PROVIDENCE — Gov. Gina Raimondo has signed the newly approved $12.7-billion state government budget for the fiscal year that began on July 1.
After a hiatus of months, the House and the Senate met last week to approve the biggest spending bill the state has ever seen to pay for both first-of-their kind pandemic expenses and the routine, day-to-day operation of state government.
A big chunk of the new spending relies on one-time federal coronavirus relief dollars used, in part, to increase housing, rental and eviction relief assistance and provide what the lawmakers described as "extra payments to those who are affected by the current “pause” instituted to contain the spread of the virus."