Rhode Island Bill Makes Construction Contractors Liable for Subcontractor Wage Theft

Original title: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- PAYMENT OF WAGES (Makes construction contractors civilly liable and/or jointly civilly liable for any claims of wage theft or nonpayment from an employee against the contractor, its subcontractors and any subcontractor.)

Last action · March 25, 2026: Committee recommended measure be held for further studySponsors: Brian Thompson and 4 others

Companion · H 7961same policy, House version

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

What This Bill Proposed

Construction contractors in Rhode Island are made civilly and for or nonpayment claims brought by employees against them, their subcontractors, or any tier of subcontractor.

Why it matters

Construction workers gain a direct legal recourse to recover unpaid wages from general contractors when subcontractors fail to pay, altering financial and legal risk distribution across construction projects.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

construction contractors

Construction contractors face new civil and joint liability for wage theft claims originating from subcontractors and lower-tier subcontractors.

Directly affected

construction employees

Construction workers gain the legal right to hold primary contractors jointly and civilly liable for unpaid wages or wage theft.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can be held liable for unpaid wages under this bill?

Construction contractors can be held civilly and for or nonpayment claims brought by employees against the contractor, its subcontractors, or any subcontractor.

What kind of claims are covered by this legislation?

Claims of or nonpayment from an employee against a contractor, its subcontractors, or any subcontractor.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.

Procedural history

3 actions

Mar 25, 2026
Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Mar 20, 2026
Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/25/2026)
Mar 4, 2026Introduced
Introduced, referred to Senate Labor and Gaming

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →