Expands the deinstitutionalization subsidy aid program in the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals to include adoptive parent(s) or siblings(s).
Requires Rhode Island Medicaid to cover services provided by licensed certified professional midwives and to collect utilization and cost data, while allowing limits consistent with Medicaid rules.
Requires Medicaid to cover services by licensed certified lactation counselors and EOHHS to oversee and implement the program and track related costs and use. It also ensures reimbursement consistent with similar providers.
Maddy summaryHR 7059 is a joint resolution appropriating $100,000 to the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging for the Alliance for Better Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. This funding directly supports the state's ombudsman program, which advocates for residents in nursing homes (76 facilities, 8,405 beds), assisted living residences (65 facilities, 5,209 units), and specialized facilities like the Bristol Veterans’ Home. The program handles complaints - such as abuse, neglect, and care issues - on behalf of vulnerable older adults and individuals with disabilities receiving long-term care. The resolution addresses a funding gap, as the program’s workload has more than tripled since 2023, with complaints rising from 597 to 1,787 in 2025.
Requires every individual or group health insurance contract effective on or after January 1, 2027, to provide coverage to the insured and the insured's spouse and dependents for all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices and other products.
Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Terminal Patients' Right to Try Act, would allow terminally ill patients in Rhode Island to access unapproved drugs, biologics, or medical devices that have completed early clinical trials but are not yet FDA-approved. The law directly affects patients with life-threatening conditions who have exhausted standard treatment options, as well as healthcare providers, facilities, and drug manufacturers involved in their care. Key provisions include granting immunity from lawsuits to manufacturers and providers if they follow proper procedures and obtain informed consent, while also defining specific eligibility criteria such as requiring physician diagnosis and excluding those who can participate in standard clinical trials. The legislation aims to remove legal barriers to accessing experimental treatments while maintaining oversight through institutional review boards and informed consent requirements.
Creates the Rhode Island Student Loan repayment program which would allow eligible individuals who have unpaid student loans, provided said individuals meet specified criteria.
Requires the state investment commission to create a capital access initiative to expand potential investment opportunities for the state’s pension fund and engage qualified but traditionally underrepresented investment managers.
Specifies that pre-k programs for three (3) – and four (4) – year olds be added to programs to increase access to voluntary, free, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs.
Provides that a portion of state income taxes from employees working at not-for-profit healthcare institutions, health service institutions, and educational institutions be allocated to the city of Providence.
