OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Issue Position: Economic Development

Issue Position

Date: Jan. 1, 2020
Issues: Economy and Fiscal Government Budget and Spending Business, Consumers, and Employees

The General Assembly approved a $9.97 billion budget for the 2020 fiscal year that largely avoids new taxes while strengthening education, continuing the car-tax phase-out and maintaining municipal aid, while also closing a $200 million budget gap.

We passed a bill to allow mobile sports wagering through the Twin River casinos in Lincoln and Tiverton.

The legislature established a process for creating Special Economic Development Districts on large state-owned properties and designated the former Route 195 land in Providence as one.

The legislature included a Small Business Development Fund in the budget to encourage investment in the state's job-producing small businesses.

Business Sustainability-- The budget incorporates legislation to help the many Rhode Island small business owners who will be hit by higher federal taxes under new federal tax laws.

We passed legislation to provide a process for collecting sales tax from out-of-state sellers -- removing the unfair advantage online retailers have in competing against Rhode Island businesses.

We approved legislation to allow contractors and builders to have inspections performed by third-party inspectors if a municipal building official does not perform required inspections swiftly.


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