Government

Rhode Island State house Thursday, April 29, 2021

Thursday, April 29, 2021 1pm Governor’s COVID-19 Press Conference 2:15pm Governor McKee Signs Bill Requiring Full Coverage of Colorectal Cancer Screening Governor Dan McKee, joined by Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick), Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence), Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence) and House Deputy Majority Whip Mia

Rhode Island News: Rhode Island State house Thursday, April 29, 2021

April 29, 2021, 4:07 pm

By Uprise RI Staff

Thursday, April 29, 2021

1pm Governor’s COVID-19 Press Conference

2:15pm Governor McKee Signs Bill Requiring Full Coverage of Colorectal Cancer Screening

Governor Dan McKee, joined by Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick), Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence), Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence) and House Deputy Majority Whip Mia A. Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln, today signed into law the Maryellen Goodwin Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (S-383A, H-5432A) which provides full insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screenings. The bill-signing took place at Miriam Hospital where Majority Whip Goodwin is currently undergoing treatment for colon cancer.

“I can personally attest to how critically important it is that everyone is able to get recommended colorectal cancer screening. Cancer screening is routine preventive care that catches cancer early and saves lives as well as reducing health care costs down the road. Copays, cost-sharing and insurers that don’t cover pre-screening only discourage people from getting the care they need to protect themselves. This legislation will save lives by increasing access to these life-saving screenings,” said Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence), Senate bill sponsor.

“Early detection saves lives. Colorectal cancer is the second most common type of cancer, and it is 90 percent curable if it is caught early. In addition to saving lives, identifying colorectal cancer early saves money because treating it then is far less complicated and less costly than when it is advanced,” said Deputy Majority Whip Mia A. Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln), House bill sponsor. “Everybody involved – doctors, patients and insurers – is on board with this bill, and I’m proud to have been able to bring it to passage this year. It’s a bill that will truly save lives.”

“Expanding access to colorectal cancer screenings will save lives,” said Governor McKee. “I am proud to sign this bill into law, removing barriers many Rhode Islanders face in accessing crucial screenings. I thank Senate Majority Whip Goodwin, House Deputy Majority Whip Ackerman and all the inspiring advocates who championed this effort and worked tirelessly to ensure this bill becomes law.”

The bill will require Rhode Island health insurance plans and nonprofit hospital and medical corporation plans to provide coverage for screenings for prostate and colorectal cancers, as recommended by the American Cancer Society. This coverage would include initial screening examinations, as well as a follow-up colonoscopy if necessary. The bill also prohibits insurers from imposing cost-sharing on any of the screenings covered by this bill, as long as the services are delivered within the insurer’s provider network.

3pm Senate Committee on Commerce

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

  • S0280 by Pearson, Seveney ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION – LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES (Changes the tax classification for cable television assets.)
  • S0340 by DiPalma, Murray, Sosnowski, Kallman, Seveney, Morgan, Euer, Burke ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW – GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS – INTERNET PRIVACY AND SECURITY (Establishes that manufacturers of devices capable of connecting to the Internet equip the devices with reasonable security features.)
  • S0342 by DiPalma, Picard, Anderson, Seveney, Lombardo, Felag, Valverde, Euer, Burke ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS – NET NEUTRALITY (Requires Internet service providers to follow Internet service neutrality requirements.)

3pm Senate Committee on Judiciary

SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION

  • S0065 by Miller, Coyne, Quezada, Archambault, Bell, Murray, Valverde, DiMario, Acosta ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS – UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT – OFFENSES AND PENALTIES (Excludes the possession of buprenorphine from those controlled substances that can result in criminal penalties.)
  • S0263 by Coyne, Ruggerio, Gallo, Lombardo, Goodwin, McCaffrey, Sosnowski, Miller, F Lombardi, DiMario ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES – CHILDREN (Raises the legal age for persons to purchase or be sold or delivered certain tobacco products, electronic nicotine-delivery systems and liquid nicotine containers from 18 years of age to 21 years of age.)
  • S0318 by Archambault, F Lombardi, Coyne, Euer, Burke ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES – PASSING, USE OF LANES, AND RULES OF THE ROAD (Provides for specific fines and sanctions to operators of motor vehicles who fail to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a vulnerable road user causing injury, serious injury, or death to the vulnerable road user.)
  • S0518 by McCaffrey, Anderson, Ciccone, Quezada ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES – GENERAL PROVISIONS (Delineates the definitions of felony, misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor.)
  • S0676(Judiciary) by Euer ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES – RESPONSIBILITY OF OWNERS OF RENTAL VEHICLES (Provides that violations of chapter 34 of title 31 pertaining to rental vehicles are civil violations subject to the jurisdiction of the Rhode Island traffic tribunal.)
  • S0681 (Judiciary) by F Lombardi, Archambault, McCaffrey ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HIGHWAYS – FREEWAYS (Eliminates the provision a person who solicits a ride in a motor vehicle or backs up a motor vehicle on a freeway is guilty of a misdemeanor. Adds $100 fine for advertising a motor vehicle for sale on a state highway to the schedule of violations.)

