Summary: New RI Laws Impacting Broadcasters in 2025 and Beyond

Here is a summary of a few RI state laws passed in 2025 which broadcasters should be aware of:

General Assembly Passes New Law Requiring Disclosures at Time of Hiring

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0070Aaa, enacted in 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, amends the state’s labor laws regarding wage transparency and recordkeeping. It requires employers to provide new hires with a written notice—available in English—detailing key employment terms, including:

Pay rate and method (e.g., hourly, salary, commission)
Sick, vacation, and holiday policies
Deductions, allowances, and employment status (exempt/non-exempt)
Employer contact details and payday schedule

Employers must retain signed copies of these notices for at least three years. Violations incur a $400 fine for the first or second offense, with harsher penalties for repeated violations.

2026-2027 Minimum Wage Hike

Rhode Island is raising its minimum wage from $15 to $17 over a two-year period:

On January 1, 2026, the minimum wage will increase to $16/hour
On January 1, 2027, it will rise again to $17/hour

This legislation, signed by Governor Dan McKee in August 2025, continues the state’s effort to keep pace with the rising cost of living and maintain competitiveness with neighboring states like Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Law Regarding “Synthetic Media” in Campaign Ads

Rhode Island’s new law—passed in July 2025—regulates the use of synthetic media in campaign ads to combat deceptive political content. Here's a breakdown:

What Counts as Synthetic Media?

- Any image, audio, or video that uses AI or digital manipulation to falsely depict a person’s appearance, speech, or actions in a way that seems real but never actually occurred.

What’s Prohibited?

- Within 90 days of an election, candidates, PACs, political parties, or independent spenders cannot distribute synthetic media that they know (or should know) is deceptive and misleading.

HOWEVER…

- Synthetic media is permitted if it includes a clear disclosure stating it was generated or altered by AI:

- For video: Disclosure must be visible throughout the video in readable font.

-For audio: The disclosure shall be read in a clearly spoken manner, and in a speed and pitch that can be easily heard by the average listener at the beginning and end of the ad.

*** Responsibility for all content and disclosures lies with the candidate, campaign committee or PAC placing the ad. Radio and TV stations are NOT responsible for content or disclosures and cannot be held responsible for political ad content.

FUL TEXT OF LAW: law25409