Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Budget and Legislative Priorities


Contact House & Senate Leadership and Your Legislators Today!

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT advances equitable policies that improve the lives of all Rhode Island children and eliminate disparities through the power of data, advocacy, and civic action. Throughout this session, we have been advocating for budget and legislative priorities that advance our mission. We are now in the final weeks of the session.


Now is the time to contact your legislators and House and Senate leadership to ensure that these important items are passed!


Quick advocacy opportunities - take action with these easy tools:


Call or email your own State Representative/Senator:

In the face of the current federal threats, our #1 priority is to defend and protect access to basic needs for all babies, children and youth regardless of income, immigration status, or gender identity.


  • Defend and protect access to basic needs including access to food, health and mental health services, health care, housing, and vaccines for all babies, children and youth regardless of income, immigration status, or gender identity. House Bill 7625 (Donovan)/ Senate Bill 2379 (Ujifusa)

While defending and protecting Rhode Island’s progress, we will continue to be bold in leading campaigns for policies that increase equity and reduce disparities in child well-being. These campaigns will focus on:

Civic Engagement


  • Voting right for student member and Teacher of the Year on the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education



  • House Bill 7907 (Morales)/ Senate Bill 2077 (DiMario)

Child Development


  • Fund family home visiting programs*
  • Fund Early Intervention and provide a bridge to preschool special education*
  • House Bill 7127 (Governor’s FY27 budget)
  • House Bill H-7794 (Giraldo)/ Senate Bill 2845 (Valverde)
  • House Bill 7586 (Cotter)/ Senate Bill 2785 (Valverde)
  • House Bill H-7627 (Tanzi)/ Senate Bill 2834 (Valverde)

Early Care and Education


  • Increase access to affordable, high-quality child care*
  • Strengthen RI Prekindergarten Education Act to include Head Start.*
  • Update the Early Childhood Categorical Fund.*
  • House Bill 7393 (Diaz)/ Senate Bill 2667 (Vargas)
  • House Bill 7320 (Diaz)/ Senate Bill 2126 (DiMario)
  • House Bill 7319 (Diaz)/ Senate Bill 2085 (DiMario)
  • House Bill 7317 (Donovan)/ Senate Bill 2369 (Urso)
  • House Bill 8163 (McNamara)/ Senate Bill 3147 (Gallo)
  • House Bill 7680 (Donovan)/ Senate Bill 7680 (Gallo)

Health Care Access


  • Address pediatric care shortage
  • House Bill 7127 (Governor’s FY27 budget)
  • House Bill 7693 (Tanzi)/ Senate Bill 2542 (Lauria)

RI Works


  • Increase child support pass through+
  • Eliminate automatic reduction in RI Works benefit for housing subsidy+
  • Increase RI Works monthly benefit amount+
  • Restore eligibility to LPRs+
  • Fund The Rhode Island Baby Bond Trust Act





  • House Bill 7689 (Handy)/ Senate Bill 2828 (Murray)
  • House Bill 7690 (Handy)
  • House Bill 7797 (Giraldo)/ Senate Bill 2843 (Murray)

Family Economic Security


  • Establish a state Child Tax Credit*
  • Generate state revenue needed to shore up health care, food, and child care systems*
  • Strengthen paid family leave*



  • House Bill 7313 (Alzate)/ Senate Bill 2238 (Murray)
  • House Bill 7127 (Budget Article 5, Sections 5 and 6)
  • House Bill 8338 (Tanzi)/ Senate Bill 2823 (Vargas)
  • House Bill 7968 (Giraldo)/ Senate Bill 2737 (Lawson)

Public Education


  • Improve the education funding formula*
  • Provide equitable access to school libraries



  • House Bill 8351 (McNamara)/ Senate Bill 3015 (Gallo)
  • House Bill 7417 (Kislak)/ Senate Bill 2078 (Gallo)

Youth Justice


  • Establish minimum age of incarceration
  • Increase use of Juvenile Hearing Boards



  • House Bill 7818 (Stewart)/ Senate Bill 2046 (Acosta)
  • Senate Bill 2940 (Vargas)

*priority for RIght From the Start

+priority for Raising Rhode Island
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Support our continued work

  • Donate to ensure that we continue our important advocacy in early childhood development, education, health, youth justice, safety and child welfare and equity-driven policies

Hard copies of the 2026 Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook 
are available to order!



Order a hard copy of the 2026 Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Factbook 
by completing the online order form.

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT advances equitable policies that improve the lives of all Rhode Island children and eliminate disparities through the power of data, advocacy, and civic action. www.rikidscount.org

Rhode Island KIDS COUNT | PO Box 8081 | Cranston, RI 02920 US

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