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

  • S0684 (Attorney General) by Archambault, Lombardo, Sosnowski, Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW – GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS – DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES (Penalty of $10,000 for violating Deceptive Trade Practices Act.)
  • S0718 by McCaffrey ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY – RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT (Requires a landlord to obtain and have in full force and effect a general liability policy of at least $100k for those persons injured on the premises due to the negligence of the landlord.)
  • S0724 (Judiciary) by McCaffrey ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCE – STATE FUNDS (Adds the Judiciary’s Indirect Cost Recovery/Supreme Court, Victims’ Rights Information, RI Supreme Court Disciplinary Counsel and Small Claims Mediation accounts to the list of restricted receipt accounts which are not subject to indirect cost recovery.)
  • S0726 (Judiciary) by Coyne, F Lombardi, Euer ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES – LAW PRACTICE (Provides that the rules and unauthorized practice of law committee would be approved and promulgated by the supreme court.)
  • S0729 (Attorney General) by Quezada, Cano ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE – PROCEDURE GENERALLY – CAUSES OF ACTION (Expands and creates civil causes of action for certain protected groups who experience threats or intimidation.)
  • S0730 (Attorney General) by Archambault ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – COUNTY GRAND JURIES (Permits county and statewide grand juries to issue reports with review/acceptance by superior court with sunset date of July 1, 2026.)
  • S0731 (Attorney General) by Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – INTERCEPTION OF WIRE AND ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (Authorizes wire tap application for Human Trafficking offense investigations.)
  • S0733 by F Lombardi, McCaffrey ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE – PROCEDURE ON PARTICULAR ACTIONS – CONTRIBUTION AMONG JOINT TORTFEASORS (Limits credit of tortfeasor to amount paid by released tortfeasor.)
  • S0735 (Judiciary) by Coyne, F Lombardi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE – COURTS – COURT ADMINISTRATION (Invests the chief justice of the supreme court with the explicit authority to address issues affecting the conduct of judicial business and order whatever response(s) he or she deems necessary.)
  • S0736 by Archambault, McCaffrey ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE-PROCEDURE GENERALLY – CAUSES OF ACTION (Products liability defense of subsequent alteration eliminated.)
  • S0795 by McCaffrey ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – DEPARTMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL (Requires general treasurer to allocate 30% of all settlement proceeds from a multi-state initiative to the attorney general restricted account.)
  • S0803 by Archambault ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – SENTENCE OR EXECUTION (Amends Hate Crimes Sentencing Act. Adds gender identity, expression to protected groups. Clarifies sentencing enhancements for hate crimes against victims in a protected group. Permits sentencing to community service or educational classes.)
  • S0422 by Archambault, Burke, Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FIDUCIARIES – UNIFORM DIRECTED TRUST ACT (Permits the settlor of a trust to designate a trust director who shall be a person other than the trustee to direct actions relative to a trust and pursuant to any power of direction.)
  • S0673 by F Lombardi, Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS – PARTNERSHIPS-RHODE ISLAND PARTNERSHIP ACT (Enacts the Uniform Partnership Act of 1997, last amended in 2013, to govern the law of partnerships in this state and would repeal chapter 12 of title 7 entitled “Partnerships”.)
  • S0674 by F Lombardi, Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS – UNIFORM LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ACT (Enacts the Rhode Island Limited Partnership Act to govern the law of limited partnerships in this state and repeal chapter 12 of title 7 entitled “Limited Partnerships”. Effective January 1, 2022.)
  • S0801 by Archambault, Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE-PROCEDURE GENERALLY – UNIFORM FOREIGN-COUNTRY MONEY JUDGMENTS RECOGNITION ACT (Establishes the policies and procedures required for the recognition and enforcement of Foreign-Country Money Judgments and Registration of Canadian Judgments by the superior court.)
  • S0802 by Archambault, Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – UNIFORM UNSWORN DECLARATION ACT (Gives an “unsworn” declaration given under the penalty of perjury the same effect as “a sworn” declaration, and subject to the criminal penalties for perjury.)
  • S0826 (Secretary of State) by F Lombardi, Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS – UNIFORM LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ACT (Enacts the Rhode Island Limited Partnership Act to govern the law of limited partnerships in this state and repeal chapter 12 of title 7 entitled “Limited Partnerships”. Effective 1/1/2022.)

4pm House Committee on Finance

SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION

  • H5012 by Slater, O’Brien ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – NURSING HOME STAFFING AND QUALITY CARE ACT (Mandates minimum staffing levels and standards for quality care for nursing homes and their residents.)
  • H5224 by Shekarchi, Diaz, Amore, Baginski, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Potter, Felix, Biah, Batista ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION (Removes the requirement that the scholarship program cease with the enrollment of the high school graduating class of 2021 at the community college of Rhode Island.)
  • H6122 (Governor) by Abney ENTITLED, AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE STATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022
  • Article 11. Adult Use Marijuana

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

  • H5451 by Williams, Vella-Wilkinson, Slater, Felix, Alzate ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS – THE EDWARD O. HAWKINS AND THOMAS C. SLATER MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT (Apportions remaining revenue in the restricted receipt accounts, after department of health expenses, from the Edward O. Hawkins and Thomas C. Slater Medical Marijuana Act to the distressed communities relief fund and charitable organizations.)
  • H5452 by Williams, Messier, Vella-Wilkinson, Slater, Felix, Alzate ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS – THE EDWARD O. HAWKINS AND THOMAS C. SLATER MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT (Requires DBR to perform social equity/face analysis in licensing process/arrest/conviction rates by 1/1/22. Removes barriers affecting persons of color/establishes loan program/expunges past criminal convictions.)
  • H5453 by Slater, Williams ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FOOD AND DRUGS – THE EDWARD O. HAWKINS AND THOMAS C. SLATER MEDICAL MARIJUANA ACT (Creates hardship designation for patients on SSDI, Medicaid, establishes discount medicine program, eliminates plant tagging, allows unlimited compassion center licenses, redefines debilitating condition, reduces compassion center license fee to $5,000.)

4pm House Committee on Oversight

AGENDA

  • Non-Emergency Medical Transportation for older adults and Medicaid recipients (MTM)
    1. Update on services during the pandemic
    2. Update on contract process

5pm Senate Committee on Finance

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING

  • H6122 (Governor) by Abney ENTITLED, AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE STATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022
  • Department of Environmental Management: FY2021 Supplemental and FY2022 Budgets
    • Article 1, Section 19 (amendment): Underground Storage Fee Transfer
    • Article 6, Section 6: DEM Parking Fees
    • Article 7: Environment
    • Article 10: Fishing Industry Modernization
  • Coastal Resources Management Council: FY2021 Supplemental and FY2022 Budgets
    • Article 6, Section 8: CRMC penalties

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

  • S0364 by Archambault, Euer, Lombardo, Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION (Entitles dairy farms to the exemptions from taxation granted to farmland, forestland, or open space.)
  • S0479 by Anderson, Calkin, Raptakis, Rogers, DiMario, Bell, DiPalma, Lawson, Cano ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – RHODE ISLAND RESOURCE RECOVERY CORPORATION (Requires Resource Recovery to waive tipping fees for solid waste collected by local watershed councils established and recognized by the Rhode Island Rivers Council)
  • S0584 by Sosnowski, Miller, Euer, Ciccone, Kallman ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – THE PERCENTAGE OF INCOME HOME ENERGY AFFORDABILITY ACT (Creates the Percentage of Income Home Energy Affordability Program, an income-sensitive tiered subsidy program to ensure that home energy utility costs are affordable for eligible low-income households.)
  • S0760 by DiPalma ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS – GREEN BUILDINGS ACT (Repeals the expiration provisions that major facility projects or other public improvements comply with green building standards, thereby requiring major facility projects of state agencies to be constructed to LEED standards.)
  • S0761 by Miller, Seveney, Murray, DiMario, Euer ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS – STATE PURCHASES (Prohibits the use of state funds to purchase single-serving bottled water or single-use plastic bags or expanded polystyrene.)
  • 04/01/2021 Introduced, referred to S0762 by DiMario, Kallman, Valverde, Cano, Raptakis, Goodwin, Mack, Mendes, Anderson, Acosta ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (Waives beach parking fees at any state beach for any person that qualifies for a free or reduced lunch pursuant to state law.)

