Merit Institute Merit

The Rhode Island Pro-Worker AI Workforce Act (RI-AI-Workforce)

Rhode Island state companion to the federal AI Workforce Act. Leverages R.I. Gen. Laws Title 44 credits, the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner, and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation with labor-protective training credits and public-option R&D matching grants.

THE RHODE ISLAND PRO-WORKER AI WORKFORCE ACT (RI-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. Rhode Island General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Commerce / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Rhode Island Pro-Worker AI Workforce Act (RI-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that AI adoption is an opportunity to raise wages and worker voice; that R.I. Gen. Laws Title 44 authorizes tax credits; that the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner operates under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-59; that the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation operates under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-64; and that R.I. Gen. Laws Title 28 protects workers.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH RHODE ISLAND LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “AI-adjacent occupation” is aligned to the federal AI Workforce Act.
  2. (b) “Labor-management partnership” means a jointly administered training program.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Rhode Island Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Title 44 (taxation).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 16-59 (Postsecondary Commissioner).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-64 (Commerce Corporation).
  • R.I. Gen. Laws Title 28 (labor).

TITLE II — WORKER-MERIT AI TRAINING CREDIT (Labor-Protective Rewire)

Sec. 201. Pro-Worker AI Training Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to R.I. Gen. Laws Title 44 equal to a percentage of qualified training expenditures for Rhode Island-resident workers training in AI-adjacent occupations.
  2. (b) Enhanced rate where delivered through a labor-management partnership, registered apprenticeship under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 28-45, or the Community College of Rhode Island.
  3. (c) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45BB; aggregate cap.
  4. (d) Division of Taxation administers.

TITLE III — RHODE ISLAND AI APPRENTICESHIPS

Sec. 301. Registered Apprenticeship Priority

  1. (a) The State Apprenticeship Council shall prioritize registered AI-adjacent apprenticeships under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 28-45.

TITLE IV — PUBLIC-OPTION R&D MATCHING GRANTS

Sec. 401. Rhode Island Commerce Corporation Matching Grants

  1. (a) The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation shall operate a Rhode Island AI R&D Matching Grant Program funding open-source, public-interest AI research aligned to federal public-option infrastructure, with priority to labor-management partnerships, CCRI, Rhode Island College, URI, and MSI partners on neutral, competency-based criteria.

TITLE V — WORKER VOICE AND TRANSPARENCY

Sec. 501. Worker Voice

  1. (a) R.I. Gen. Laws Title 28 protections preserved; credits conditioned on non-interference with protected concerted activity.

Sec. 502. Data Transparency

  1. (a) Published dashboard through the Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner and Governor’s Workforce Board, crosswalked to the Federal NLMF.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect on July 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 201 shall apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce Act. Other Rhode Island bills: RI-ACSA, RI-MEWRA, RI-GT&P.