Rhode Island House Approves $14 Billion State Budget Proposal

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) The Rhode Island House of Representatives approved a $14 billion budget Friday that legislative leaders say will help address the state's housing crisis, support business development and make education funding more equitable while limiting the use of one-time revenue to one-time expenditures.

Speaker Joseph Shekarchi said the House worked with Democratic Gov. Dan McKee and members of the Senate on the House's top priority creating more affordable housing in the state at a time when housing is increasingly out of reach for many.

This budget also strengthens our efforts to provide educational opportunities in K-12 and higher education and supports businesses, working Rhode Islanders, retirees and those struggling to meet their families basic needs, Shekarchi, a Democrat, said in a statement following the vote.

The House approved an additional $31 million to support housing development, including $4 million for transit-oriented development and $4.3 million to support infrastructure needed for housing development, such as road and utility connections.