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1/9/2026
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Sens. Thompson, Raptakis and Burke to propose CPI amendment to minimum wage law
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Raptakis has introduced the measure for several years
STATE HOUSE – Sens. Brian J. Thompson, Leonidas P. Raptakis and John P. Burke will be introducing legislation to increase the state’s minimum wage by having Rhode Island join with twenty-one other states that tie increases to the minimum wage with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Under the provisions of the legislation, the annual CPI adjustment would commence the year following the currently scheduled increase of the minimum wage to $17 an hour on January 1, 2027. Linking minimum wage increases to CPI, which is released by the U.S. Department of Labor each March, would give businesses and employees nine months to prepare for any new minimum wage that would take effect in January.
“People are struggling, particularly those in minimum wage jobs and at the lower end of the economic spectrum, because prices are still high and rising for everyday essentials. While minimum wage residents absolutely need more money in their pockets to make ends meet, we also must recognize the needs of small businesses. If businesses are forced to cut jobs or hours to absorb minimum wage increases, that does nothing to help the business or its employees. Tying the state’s minimum wage to the CPI would allow small businesses to anticipate and prepare for wage increases while also supporting our state’s employees who need the most help,” said Senator Thompson (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland).
“The state’s minimum wage, and in turn people’s ability to provide for themselves and their families, should not be treated as a political football every year by competing interests. In today’s economy, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many to get by. People doing minimum wage jobs need to earn a fair wage, because these jobs are the engine that keeps many businesses running. Instead of leaving it to the mercy of politics, let’s give businesses and employees a predictable and sensible roadmap for providing a living wage by tying future increases to the CPI,” said Senator Raptakis (D-Dist. 33, Coventry, West Greenwich).
“Last session when we increased the minimum wage, thousands of workers across Rhode Island received a desperately needed economic bump. But with costs still too high for so many Rhode Islanders, we need to raise the minimum wage regularly in a uniform fashion that can be anticipated and planned for by businesses. By incorporating CPI data into minimum wage hikes, we can ensure that workers can meet their basic food, housing and health care needs while also giving our small businesses enough time to prepare for increased labor costs,” said Senator Burke (D-Dist. 9, West Warwick), who chairs the Senate Committee on Labor and Gaming. Senator Burke was the primary sponsor of legislation enacted last year that increased the minimum wage from $15 to $16 as of January 1, 2026 and to $17 as of January 1, 2027.
For more information, contact:
Andrew Caruolo, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-6124
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