AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- THE EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT AND BUDGET EQUITY IMPACT ACT (Establishes a two-year pilot program, from January 2027 to December 2028, to incorporate equity impact statements into the legislative process for both the House and Senate chamber.)

H7236

2026 -- H 7236
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LC003382
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- THE EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT AND
BUDGET EQUITY IMPACT ACT

Introduced By:
Representatives Morales, Cruz, Giraldo, Felix, Kislak, Alzate, Stewart,
Ajello, Sanchez, and Potter

Date Introduced:
January 21, 2026

Referred To:
House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Legislative findings and purpose.
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(1) Persistent, widespread, and unacceptable disparities exist in Rhode Island for
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individuals and families due to structural inequities and past discrimination. Such disparities
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include the racial wealth gap, the gender pay gap, and incarceration policies that have
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disproportionately impacted communities of color.
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(2) Rhode Island has already enacted legislation prohibiting discrimination based on race,
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color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, or
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country of ancestral origin, including in employment and housing matters.
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(3) Discrimination and inequities based on these classifications is inconsistent with the
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protections outlined in the State Constitution and Rhode Island legislation. These inequities affect
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the quality of life, access to services, access to safe and affordable housing, and access to capital,
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as well as educational and economic attainment for some Rhode Island populations differently than
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for others.
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(4) For the most part, legislation in Rhode Island has been implemented without attention
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to disparities and equity. Some of this legislation has had disparate impacts on some of our
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communities. Because some legislation might have unanticipated negative impacts, it is important
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that legislators, when hearing and considering proposed legislation, have tools to understand the
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likely effects of such legislation on existing disparities.

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(5) Equity Impact Statements can serve as a tool to inform legislators of potential
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consequences of policies that may have a disproportionate impact on historically disadvantaged
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populations prior to enacting new legislation, thus assuring that the general assembly takes each
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opportunity available to increase equity and decrease disparities.
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(6) Beginning in 2007, some states, including Connecticut and Massachusetts, began
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implementing racial impact statements to address racial disparities in their criminal justice systems.
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In 2019, Maine created a permanent commission to address historic and pervasive racial inequity
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in legislation. This act aims to build on that foundation here in Rhode Island, proposing the
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inclusion of a new legislative tool, a broad Equity Impact Statement accounting for race, color,
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ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, or country
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of ancestral origin.
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(7) It is therefore the desire of the general assembly to address the impacts of our legislation
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moving forward, and to do so with attention to equity and the impact our legislation will have on
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our diverse and varied communities. This chapter aims to add Equity Impact Statements into the
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legislative process to contribute to the development of sound and fair policies.
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SECTION 2. Title 22 of the General Laws entitled "GENERAL ASSEMBLY" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 20
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EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT ACT
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22-20-1. Short title.

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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Equity Impact Statement Act”.
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22-20-2. Definitions.

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As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
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(1) “Disparities” means economic, employment, health, education, public safety, and other
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differences between the state population as a whole and subgroups of the population as defined by
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race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age,
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and/or country of ancestral origin.
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(2) “Equity” means providing access and opportunities for all Rhode Islanders by ensuring
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that policies, programs, and the state budget correct historic disparities.
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(3) “Equity impact statements” are documents intended to help legislators evaluate whether
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a bill is likely to increase equity, decrease equity, or have no impact on equity, with equity
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considered in terms of one or more of the following categories: race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex,
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sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, and/or country of ancestral origin.
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(4) “State agency” means a state department, agency, office, or board of the state or any

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agency, office, or board of a quasi-public agency of the state.
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22-20-3. Pilot program for equity impact statements.

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(a) The pilot program for equity impact statements will last two (2) years, beginning in the
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January 2027 general assembly session and ending in December 2028. During the pilot program,
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equity impact statements may be requested for up to twenty (20) pieces of proposed legislation per
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legislative session: the speaker of the house may request equity impact statements for up to five (5)
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pieces of proposed legislation in the house; the president of the senate may request equity impact
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assessment statements for up to five (5) pieces of proposed legislation in the senate; and the Rhode
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Island Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian-American and Pacific Islander Caucus (RIBLIA) may
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request equity impact statements for up to five (5) pieces of proposed legislation in the house and
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up to five (5) pieces of proposed legislation in the senate.
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(b) The request for an equity impact statements shall identify which one or more of the
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following categories should be considered: race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation,
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gender identity or expression, disability, age, and/or country of ancestral origin.
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22-20-4. Responsibility to produce equity impact statements.

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(a) Requests for equity impact statements shall be sent to the Commission on Health
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Advocacy & Equity (CHAE), established pursuant to chapter 64.1 of title 23. The CHAE shall
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coordinate with whichever state agencies possess subject matter expertise for the proposed
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legislation. The CHAE shall be responsible for producing equity impact statements.
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(b) At the request of the CHAE, all state agencies shall furnish such advice and information,
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documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable
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by the CHAE to facilitate the purposes of this section.
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(c) The CHAE may seek expertise or assistance from Rhode Island colleges or universities
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to provide information or otherwise help produce equity impact statements.
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(d) The legislative council shall coordinate with the CHAE to oversee the formatting of
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equity impact statements and attach statements to the corresponding bills.
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(e) Equity impact statements shall be made available to the public at the time that bills are
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posted for hearing in committees to ensure that the public and legislators have the information
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available in advance to inform testimony and hearings.
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(f) Equity impact statements shall be deemed public records under the provisions of chapter
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2 of title 38.
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22-20-5. Content of equity impact statements.

