RI General Assembly 2014 Session Freedom Index

Download: Freedom Index 2014 Scorecard; legislator votes, bill explanations, and rankings

Go to main Freedom Index page.

NOW LIVE! Interactive Scorecard

2014 Freedom Index Findings

Ninety-nine (99) different pieces of legislation (counting companion bills once) were evaluated.  The Center judged 76 of them as having a negative effect on freedom.

The average legislator index score of -49.4 indicates that the General Assembly moved Rhode Island in the wrong direction, and that Rhode Islanders are less free than they were in 2013. That result does represent a modest improvement from -56.6 the previous year.  (The lowest possible score is -100.)  However, it’s important to remember that it’s only an improvement in that the General Assembly is harming Rhode Island at a slightly slower rate. Actual improvement has yet to be made.

This index underscores our Center’s view that the RI General Assembly continues not to positively address the dire business climate of our state and that a Constitutional Convention may be the only way to move the Ocean State toward growth and an improved standard of living.

Other findings include:

• Average House index of -51.0 (up from -58.6)
• Average Senate index of -46.7 (up from -52.4)
• Average House Democrat index of -53.8 (up from -63.1)
• Average House Republican index of -19.1 (down from -7.1)
• Average Senate Democrat index of -48.5 (up from -56.1)
• Average Senate Republican index of -38.0 (down from -33.2)
• Average Regulatory Environment index of -47.1 (up from -67.5)
• Average Tax & Budget index of -56.4 (down from -37.2)
• Average Constitutional Government index of -4.8 (up from -61.6)
• Average Public Sector Labor index of -69.5 (down from -44.0)
• Average Education Reform index of -23.1 (up from -86.4)