Sen. Alana DiMario

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Rhode Island Drug Cost Review Commission to address rising prescription drug prices by treating them similarly to regulated utilities. The new commission will consist of five appointed members and a thirteen-member advisory board representing patients, doctors, insurers, and other stakeholders. Manufacturers must notify the commission if they plan to increase drug prices by more than ten percent or introduce new drugs costing over thirty thousand dollars annually, triggering a public review process. During these reviews, the commission will analyze costs and vote on whether to set price limits for payers, with decisions made publicly by a simple majority vote.

Requires coverage for residential/inpatient mental health services for detox/stabilization/substance abuse disorders without preauthorization or be subject to concurrent review during the first 28 days.

Creates the Rhode Island baby bond trust to provide investment funds to children born to families with public health insurance or no insurance living in Rhode Island.

Provides the state would cover dialysis for the treatment of end stage renal disease ("ESRD") and kidney transplants for persons who do not qualify for full Medicaid due to their immigration status.

Maddy summarySB 2875 requires health insurance policies in the state to cover qualified interpreter services for medically necessary doctor visits involving non-English-speaking patients. This mandate applies to individual and group health plans, hospital policies, and health maintenance organizations that are delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025. The bill specifies that interpreters must be provided for one-on-one, face-to-face interactions during these appointments, provided that federal laws do not already require such coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Department of Administration to create an online portal that tracks the number of funded full-time equivalent positions in the Departments of Children, Youth and Families and Human Services. The portal will display data broken down by specific job titles, such as social caseworkers and clinical social workers, showing how many positions are budgeted versus how many are currently filled. It requires the site to be updated monthly with side-by-side comparisons of budget proposals and finalized figures to allow for easy tracking of staffing changes over time.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a current exemption that allows certain nursing service agencies accredited by the Joint Commission to operate without state licensure. Under the new rules, these agencies, which currently provide temporary staff to hospitals, will be required to obtain a state license like other nursing services. The change applies specifically to organizations that were previously able to bypass state regulation by maintaining accreditation from the Joint Commission or another entity approved by the state director.

2) MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE ACT (Mandates 20 students per classroom for kindergarten through second grade. Exceptions for emergencies and temporary situations, not to exceed 3 days and mid-year enrollments.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Rhode Island's public prekindergarten program to ensure free, high-quality education for all children ages three and four, with a goal of enrolling at least 70% of eligible children statewide. It creates a mixed-delivery system that combines state funding with existing federal Head Start programs and contracts with various providers, including local schools and licensed child care centers. A key provision requires that teachers and assistants in these programs receive wages comparable to public kindergarten staff to help recruit and retain qualified educators. The legislation also mandates regular reporting to state officials on progress toward universal access and outlines specific quality standards for curriculum, class sizes, and support for diverse student 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.