Sen. Bridget Valverde

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Embryo Safety and Storage Act of 2025, establishes new regulations for facilities that store human embryos. It requires the state Department of Health to oversee and license these storage facilities to ensure they meet safety standards. The law directly impacts clinics and organizations that provide embryo storage services, as they will need to comply with the new licensing requirements. By creating a formal regulatory framework, the bill aims to standardize how embryos are handled and stored within the state.

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.

Requires police commission on standards/training to provide training/instructions for police detectives/officers/trainees to deal with traumatized youth resulting from incidents requiring a law enforcement response.

Restricts increases in monthly common expenses and limit special assessments to cover unforeseen costs not included in the condo association’s approved annual budget for common expenses where the minority of the units are deed-restricted units.

Prohibits a healthcare provider from requiring patients to provide electronic payment information to be kept on file as a condition to receiving treatment and makes it a violation a deceptive trade practice.

Disqualifies individuals with prior felony convictions or nolo contendere pleas from purchasing or possessing a firearm. It also prevents the sentencing judge from suspending the first two (2) years of any sentence under limited circumstances.

Imposes a seventy-five cent (0.75) surcharge on fares charged by rideshare companies as well as an account to benefit RIPTA from the payment of sales taxes collected from rideshares.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Residential Solar Energy Disclosure and Homeowners Bill of Rights Act to clarify definitions and improve disclosure requirements for solar energy agreements. It directly affects homeowners and solar retailers by updating standard forms used for lease and purchase agreements to include clearer details about costs, payment schedules, and customer responsibilities. The bill introduces a specific provision for catastrophic loss, allowing customers to temporarily suspend lease payments if their property becomes uninhabitable, though it does not cancel the remaining payments. Additionally, the legislation requires more transparent information on insurance responsibilities and potential federal tax credits in purchase agreements.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $118,422 in state funding to the Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) to support its Dual Ombudsman program, which assists approximately 40,000 Rhode Islanders who receive both Medicare and Medicaid coverage. The program helps these individuals navigate complex healthcare enrollment rules, resolve claim denials, access care, and understand changes in their coverage options. The funding would match federal Medicaid dollars to maintain the program's current capacity for the 2027 fiscal year, preventing its termination as proposed in the state budget. This support is particularly important during a major transition in Rhode Island's managed care system for dual-eligible enrollees, when fewer trusted resources are available to help them navigate their healthcare options.

Increases continuing education requirements for physician assistants, removes restrictions of PAs to render charitable care and aid for school and youth programs or cardiac arrest and removes restrictive covenants as to ownership by a PA.