Welcome back to our ongoing series breaking down the new laws coming out of the Rhode Island General Assembly’s 2025 session. This week, we’re looking at a massive overhaul of the state’s paid leave program, a practical change at the pharmacy counter, and a new felony law that expands protections for public officials with some constitutionally questionable language. Let’s get into what these changes, signed into law this summer, mean for you.

First up is a significant expansion of Rhode Island’s Temporary Disability and Caregiver Insurance programs, thanks to H6066. For the first time, self-employed individuals and sole proprietors can now opt into the system, a huge development for gig workers and small business owners. The law also phases in more time for paid caregiver leave, increasing it to seven weeks in 2025 and eight weeks in 2026. Who you can take that leave for is also expanding to include siblings, grandchildren, and a newly defined “care recipient.” To fund this, the law will eventually tie the taxable wage base to the federal Social Security limit, a change that will mean higher earners contribute more. These major updates are set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Next, a new law, S0483, gives pharmacists more power to help patients in a pinch. If you need a refill for a chronic condition—think blood pressure or diabetes medication—and your doctor can’t be reached, your pharmacist may soon be able to help. Starting July 1, 2025, they can dispense a one-time emergency refill of up to 100 days for medications essential to maintaining your health. This doesn’t apply to controlled substances, and the pharmacist must use their professional judgment, but it’s a common-sense change that could prevent dangerous lapses in treatment.

Finally, we have a bill that, while well-intentioned, wanders into murky legal territory. S0729 expands the law against threatening public officials to cover election workers and poll workers, a direct response to a frightening national trend. The problem is the bill’s new language. It makes it a felony to threaten an official not just for their actions, but also because of “hostility… toward the status or position of the public official; or because of some other factor related to the official’s public existence.” That last phrase is incredibly broad and could be used to criminalize harsh, but constitutionally protected, political speech. We believe this vague wording is ripe for a First Amendment challenge. This law took effect immediately upon passage.

The 2025 session produced a host of other new laws affecting everything from housing to the environment. Join us next time as we continue to unpack the legislation that will shape life in Rhode Island.