Rhode Island

Democrats control the governor’s office and hold wide margins in both the House and Senate. They have held unified control for 16 consecutive years. Governor Dan McKee proposed a $14.9 billion budget that closes a $250 million deficit without broad-based tax increases, while creating new revenue through a millionaire’s tax.

The state’s biggest fights are defensive. Federal SNAP cuts forced emergency food bank funding. Tariffs added $700 per household. The Legislature is pushing immigration protections and an assault weapons possession ban, plus a record $600 million in bond proposals for the November ballot.

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McKee wants millionaires to close the deficit

The FY2026 budget proposal is $14.9 billion, up $522.6 million from last year. McKee framed it under his “Affordability for All” agenda and claims $215 million kept in Rhode Islanders’ pockets during his first full year of affordability measures, with $1.4 billion in projected savings over five years.

$67 million projected annual revenue from the proposed 8.99% millionaire’s tax on income over $1 million

The millionaire’s tax would raise the top bracket by 3 points. Social Security benefits will be fully exempt from state income tax within three years.

When the Trump administration held SNAP benefits hostage in late 2025, McKee directed emergency funding to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and organized a statewide push to feed families who lost access. The state made millions of dollars available to fill the gap the federal government created.

The November ballot includes a record $600 million in bond questions: $215 million for public colleges, $120 million for housing, $115 million for economic development, and $50 million for cultural economy.

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Lawmakers are building a wall around the courthouse

The Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian-American and Pacific Islander Caucus is backing seven immigration bills as a top priority in the 2026 session. The bills directly counter Trump administration enforcement tactics.

The courthouse protection bill is the most urgent. Immigrants who fear arrest at courthouses stop showing up for hearings, restraining orders, and custody proceedings. That makes everyone less safe, including U.S. citizens involved in those same cases.

The polling place buffer addresses a fear that suppresses turnout in immigrant-heavy communities even when residents are eligible voters. Federal agents near polling locations create a chilling effect whether or not anyone is actually detained.

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From sales ban to possession ban in one year

McKee signed a law in 2025 banning the manufacture, purchase, sale, and transfer of military-style weapons including certain semi-automatic rifles and shotguns. It takes effect July 1, 2026. Current owners are grandfathered in.

The House Judiciary Committee heard 17 firearms-related bills on April 8, 2026. H8073 is the most aggressive. It would ban possession outright with no grandfather clause. Owners who do not sell or transfer by year’s end would face felony charges.

McKee included the possession ban in his FY2026 budget proposal, signaling he would sign it if the Legislature sends it to his desk.

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$120 million in housing bonds are hitting the ground

Voters approved the $120 million housing bond in November. The state is deploying it through multiple programs, including a $20 million entry-level homeownership program and $8 million in bond-funded awards to advance housing production statewide.

Program	Funding
Total housing activities	$113 million+
Entry-level homeownership	$20 million
Homelessness initiatives	$15.7 million
Housing production awards	$8 million

The budget also raises the real estate conveyance tax on properties above $800,000, from 0.92% to 1.25%. That hits luxury sales and generates ongoing revenue for housing programs without touching middle-income buyers.

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The governor’s race is wide open

McKee is trailing businesswoman Helena Foulkes by 20 points in an Emerson College/WPRI poll, 20% to 40%. His approval ratings are low and his fundraising has lagged. Gregory Stevens is also running in the Democratic primary. The primary is September 8, 2026.

Race	Key names	Date
Governor (D primary)	Helena Foulkes, Dan McKee, Gregory Stevens	September 8, 2026
All 113 legislative seats	House and Senate	November 3, 2026
$600M in bond questions	Colleges, housing, economic development, culture	November 3, 2026

Every seat in the House and Senate is on the ballot in November. The bond questions alone total $600 million. The outcome determines whether the millionaire’s tax, housing bonds, immigration protections, and the assault weapons possession ban survive beyond this session.

McKee is also pushing for a constitutional amendment granting the governor line-item veto power and calling for Inspector General oversight authority over the Legislature. Both proposals would reshape the balance of power in state government regardless of who wins.

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Protect yourself right now

1. Check your voter registration. The Democratic primary is September 8, 2026. The general election is November 3. Verify your status at vote.ri.gov.

2. Read the bond questions before you vote. Six hundred million dollars in bonds will be on the November ballot. Know what each one funds — colleges, housing, economic development, cultural economy — before you fill in the oval.

3. Know your rights if ICE comes to your courthouse. Until the protection bills pass, federal agents can still make civil arrests at state courthouses. The ACLU of Rhode Island has know-your-rights resources at riaclu.org.

4. Call your state legislator about H8073. The assault weapons possession ban needs floor votes in both chambers. Find your legislator at rilegislature.gov and tell them where you stand.

5. Show up at housing hearings. Bond-funded housing programs are rolling out now. Your municipality decides where units get built. Attend the public hearing.