Rep. Teresa Tanzi

Maddy summaryHB 5452 designates the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) as the lead state agency responsible for all children's behavioral health services, including contracting for necessary programs. It requires DCYF and the Department of Human Services (DHS) to develop a full range of behavioral health services that prioritize alternatives to hospitalization, with a report due by February 1, 2006, detailing implementation plans and metrics. The bill also mandates that DCYF manage psychiatric hospitalizations for all children, requiring crisis intervention services before admission for Medicaid-eligible children not enrolled in RIte Care health plans. This directly affects children needing behavioral health care and the agencies managing their services.

Maddy summaryHB 5620 regulates prescription drug price increases in Rhode Island by imposing penalties on manufacturers who raise prices without supporting medical evidence. It targets drugs identified as having "unsupported price increases" through the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) annual report. Manufacturers with over $250,000 in annual sales within the state face a penalty equal to 80% of the revenue difference between actual sales and what would have been earned at the previous year’s wholesale cost (adjusted for inflation). This law directly affects pharmaceutical companies selling prescription drugs in Rhode Island and aims to curb unjustified price hikes.

Maddy summaryHB 5254 requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to reimburse pharmacists for prescription drugs at a minimum of the national average cost pharmacies pay to acquire drugs plus a dispensing fee equal to Rhode Island's current Medicaid rate for such services. If the national average cost is unavailable, PBMs must pay the wholesale acquisition cost plus the same dispensing fee. This bill directly affects PBMs and pharmacies in Rhode Island by establishing clear reimbursement standards and mandating transparency in financial arrangements. It also authorizes the Health Insurance Commissioner to impose fines of up to $10,000 per violation for non-compliance, aiming to ensure fair compensation and competitive practices.

Requires the secretary of the executive office of health and human services to monitor and mandate changes to the price-setting practices of pharmacy benefit managers to prohibit the spread pricing payment model.

Establishes the Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program for the importation of wholesale prescription drugs from Canada, to provide savings to Rhode Island consumers.

Maddy summaryHB 5980 amends state education funding to cover transportation costs for homeless students attending out-of-district public schools. It directly affects school districts that transport homeless students to non-public schools outside their district boundaries. The bill creates a dedicated funding stream to reimburse districts for these specific transportation expenses, with funds prorated if demand exceeds available funding. This provision aims to reduce financial burdens on districts serving homeless students while ensuring equitable access to education.

Maddy summaryHB 5626 requires most health insurance plans in the state to cover FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices, and related services without cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles). It directly affects individuals with health insurance plans by mandating coverage for specific methods - including emergency contraception, long-acting prescriptions (up to 12 months), sterilization, counseling, and follow-up care - while excluding male condoms and oral contraceptives without therapeutic equivalents. Insurers must cover at least one FDA-approved option per method category without cost-sharing, though they may offer multiple options with cost-sharing if one remains free. The law excludes experimental treatments and Medicare supplemental plans, and ensures coverage applies equally to spouses and dependents.

Takes several measures to lead by example by banning state purchases of plastic bottles, and requires state funds to be used to lease or purchase electric vehicles and renewable energy efficient technologies for use on state property.

Authorizes the collection of a small additional fee, in addition to the registration fee paid by motorboat owners, to be deposited in a restricted account, in order to fund the newly established freshwater lake management program.

Maddy summaryHB 5424 establishes the Rhode Island Climate Superfund Act, requiring large fossil fuel companies that emitted over one billion tons of greenhouse gases between 1990 and 2024 to pay for climate adaptation work already done by the state and municipalities. The bill targets corporations that profited from fossil fuels, directing payments toward climate response efforts like coastal protection, infrastructure upgrades, and emergency planning. Funds collected will be deposited into a dedicated account and used exclusively for qualifying climate adaptation projects. The program mandates that companies pay their share based on emissions data within six months of a formal demand, with payment plans allowed only for very small amounts relative to their profits.