Rhode Island

Democrats control the governor’s office and hold wide margins in both the House and Senate. They have held unified control every year since 2013. Governor Dan McKee proposed a $14.9 billion budget that closes a $250 million deficit without broad-based tax increases, while creating new revenue through a millionaire’s tax.

The state’s biggest fights are defensive. The federal SNAP shutdown forced emergency food bank funding. McKee says tariffs cost the average household $700. The Legislature is pushing immigration protections and an assault weapons possession ban, plus a record $600 million in bond proposals for the November ballot.

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McKee’s Proposed Tax on Millionaires

The FY2027 budget proposal is $14.9 billion, up $522.6 million from the current year. McKee framed it under his “Affordability for All” agenda and claims $215 million kept in Rhode Islanders’ pockets during his first full year of affordability measures, with $1.4 billion in projected savings over five years.

$67 million projected annual revenue from the proposed 8.99% millionaire’s tax on income over $1 million

The millionaire’s tax would raise the top bracket by 3 points. Social Security benefits will be fully exempt from state income tax within three years.

McKee said the Trump administration “held SNAP benefits hostage” during the late 2025 shutdown. He says his administration made millions of dollars available to families and directed emergency funding to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

The November ballot includes a record $600 million in bond questions: $275 million for higher education, $120 million for housing, $100 million for infrastructure and economic development, $55 million for environment and water projects, and $50 million for cultural and historical projects.

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Proposed Limits on Courthouse Immigration Arrests

The Black, Latino, Indigenous and Pacific Islander Caucus introduced a package of immigration bills in the 2026 session to counter Trump administration enforcement tactics.

The courthouse protection bill is the most urgent. Immigrants who fear arrest at courthouses stop showing up for hearings, restraining orders, and custody proceedings. That makes everyone less safe, including U.S. citizens involved in those same cases.

The polling place buffer addresses a fear that suppresses turnout in immigrant-heavy communities even when residents are eligible voters. Federal agents near polling locations create a chilling effect whether or not anyone is actually detained.

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The Assault Weapons Sales Ban and the Possession Bill

McKee signed a law in 2025 banning the manufacture, purchase, sale, and transfer of military-style weapons including certain semi-automatic rifles and shotguns. It takes effect July 1, 2026. Current owners are grandfathered in.

The House Judiciary Committee heard 17 firearms-related bills on April 8, 2026. H8073 is the most aggressive. It would ban possession outright with no grandfather clause. Owners who do not sell or transfer by year’s end would face felony charges.

McKee included a possession ban in his FY2026 budget proposal.

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$120 Million in Housing Bonds

Voters approved a $120 million housing bond in November 2024. The state is deploying it through multiple programs, including a $20 million entry-level homeownership program and $8 million in bond-funded awards to advance housing production statewide.

The budget also raises the real estate conveyance tax on properties above $800,000, from 0.92% to 1.25%. That hits luxury sales and generates ongoing revenue for housing programs without touching middle-income buyers.

The $15.7 million for homelessness initiatives draws from multiple funding sources and includes two new sustainable funding mechanisms. This is the first time Rhode Island has built recurring revenue into its homelessness response instead of relying on one-time appropriations.

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Rhode Island’s Governor Race

Governor Dan McKee lost the September 8 Democratic primary. On November 3, the candidates for governor are Helena Foulkes (D); Aaron Guckian (R); Ken Block (I).

Every seat in the House and Senate is on the ballot in November. The bond questions alone total $600 million. The outcome determines whether the millionaire’s tax, housing bonds, immigration protections, and the assault weapons possession ban survive beyond this session.

McKee has also proposed a line-item veto for the governor.

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What You Can Do in Rhode Island

1. Check your voter registration. The Democratic primary is September 8, 2026. The general election is November 3. Verify your status at vote.ri.gov.

2. Read the bond questions before you vote. Six hundred million dollars in bonds will be on the November ballot. Know what each one funds, from colleges and housing to economic development and the cultural economy, before you fill in the oval.

3. Know your rights if ICE comes to your courthouse. Until the protection bills pass, federal agents can still make civil arrests at state courthouses. The ACLU of Rhode Island has know-your-rights resources at riaclu.org.

4. Call your state legislator about H8073. The assault weapons possession ban needs floor votes in both chambers. Find your legislator at rilegislature.gov and tell them where you stand.

5. Show up at housing hearings. Bond-funded housing programs are rolling out now. Your municipality decides where units get built. Attend the public hearing.