5pm Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION

  • S0305 by Miller, Coyne, DiPalma, Goodwin, McCaffrey, Valverde, Lawson, Goldin, Calkin, DiMario ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – ALCOHOLISM (Requires the dept of behavioral healthcare/developmental disabilities/hospitals to coordinate with the DOH to propose revisions to chapter 1.10 and 10.1 of title 23, including updates and revisions of statutory language and evidence-based best practices.)
  • S0484 by Quezada, Cano, Mack, DiPalma, Felag, Lombardo, Calkin, Acosta, Lawson, Valverde ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES – MEDICAL ASSISTANCE – PERINATAL DOULA SERVICES (Provides for medical assistance health care for expectant mothers and would establish medical assistance coverage and reimbursement rates for perinatal doula services. Effective 7/1/22.)
  • S0651 by Coyne, DiMario, Kallman, Quezada, Valverde, Sosnowski, Gallo, Lawson, de la Cruz, Euer ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – THE BREAST CANCER ACT (Allows individuals to be sent breast cancer screening results by mail, electronically or otherwise.)
  • S0713 (Dept. of Health) by Goodwin ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – OFFICE OF STATE MEDICAL EXAMINERS (Removes the sunset provision on the requirement that the office of state medical examiners be responsible for a multidisciplinary team review of drug related overdose deaths.)

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

  • S0168 by Euer, Murray, Kallman, Goldin, Cano, Sosnowski, Gallo, Lawson, DiMario, Valverde ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Requires every individual or group health insurance contract effective on or after January 1, 2022, to provide coverage to the insured and the insured’s spouse and dependents for all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, devices and other products.)
  • S0302 by Gallo, Lombardo ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES – STEP THERAPY PROTOCOLS (Requires health insurers that issue prescription drug coverage to use step therapy protocols.)
  • S0304 by Archambault, Euer, Lombardo, McCaffrey, Valverde ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – UNANTICIPATED OUT-OF-NETWORK BILLS FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES (Protects people with health insurance from surprise medical bills for emergency and other services by requiring a non-participating health care provider to bill an insured party only for a co-payment, or deductible.)
  • S0485 by DiMario, Kallman, Euer, Goldin, Valverde ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Requires health insurance contract plans or policies to provide coverage for a backup battery for at-home medical devices.)
  • S0643 by DiMario, Miller, Lawson, Valverde, Goldin, Mendes ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Requires insurance providers to seek recoupment or set off of insurance payments made to health care providers within twelve (12) months and require health care providers to seek reimbursement for underpayment within 12 months.)
  • S0644 by de la Cruz ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES – MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (Provides medical assistance coverage for medical services provided qualifying eligible recipients for community based care.)
  • S0646 by Lawson, Lombardo, Seveney, Quezada, Miller, Sosnowski, Cano, Pearson, Euer, Burke ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE (Requires coverage for treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, including, but not limited to, the use of intravenous immunoglobin therapy.)
  • S0647 by DiMario, Miller, Lawson, Valverde, Goldin, Mendes ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – THE RHODE ISLAND HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT OF 2004-HEALTH INSURANCE OVERSIGHT (Requires the health insurance commissioner to adopt a uniform set of medical criteria for prior authorization and create a required form to be used by a health insurer.)
  • S0710 by Mack, Bell, Calkin, Anderson ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES (Requires all health insurance providers offering prescription drug benefits to limit person’s out-of-pocket costs to $100 for 30 day supply. Commencing 1/1/22.)
  • S0712 by Goodwin ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES – LIFETIME LIMITS (Revokes the authority of the health insurance commissioner’s ability to enforce a ruling of the federal government or federal court that revokes the prohibition on limits on health insurance.)
  • S0112 by Euer, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Lawson, Murray ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY – ELECTRONIC MONITORING IN NURSING AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES (Allows for the use of electronic monitoring of a resident’s room or private living unit within a nursing home or assisted living facility.)
  • S0793 by DiPalma, Miller, Murray, Seveney ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES – MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (Requires nursing facilities per diem rates to be adjusted every 3 years or the rate shall automatically increase by 3%. Requires Medicaid rates paid to nursing facilities be increased by the same percentage of any minimum wage increase.)
  • S0380 by Pearson, Miller, Valverde, DiMario, Goldin ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS – DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS (Requires at least one oral and maxillofacial surgeon on the Rhode Island board of examiners in dentistry.)
  • S0709 by Mendes, Mack, Bell, Calkin, Anderson ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – DENTAL INSURANCE (Expands dental insurance coverage, prohibits certain deductions and requires coverage where there is a pre-existing conditions or any earlier treatments. Annual reports must be publicized and filed with the department of health.)