Rhode Island budget, debt, and interest

The EIA fact measures retail electricity revenue per kilowatthour across sectors. Review of net-metering costs and legislative ratepayer impacts concerns rate components. An order to review and report does not itself set rates or establish savings. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Rhode Island evidence context: Average retail electricity price. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DANIEL J. McKEE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Rhode Island, pursuant to Article IX of the Rhode Island Constitution and the Rhode Island General Laws, including, but not limited to, Title 30, Chapter 15, do hereby order and direct the following: 1. The Office of Energy Resources (OER), in consultation with the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers (DPUC), the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), the electric and gas distribution companies, and such additional stakeholders as OER deems appropriate, including representatives of labor, residential and commercial solar developers, and consumer interests, shall conduct a comprehensive review of the State's Net Metering Program (behind-the-meter and virtual) and Renewable Energy Growth Program. The purpose of this review is to control costs to electric ratepayers and ensure that these programs do not impose an undue or disproportionate financial burden on households and businesses, while remaining aligned with the State's emissions-reduction objectives. The review shall evaluate ratepayer impacts, state fiscal implications, and energy-system effects, and shall assess potential program modifications as appropriate. a. As part of this effort, OER shall submit supplemental budget article amendment options related to the State's virtual net metering program to the Governor's Office and the Office of Management and Budget (0MB) no later Executive Order 26-01 February 9, 2026 Page 3 than April 24, 2026. These options shall be designed to maintain ratepayer savings for households and businesses while updating the structure of the virtual net metering program. In developing these options, OER shall seek to avoid adverse impacts on existing solar projects and shall evaluate approaches used by peer states to maintain more cost-effective solar incentive programs. Any proposed supplemental budget article amendments shall be transmitted to the House and Senate Finance Committees no later than May 1, 2026. b. In addition, OER, in consultation with participating state agencies, shall complete a longer-term review of behind-the-meter net metering and the Renewable Energy Growth Program and deliver the results of that review—including key findings and potential policy and legislative options-to the Governor's Office and 0MB no later than October 1, 2026, aligned with the development and submission of agency budget proposals for the subsequent fiscal year. In conducting this review, OER and participating state agencies shall be advised by Dr. Noah Kaufman, Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy or other outside experts. 2. The DPUC shall evaluate and communicate the anticipated ratepayer impacts of all significant energy legislation under consideration by the General Assembly to ensure that policy makers, stakeholders, and the public have a clear and timely understanding of the potential effects of such proposals on utility rates, customer bills, and overall energy affordability. As part of this process, the DPUC shall determine which proposed energy legislation is sufficiently broad in scope, material in potential ratepayer impact, or sufficiently advanced in the legislative process to warrant the preparation of an official Ratepayer Impact Note. As part of this process, the DPUC shall: a. Develop an internal framework for preparing Ratepayer Impact Notes, that, to the extent practicable, assess expected impacts on electric and gas rates and typical customer bills, identify the duration of such impacts, describe key assumptions and uncertainties, and discuss the impacts across customer classes (where feasible), with particular attention to overall affordability. b. Establish a legislative notification and coordination process to ensure that Ratepayer Impact Notes are made available to the General Assembly, Executive Order 26-01 February 9, 2026 Page 4 including legislative leadership and relevant committees, in a timely manner to properly inform legislative deliberations on significant energy proposals. c. Establish a process to make available on its agency website plain-language impact summaries of such considered legislative proposals, with the goal of enabling every Rhode Island ratepayer to understand how proposed energy policies may affect utility bills and the cost of living. Order shall take effect immediately upon the date hereof.

The gasoline fact is a six-state New England regional price proxy, not a Rhode Island-only price. A Rhode Island fuel-tax provision concerns one price component in one of those states; it does not establish regional prices or how much was passed through to consumers. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Rhode Island evidence context: New England regular gasoline price. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

SECTION 8. Sections 31-36-7 and 31-36-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-36 entitled "Motor Fuel Tax" are hereby amended to read as follows: 31-36-7. Monthly report of distributors — Payment of tax. (a) State requirements. (1) Every distributor shall, on or before the twentieth (20th) day of each month, render a report to the tax administrator, upon forms to be obtained from the tax administrator, of the amount (number of gallons) of fuels purchased, sold, or used by the distributor within this state and the amount of fuels sold by the distributor without this state from fuels within this state during the preceding calendar month, and, if required by the tax administrator as to purchases, the name or names of the person or persons from whom purchased and the date and amount of each purchase, and as to sales, the name or names of the person or persons to whom sold and the amount of each sale, and shall pay at the same time to the administrator tax at the rate of thirty-two cents ($0.32) per gallon on all taxable gallons of fuel sold or used in this state for periods ending on or before June 30, 2025. (2) Every distributor shall, on or before the twentieth day of each month, render a report to the tax administrator, upon forms to be obtained from the tax administrator, of the amount (number of gallons) of fuels purchased, sold, or used by the distributor within this state and the amount of fuels sold by the distributor without this state from fuels within this state during the preceding calendar month, and, if required by the tax administrator as to purchases, the name or names of the person or persons from whom purchased and the date and amount of each purchase, and as to sales, the name or names of the person or persons to whom sold and the amount of each sale, and shall pay at the same time to the administrator, tax at the rate of forty cents ($0.40) per gallon on all taxable gallons of fuel sold or used in this state for periods beginning on or after July 1, 2025. (b) Federal requirements. In the event the federal government requires a certain portion of the gasoline tax to be dedicated for highway improvements, then the state controller is directed to establish a restricted receipt account and deposit that portion of gasoline tax receipts which brings the state into federal compliance. (1) Beginning July 1, 2015, and every other year thereafter, through June 30, 2025, the gasoline tax shall be adjusted by the percentage of increase in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics determined as of September 30 of the prior calendar year; said adjustment shall be rounded to the nearest one cent ($.01) increment, provided that the total tax shall not be less than provided for in section (a) (1). (2) Beginning July 1, 2027, and every other year thereafter, the gasoline tax shall be adjusted by the percentage of increase in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI- U) as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics determined as of September 30 of the two (2) prior calendar years; said adjustment shall be rounded to the nearest one cent ($0.01) increment; provided that, the total tax shall not be less than provided for in subsection (a) (2).

The fact measures the uninsured share of residents under 65. Individual-market enrollment protections and Medicaid/CHIP continuous eligibility concern coverage for subsets of that population. Availability is not proof of enrollment or fewer uninsured residents. This relationship does not establish causation. Actions after the measurement period cannot explain its earlier value.

Retained Rhode Island evidence context: People under 65 without health insurance. This record’s connection to the topic does not establish an effect on the measured result.

2.Providing for 12-month continuous enrollment of individuals under the Medicaid program and Children’s Health Insurance Program(a)In generalSection 1902(e)(12) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(12)), as amended by section 5112 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, is further amended—(1)in the header, by striking for children;(2)in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking who is under the age of 19 and;(3)in subparagraph (A), by adding or at the end;(4)by striking subparagraph (B); and(5)by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B).(b)CHIPSection 2107(e)(1)(K) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397gg(e)(1)(K)), as amended by section 5112 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, is further amended—(1)by striking for children;(2)by striking a targeted low-income child and inserting an individual; and(3)by striking child becomes and inserting individual becomes.(c)Effective dateThe amendments made by this section shall take effect on the first day of the first fiscal quarter that begins on or after December 31, 2026.