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(a) Where possible, equity impact statements shall include data as to historical and/or
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existing disparities and as to likely demographic impacts of proposed legislation; such data could

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include, but not be limited to, differential healthcare outcomes, graduation rates, incarceration rates,
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or sitting of pollution-producing businesses.
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(b) Where possible, equity impact statements shall include data as to historical and/or
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existing economic disparities and as to likely fiscal and/or economic impacts of proposed
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legislation. The data could include, but not be limited to, differential support for minority-owned
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businesses or for businesses owned by individuals with disabilities.
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(c) For any particularly protected category, the equity impact statements should include a
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conclusion as to whether the proposed legislation is likely to increase equity, likely to decrease
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equity, or likely to have no effect on equity.
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22-20-6. Responsibility to complete pilot program for equity impact statements.

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The CHAE shall be empowered to:
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(1) Oversee the pilot program for equity impact statements as established in § 22-20-3.
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(2) Issue a report with recommendations to speaker of the house, the president of the senate,
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and the general assembly.
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SECTION 3. Sections 35-3-3 and 35-3-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 35-3 entitled
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"State Budget" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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35-3-3. Responsibility of budget officer for budget.
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(a)
The budget officer shall, under the supervision of the governor, prepare the annual state
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budget, assembling, correlating, and revising the estimates of revenues and requests for
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appropriations of the various departments of the state government.
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(b) The budget officer shall, under the supervision of the governor, include in the annual
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state budget an explanation of the manner in which provisions of the budget further the governor's
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efforts to ensure equity in the state. For purposes of this section, "equity" means efforts, regulations,
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policies, programs, standards, processes, and any other functions of government or principles of
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law and governance intended to: identify and remedy past and present patterns of discrimination or
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inequality against and disparities in outcome for any class protected in §28-5-7(1)(i); ensure that
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such patterns of discrimination, inequality, and disparities in outcome, whether intentional or
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unintentional, are neither reinforced nor perpetuated; and prevent the emergence and persistence of
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foreseeable future patterns of discrimination against or disparities in outcome for any class
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protected in §28-5-7(1)(i).
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35-3-4. Estimates submitted by department heads.
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(a) On dates determined by the budget officer, but not later than the first day of October in
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each year, each head of a department of the state government, not including the general assembly
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or the judiciary, shall assemble, correlate, and revise, with power to increase or decrease, the

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estimates for expenditures and requests for appropriations for the next ensuing fiscal year of each
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of the divisions, boards, commissions, officers, bureaus, institutions, or agencies of the state
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included within his or her department, and, after this revision, shall prepare an itemized
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departmental estimate of the appropriations necessary to meet the financial needs of the department,
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including a statement in detail of all moneys for which any general or special appropriation is
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desired at the ensuing session of the general assembly. The estimate shall be in such form, and in
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such number of copies, and with such explanation as the budget officer may require, and, on dates
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determined by the budget officer, but not later than the first day of October in each year, shall be
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submitted to the governor through the budget officer and to the fiscal advisors of the house and
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senate.
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(b) The estimates shall also include a supplemental presentation of estimates of
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expenditures for information resources and information technologies as defined in § 29-8-2
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[repealed], regardless of source of financing. The estimate shall include a detailed listing and
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explanation of expenses and the source of funds and shall be in such form, and in such number of
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copies, and with such explanation as the budget officer may require. Copies shall be provided
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directly to the house fiscal advisor, the senate fiscal advisor, and the Rhode Island information
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resources management board.
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(c) The estimates shall also include a supplemental presentation identifying which
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departmental programs and expenditures, ongoing or newly proposed, increase equity. For
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purposes of this section, "equity" means efforts, regulations, policies, programs, standards,
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processes and any other functions of government or principles of law and governance intended to:
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identify and remedy past and present patterns of discrimination or inequality against and disparities
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in outcome for any class protected in §28-5-7(1)(i); ensure that such patterns of discrimination,
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inequality and disparities in outcome, whether intentional or unintentional, are neither reinforced
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nor perpetuated; and prevent the emergence and persistence of foreseeable future patterns of
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discrimination against or disparities in outcome for any class protected in §28-5-7(1)(i).
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SECTION 4. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY -- THE EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT AND
BUDGET EQUITY IMPACT ACT
***
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This act would establish a two (2)-year pilot program, from January 2027 to December
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2028, to incorporate equity impact statements into the legislative process for both the house and
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senate chamber. This act would limit requests for equity impact statements to twenty (20)
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statements per legislative session. The speaker of the house and the president of the senate would
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each be allowed to request up to five (5) statements, while the leadership of the Rhode Island Black,
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Latino, Indigenous, Asian American and Pacific Islander (RIBLIA) Caucus are permitted to request
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up to five (5) statements in the house and five (5) statements in the senate. The Commission on
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Health Equity and Advocacy (CHAE), in coordination with the legislative council, institutions of
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higher education, and relevant state agencies, shall produce the requested equity impact statements.
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The legislative council shall oversee the formatting of Equity Impact Statements and attach
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statements to bills.
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This act would also require the state’s budget officer, under the supervision of the governor,
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to provide along with the governor’s annual recommended budget an explanation as to the ways
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the governor’s annual recommended budget ensures equity for subgroups of the population
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identified in §28-5-7(1)(i) concerning Rhode Island’s fair employment practices. The estimates
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shall also include a supplemental presentation identifying which departmental programs and
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expenditures, ongoing or newly proposed, increase equity.
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This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.
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