During a briefing hosted by the Economic Progress Institute, legislators learned that H.R. 1 — the “OBBBA” — is already having devastating consequences for Rhode Islanders.
The bill threatens food and healthcare access for tens of thousands of residents. Approximately 10,000 Rhode Islanders are at risk of losing food assistance, including 2,300 lawfully present immigrants who would lose SNAP eligibility altogether. An additional 2,500 households would see their SNAP utility benefits reduced, resulting in a $15.2 million annual cut to federal nutrition support. The state would also face a $30 million–$64.3 million yearly cost shift in administrative and benefit expenses.
The harm doesn’t stop there: about 34,000 Rhode Islanders would lose health coverage due to new Medicaid work requirements, cost-sharing mandates, and restrictive eligibility rules. These changes would drain money from the local economy, hurt small businesses, and increase food insecurity and strain on food banks and direct service providers statewide.