MLPB Digital Digest - Rhode Island - MLPB

Welcome to MLPB’s Digital Digest. Our team has created this open-access tool to help workforce colleagues navigate ongoing law and policy changes. It is intended to provide guidance and problem-solving strategies to address a range of key HRSN needs.

or educational purposes only; nothing in it should be construed as legal advice.

© 2021-2023 MLPB, a fiscally sponsored organization of TSNE

Click below to navigate to a topic of interest!

General Updates & Information

Headline: Federal and state COVID-related health emergency ended on May 11, 2023.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Court Systems

Headline: Child support guidelines have been revised, effective July 1.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Criminal System Invovlement

Headline: The Rhode Island Courts have completed phase one of expungements for past convictions of possession of marijuana.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Education & Childcare

Headline: Schools have started in all districts in Rhode Island. Happy Back to School season!

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Employment

Headline: The Pregnant Worker Fairness Act (PWFA) protects workers from pregnancy discrimination, and went into effect on June 27, 2023.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Food & Income Security

Headline: Summer EBT was added to the SNAP cards in August, and will be $120 for each school age child. Also, families with SNAP who use their EBT cards at participating farmers markets can receive “Bonus Bucks.”

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Government Identification

Headline: Beginning July 1, 2023, driver privilege cards will be issued to Rhode Islanders who are otherwise eligible but unable to establish legal residency in the United States; state identification cards will be available beginning January 1, 2024.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Health Insurance

Headline: Medicaid renewals have begun. People covered by Medicaid should update their information immediately, if they haven’t done so already, and should be sure to respond to any notices mailed or e-mailed to them. The State launched a website with information about Medicaid renewals: StayCovered.RI.gov.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

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Housing Stability

Headline: A new housing eviction program has limited funding through the Eviction Prevention Rhode Island for tenants who are at risk of eviction.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Immigration Status & Public Charge

Headline: The Biden administration announced on April 13, 2023 that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients (also known as “dreamers”) will be eligible to apply for health insurance through health insurance exchanges and for Medicaid.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Interpersonal Safety

Headline: Victims of interpersonal violence may be eligible for the new state Address Confidentiality Program (ACP).

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Transportation

Headline: The free R-Line pilot program will end on September 30.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

Utilities & Internet

Headline: Several cities, including Providence and Newport, are launching community electric purchasing programs.

Last-reviewed: 12pm, Sept. 21, 2023

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