Rhode Island Lawmakers Champion Equity Impact Statements to Advance Social Justice in Legislation
Providence, R.I. – As state lawmakers propose new legislation, they are often met with a critical fiscal question: What is the cost? In Rhode Island, representatives are now advocating an additional layer of scrutiny—assessing the social and equity impacts of legislation. Representative David Morales, a Democrat from Providence, is championing a new rule to require “equity impact statements” for proposed laws, aiming to uncover their potential effects on various demographics, including race, ethnicity, gender, and more. This initiative, encapsulated in Bill H5010, would enable such analyses for up to five bills each session, focusing on … Read more