalize and harass whole communities,” Fox added. It’s also a giant deal that we now have two US Senators whose constituents have an even bigger stake in federal hashish reform at the moment than they did yesterday.”

And, because the timing of Sununu’s assertion indicated, politicians and policymakers in different states completely take note of what their colleagues are doing. And if lawmakers or leaders are reluctant to be the primary to go a controversial coverage, they’re additionally loath to be the final to meet up with the remainder of the nation.

In Rhode Island, the place lawmakers had been engaged on a legalization invoice for ten years and the place legalization flew via each homes of the state legislature with little severe opposition, Democratic Gov. Dan McKee marked legalization with a bill-signing ceremony on the steps of the State Home final Wednesday.

Hashish use and possession turned authorized instantly. House cultivation is authorized. State-sanctioned retail gross sales may start as quickly as December. And not less than 27,000 hashish possession costs may very well be expunged from residents’ prison histories.

That appeared to echo in New Hampshire, impulsively the outlier in New England. Voters in Maine and Massachusetts had been the primary to approve legalization poll measures again in 2016. In Vermont, Gov. Invoice Scott signed a legalization invoice into legislation in 2018. Three years later, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont did the identical.

New Hampshire doesn’t have a voter-initiative course of, and so altering drug legal guidelines is as much as the state legislature, which has by no means managed to go a invoice for the governor’s consideration. Had been they to lastly to do, Sununu urged, they could get a win.

“The governor’s administration has been extra progressive on the problems surrounding marijuana reform than another governor in New Hampshire historical past,” as Sununu’s workplace informed the Globe in an announcement, which rattled off different cannabis-reform accomplishments together with decriminalizing hashish possession and increasing the state’s medical-marijuana program.

All that pales compared to legalizing marijuana outright as Rhode Island did—a victory that different states are clearly eager to comply with.

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Rhode Island

Here’s How Much Minimum Wage Will Go Up In RI On Jan. 1

Published

3 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

Here’s How Much Minimum Wage Will Go Up In RI On Jan. 1

RHODE ISLAND — Minimum wage workers in Rhode Island are among about 9.2 million nationwide who will get a pay bump in 2025.

The pay raises taking effect Jan. 1 will increase worker pay by about $5.7 billion in the 21 states that are boosting the minimum wage, according to an analysis from the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank that analyzes the economic effect of policies on primarily low- and middle-income families.

In Rhode Island, the minimum wage will increase in 2025 to $15 an hour, up from $14 an hour in 2024. The tipped minimum wage stayed the same at $3.89 an hour.

The raises will increase 2025 pay for minimum wage workers in Rhode Island by about $46.5 million — or an average of $767 a year.

About 13.6 percent of the workforce and about 65,100 Rhode Island residents are directly or indirectly affected by the minimum wage hikes. About 33,300 children — 16.1 percent of all children in Rhode Island — live in households where a minimum wage worker lives.

Nationwide, more than a quarter (25.7 percent) of workers getting a minimum wage pay increase are parents, and more than 5.8 million children live in households where an individual will receive a minimum wage hike, the analysis said.

One in five (20.4 percent) of affected workers are in families with incomes below the poverty line, and nearly half (48.5 percent) have family incomes below twice the poverty line.

Teenagers are often disproportionately likely to become minimum wage workers, the analysis said, but about 88 percent of those getting raises are adults. Among them, about half are full-time workers.

Of all adult workers getting a minimum wage bump in 2025, 41.4 percent have completed at least some education beyond a high school degree.

In addition to Rhode Island, others among the 21 raising the minimum wage in 2025 are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Virginia, Vermont and Washington.

In addition, about 48 cities and counties, mostly in California, Colorado and Washington, are raising wages above their state minimum wage floors.

Most minimum wage hikes taking effect Jan. 1 are a result of state laws that tie minimum wage increases to inflation. The raises are automatic in 13 of the states and effect about 56.2 percent of workers getting raises.

Have a news tip? Email jimmy.bentley@patch.com.

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Rhode Island

Former WVU Tight End Will Dixon Transfers to Rhode Island

Published

14 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

Former WVU Tight End Will Dixon Transfers to Rhode Island

With it being almost a week since the West Virginia bowl game, several former Mountaineers who have entered the portal are starting to find new opportunities elsewhere. Over the weekend, tight end Will Dixon announced his commitment to Rhode Island.

Committed. Let’s do it❕🔵⚓️ pic.twitter.com/rMvft0mcwZ
— Will Dixon (@will_dixxon) December 23, 2024

Dixon reclassified to be a part of West Virginia’s 2022 signing class but was buried on the depth chart behind Kole Taylor, Treylan Davis, and others. Last offseason was a critical one for him as the Mountaineer coaching staff was searching for a third tight end. Instead of that guy being Dixon, it was true freshman Jack Sammarco. Dixon appeared in seven games during his time in the Old Gold and Blue, primarily serving on the special teams unit.

Coming out of high school, he chose West Virginia over offers from Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, James Madison, Liberty, Marshall, Temple, and a few others.

He will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Rhode Island

Atlantic Mills tenants form first commercial tenants union in Rhode Island | ABC6

Published

22 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

Atlantic Mills tenants form first commercial tenants union in Rhode Island | ABC6

A rally held by the Atlantic Mills Tenants Union on Dec. 21, 2024. (Olneyville Neighborhood Association/Twitter)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Tenants of Atlantic Mills announced they had formed the “first commercial tenants union in Rhode Island” on Dec. 21.

The Atlantic Mills Tenants Union was established as an affiliate as a chapter of the Rhode Island Tenants Union, and called for the mill’s current owners, The Howard and Eleanor Brynes Trust, and potential future owners, Robert Berle and Eric Edelman, to “come to the negotiating table in good faith to collectively bargain.”

The union also listed its demands from the owners, which included a 99 year lease term, immediate rent stabilization, and an eviction moratorium that began Dec. 21 and extends until “a collectively bargained agreement can be reached.”

First commercial tenant union in the state! pic.twitter.com/RqNDo3FPYZ
— Olneyville Neighborhood Association (ONA) (@OnaProvidence) December 22, 2024
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A response deadline of Dec. 30 was also given.

“The future of Olneyville is at a crossroads,” Olneyville Neighborhood Association Board Chair Cindy Miranda said. “That is why we have taken this historic step and formed the first commercial tenants union in Rhode Island. Our stories, our livelihoods, and our futures are at stake.”

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