Allows the office of health insurance commissioner (OHIC) as the state agency that has the authority to designate patient-centered medical home (PCMH) care to obtain maximal health outcomes.
Maddy summarySB 2101 establishes Rhode Island's Medical Primary Care Scholarship Program to address provider shortages. It provides up to five $70,000 annual scholarships per year for medical students and five $47,000 annual scholarships for nurse practitioner or physician assistant students. Recipients must agree to work in Rhode Island primary care for a period matching their scholarship duration (4 years for med students, 2 years for NPs/PAs) and sign a promissory note for funds received. The program, administered by the Department of Health and Commissioner of Postsecondary Education, aims to recruit and retain primary care providers to meet the state's growing healthcare needs.
Allows municipalities participating in the state prekindergarten program to accept students from outside the municipality under certain conditions and establishes a lottery for enrollment in the program.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution directs the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to partner with the Town of New Shoreham and the Department of Health to create a regulatory plan for managing deer populations on Block Island. The goal is to reduce the high rates of tick-borne illnesses affecting residents and visitors by implementing strategies such as licensed hunting, culling, or fertility control. The resulting framework must include safety protocols, a permitting process for deer management, data collection on deer and tick trends, and public education on disease prevention. The department is required to submit a report with its proposed plan and recommendations to state officials within six months of the resolution's adoption.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution officially designates June 2026 as "Portuguese American Heritage Month" in Rhode Island to honor the state's Portuguese American community. The bill directs the Secretary of State to send certified copies of the resolution to state officials, the Portuguese government, and local organizations. While it does not alter laws or funding, it serves as a formal acknowledgment of the cultural, economic, and historical contributions of Portuguese Americans to the state.
Creates a state program and fund to finance adaptive reuse and mixed-use housing projects, requires affordable units and labor standards, and provides oversight to expand housing until 2035.
Maddy summarySB 2457, the Rhode Island Kratom Act, requires retailers to store all kratom products behind a locked case until sold, directly affecting businesses selling kratom. The bill prohibits sales to anyone under 21, mandating valid photo ID (like a driver's license or passport) to verify age at purchase. These rules take effect April 1, 2026, applying to all kratom product transactions in Rhode Island. The law focuses on physical storage and age verification as its core mechanisms.
Provides that statements by a health care provider regarding the unanticipated outcome of a patient's medical care and treatment shall be inadmissible as evidence of an admission of liability or as evidence of an admission.
Maddy summarySB 2186 allows individuals with disabilities to obtain up to two motor vehicle disability parking placards instead of the current limit of one. This directly affects people with disabilities who own multiple vehicles or require parking access for different vehicles. The bill amends existing law to increase the number of placards permitted per person, simplifying access to disability parking privileges. It does not change eligibility requirements or add new administrative processes. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 16, 2026, and referred to committee.
Maddy summarySB 2109 prohibits health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from requiring or conducting insurance reviews for prescriptions used to treat opioid or alcohol use disorder. Specifically, it blocks reviews for medications containing methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone, or for any FDA-approved medication managing opioid withdrawal. The bill directly affects patients seeking addiction treatment and insurers/pharmacy managers handling these prescriptions. It also requires Medicaid managed care organizations to use state-set medical necessity criteria for reviews. The law takes effect upon passage.
