SB 2101 establishes Rhode Island's Medical Primary Care Scholarship Program to address provider shortages. It provides up to five $70,000 annual scholarships per year for medical students and five $47,000 annual scholarships for nurse practitioner or physician assistant students. Recipients must agree to work in Rhode Island primary care for a period matching their scholarship duration (4 years for med students, 2 years for NPs/PAs) and sign a promissory note for funds received. The program, administered by the Department of Health and Commissioner of Postsecondary Education, aims to recruit and retain primary care providers to meet the state's growing healthcare needs.
Requires all schools and educational institutions to develop and implement a school safety plan that would provide for immediate access to school facilities by first responders in an emergency.
Creates an 11-member commission to study and make recommendations on a statewide teacher healthcare plan, and would report quarterly as of September 1, 2026, and submit a final report by September 1, 2027, and expires on December 31, 2027.
Specifies that pre-k programs for three (3) – and four (4) – years olds be added to programs to increase access to voluntary, free, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs.
Prohibits public and private colleges and universities from charging students for institution provided health insurance in the absence of affirmative action by the student opting-in to coverage.
Establishes guidelines, rules and regulations for the implementation and expansion of prekindergarten education programs for children ages 3-4 to increase children’s school readiness statewide.
Establishes provisions for student and teacher classroom safety and provides the authority to remove students from classrooms. This act provides for student and educator protections from said removals.
Establishes the framework to create a medical school at the University of Rhode Island and provides an initial appropriation of five million dollars ($5,000,000) as the first phase of a multi-year investment for the development of a medical school.
This bill creates a new seven-member board of trustees to govern the Central Falls School District, replacing the current special state administrator and advisory group. The board members will be appointed by the state Board of Regents, with at least four required to be local residents and parents of current or former students in the district. Under this structure, the state commissioner of education retains significant oversight, including the power to intervene in school management if deemed necessary, while the new board handles policy-making, budget approval, and superintendent appointments. Additionally, the legislation amends state funding rules to provide direct state support for high-cost special education students and career and technical education programs.
SB 2212 automatically extends teaching licenses for 3 or 5 years without fees or penalties for all teachers certified as of July 1, 2026. It also waives all application and Praxis exam fees for new teacher certifications through June 30, 2029, to support recruitment. The bill requires the Rhode Island Department of Education to revise certification rules to create flexible pathways, including credit for work experience or competency demonstrations, for both initial and additional teaching credentials.
