Rep. Susan Donovan

Maddy summaryHB 7854 updates condominium laws to improve transparency for condo owners and management. It requires clearer financial reporting and communication about building decisions, such as maintenance costs and rule changes. The bill also establishes a neutral ombudsman position to help resolve disputes between condo owners and board members. This directly affects all condominium associations and their residents across the state.

Allows an owner or owners of real property to execute a deed that names one or more beneficiaries who will obtain title to the property at the owner's death without the necessity of probate.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new legal pathway for distillery manufacturers to obtain a special permit that allows them to sell and serve their own distilled spirits at off-site events like weddings, corporate functions, and festivals. Under the new provisions, distilleries would need to use mobile bar units or temporary service structures and follow strict rules including responsible service training, ID verification for younger patrons, and limits on the number of drinks served per person. The legislation also requires distilleries to purchase alcohol from licensed retailers unless they hold a wholesale license, and it prohibits serving any spirits other than those manufactured by the licensed distillery.

Limits the use by insurers of step therapy, a protocol that establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs for a specified medical condition are covered by an insurer, by allowing medical providers to request step therapy exceptions.

Includes any costs paid by an enrollee or on behalf of the enrollee by a third party when calculating an enrollee’s overall contribution to any out-of-pocket maximum or cost sharing requirement under a health plan as of January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 7950 regulates prescription drug price increases in Rhode Island by imposing a penalty on manufacturers who raise prices without new clinical evidence. It targets "identified drugs" with "unsupported price increases" as determined by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). Manufacturers face an 80% penalty on the revenue difference between actual sales and what they would have earned at the prior year's wholesale cost (adjusted for inflation), but only if their annual sales exceed $250,000 in the state. The penalty applies for two years after a drug appears on ICER's annual report of unsupported increases. This directly affects drug manufacturers selling in Rhode Island who implement such price hikes.

Requires the state and private health insurers to reimburse claims for healthcare services provided by nurse practitioners and physician assistants at the same amount as the reimbursement paid to a physician performing the service in the area served.

Maddy summaryHB 8143 allows cities and towns to rehire public safety retirees (such as police officers and firefighters) under specific conditions. The bill establishes a framework for municipal employers to bring back qualified retired employees, subject to defined criteria like position availability and approval processes. This directly affects retired public safety workers seeking to return to service and local governments managing staffing needs. The law focuses on creating a clear, conditional process for reemployment without altering retirement benefits or eligibility rules.

Provides for fair pharmacy reimbursement from a pharmacy benefit manager, and also provides anti-discrimination prohibitions in regard to non-affiliated pharmacies or pharmacists.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates March 19, 2026, as "Rhode Island College Day" in the State of Rhode Island to honor the institution's contributions to the community. The resolution recognizes Rhode Island College as the state's oldest public college and highlights its academic programs, athletic teams, and recent investments in modernizing science and cybersecurity facilities. It directs the Secretary of State to send a certified copy of the resolution to the college's president as a formal acknowledgment of the institution's achievements.