Sen. Pam Lauria

Maddy summarySB 222 requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to reimburse pharmacists at least the national average drug acquisition cost (based on federal CMS data) plus a standard dispensing fee, or the wholesale acquisition cost plus the fee if national data isn't available. This directly affects community pharmacies and PBMs, ensuring they receive fair payment for dispensing medications. The bill mandates PBMs to disclose financial arrangements to regulators and allows the Health Insurance Commissioner to impose civil fines of up to $10,000 per violation for noncompliance. It aims to prevent PBMs from underpaying pharmacies, promoting fair competition in drug pricing.

Provides certain controls over prescription drug costs by imposing transparency, oversight and accountability requirements on commercial insurers and their pharmacy benefit managers.

Sets controls on Medicaid prescription drug costs by imposing transparency and accountability requirements on managed care organizations (MCOs) and their pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

Maddy summarySB 312 would rename the state holiday observed on the second Monday of August from "Victory Day" to "Peace and Remembrance Day" in Rhode Island law. The bill directly affects state employees and official state communications, as it amends the statutory list of state holidays in the General Laws. Key provisions include replacing the current holiday name in Section 25-1-1 and repealing a prior provision (Section 25-1-1.3) that prohibited using other names for the holiday. This change is purely procedural, altering the official designation without creating new policies or funding.

Prohibits a person to sell, offer for sale, display for sale or otherwise distribute a farmed animal fur product within the state and provides graduated civil penalties for violations.

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.

Prohibits the civil arrest of any person who is attending court either on behalf of themselves or a family or household member. Any person who violates this act shall be subject to civil suit, and for contempt of court.

Includes the definition of "primary care services" and requires that all biennial reports shall include a review and recommendation of rates for primary care services on and after September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution urges Rhode Island's federal delegation (Senators Reed and Whitehouse, and Representatives Magaziner and Amo) to demand reversal of policies harming health programs. It specifically calls for restoring U.S. foreign aid (including PEPFAR for HIV care), ending the Mexico City Policy, unfreezing Medicaid funding, and resuming CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The resolution has no legal force but aims to influence federal policy by advocating for reinstating global health cooperation and domestic health protections. It directly targets the federal delegation's role in addressing these specific policy changes.

Requires the electronic filing of domestic violence/sexual assault forms by law enforcement agencies, and enhances the information to be included on the reporting forms.