Increases the imprisonment penalty for animal fighting from 2 to 5 yrs for a subsequent conviction under § 4-1-9 and would also require mandatory community service
Prohibits any health insurer, pharmacy benefit manager, manufacturer or other third-party payor from discriminating against any 340B entity participating in a drug discount program.
Maddy summaryHB 5235 caps interest rates on medical debt owed to healthcare providers. It limits interest to the weekly average one-year Treasury yield (with a minimum of 1.5% and maximum of 4% annually), as reported by the Federal Reserve. This applies only to new medical debt incurred after the bill takes effect, directly affecting consumers with unpaid medical bills. The law aims to prevent excessive interest charges on healthcare costs without altering existing debt.
Requires certified athletic trainers to be trained in the administration of epinephrine auto-injectors (epi-pens) and would require such professionals to be equipped with the medication while performing professional activities.
Maddy summaryHB 6060 extends the authorization for licensed physical therapists to order diagnostic imaging (like X-rays or MRIs) beyond the original December 31, 2025, sunset date. The bill modifies existing law to permanently remove the expiration date, allowing physical therapists to continue this practice without further legislative action. It maintains existing requirements, including reporting imaging results to a patient’s primary care physician within seven days (if one exists) and mandating annual utilization reports from healthcare plans to the legislature. This directly affects physical therapists and their patients by preserving current clinical authority.
Maddy summaryHB 6212 reclassifies certain gift card fraud offenses as larceny under criminal law, directly affecting gift card holders, issuers, and retailers. The bill makes it a crime to: (1) steal or keep a gift card without consent under $1,500 (larceny, up to $1,000 fine or 1 year in jail), (2) alter a gift card (misdemeanor, same penalties), or (3) use stolen cards over $1,500 (larceny with standard penalties). It replaces prior civil penalties ($250 max) with criminal consequences for intentional fraud. The law takes effect upon passage and applies to both physical and digital gift cards.
Authorizes veterinarians to establish a client-patient relationship through electronic means, subject to limitations and requirements such as Vet making a good faith effort to determine if care should be provided through telemedicine instead of in person.
Updates the statutory terminology by replacing the phrase "institutions of higher learning" with that of "educational institutions", and would redefine child daycare centers as educational institutions.
Maddy summaryHB 5558 requires all new and renewing contractor applicants in Rhode Island to submit a legible copy of a valid government-issued ID as part of their registration application. This change directly affects individuals and businesses seeking to register as contractors, adding a new verification step to the existing application process. The bill does not alter other requirements like insurance documentation, education hours, or background checks, but mandates this ID submission to confirm applicant identity. The provision takes effect upon passage and applies to all contractor registration applications submitted after the law is enacted.
Maddy summaryHB 6063 upgrades penalties for specific personal watercraft safety violations from civil to criminal offenses. It makes violations of safety rules in sections 46-27-2(b) and 46-27-2(h) punishable as misdemeanors, with fines up to $500 or up to six months in jail per violation, plus potential six-month operating suspensions. Other safety rule violations remain civil offenses with $250 fines. The law directly affects personal watercraft operators in Rhode Island who break these specific safety provisions.
