Vote on controversial overtime bill cancelled

June 11, 2015 5:38 pm

Senator Frank Lombardi has announced Thursday that he is no longer seeking to pass legislation he introduced providing overtime payments for public safety personnel who work long hours.

He stated, “I submitted this legislation because of concerns I have about public safety and fairness. Since that time I have heard from many constituents who have concerns about the bill. My concerns are always with my constituents first. In light of the sentiments they have expressed to me, I believe we should proceed with caution, and only after a truly independent analysis.”

Lombardi continued to say that both sides of the debate are polarized—therefore there should be a thorough and independent examination of the issue before moving forward with legislation.

Sen. Lombardi hopes to appropriate fund to conduct an independent review of staffing, scheduling, and overtime in police and fire departments in Rhode Island to determine if the state could benefit from a defined workweek for public safety personnel.

The Committee vote that was scheduled for today has been cancelled.