Scholar-Athlete Awards Ceremony

2:30pm Child Care in RI

AGENDA:

1. Welcome
2. Review Highlights from Previous Meeting
3. Provider and Legislative Updates
4. Agency Reports
5. Discussion about 2021 Child Care Awareness Day Event
6. Adjournment

3:30pm House Committee on Finance

SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION

• S0002 by Goodwin, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Lawson, Euer, Gallo, Felag, Coyne, Cano, Burke 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.)
• H6249 by McEntee, Carson, Felix, Cortvriend, Phillips, Costantino, Giraldo, Fogarty, Caldwell, Kazarian ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS – EMPLOYMENT SECURITY – GENERAL PROVISIONS (Increases partial unemployment benefits by disregarding an amount of earnings when calculating weekly benefit rate with expiration date of 6/30/22.)
• S0079 by Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Gallo, Cano, Pearson, Sosnowski, Euer, DiPalma, Ciccone 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.)

4pm Rhode Island House of Representatives

IN ORDER:

1. H5491 by Ackerman ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION – FINANCIAL LITERACY
2. H6051 by Kennedy ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO AERONAUTICS – RHODE ISLAND TF GREEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
3. H5223 SUB A by Shekarchi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ENABLING THE STATE LOTTERY DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO CONTRACT WITH IGT GLOBAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION AND TWIN RIVER
4. H5016 by Slater ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION – PROPERTY SUBJECT TO TAXATION – EXEMPTIONS
5. H6266 by Solomon ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF M.E. O’BRIEN & SONS, INC.
6. S0708 by Lawson ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO A TAX AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE AND EXXONMOBIL OIL CORPORATION

4pm Rhode Island Senate

Senate OKs bill to give patients, doctors, flexibility in insurers’ prescription requirements

The Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Hanna M. Gallo to give doctors and patients some relief from rigid insurance prescription requirements known as “step therapy.”

Step therapy is a cost-savings tool implemented by the insurance industry that forces patients to try and fail on medications other than what their doctor has prescribed before their insurer will cover the cost of the original medication.

Under step therapy, a patient must try one or more drugs chosen by their insurer — usually based on financial, not medical, considerations — before coverage is granted for the drug prescribed by the patient’s health care provider. Step therapy is applied to drugs treating a wide range of diseases and chronic conditions, including cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, mental health issues and more.

Senator Gallo’s bill (2021-S 0302), which has passed the Senate several times in the past, would give doctors and patients a transparent process to appeal step therapy for patients who need a particular treatment. 

“One size does not fit all in health care. Doctors are best able to determine what the best treatment would be for their patients, and requiring patients to fail at other treatments before they can get what their doctor recommends can be very harmful to patients’ health. It is understandable that insurers would prefer that doctors try less-expensive treatments when possible, but there needs to be some flexibility in situations when a doctor has reason to believe a patient shouldn’t do that,” said Senator Gallo (D-Dist. 27, Cranston, West Warwick).

The bill requires that insurers that provide prescription coverage base step therapy protocols on appropriate clinical practice guidelines or published peer review data developed by independent experts with knowledge of the condition or conditions under consideration. It also requires that patients be exempt from step therapy protocols when inappropriate, and that patients have access to a fair, transparent and independent process for requesting an exception to a step therapy protocol when the patient’s physician deems it appropriate.

The act, which would affect insurance policies provided, issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2022, does not ban step therapy or limit the number of steps an insurer can implement.

More than 30 other states have passed similar laws to what is being proposed in Rhode Island. 

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, where Rep. Patricia A. Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick) is sponsoring its companion (2021-H 5704). (From a press release)

IN ORDER:

1. S0302 by Gallo ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE – ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES – STEP THERAPY PROTOCOLS
2. S0655 SUB A by Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION – BRISTOL COUNTY WATER SUPPLY
3. S0656 by Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION – BRISTOL COUNTY WATER SUPPLY
4. S0831 by de la Cruz ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION – LEVY AND ASSESSMENT OF LOCAL TAXES
5. S0862 by Felag ENTITLED, AN ACT VALIDATING AND RATIFYING AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CHARTER OF THE TOWN OF BRISTOL
6. S0015 by McCaffrey ENTITLED, JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE – PROCEDURE TO FILL VACANCY IN OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE, ATTORNEY GENERAL OR GENERAL TREASURER
7. S0057 by McCaffrey ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS – GENERAL STATE OFFICES
8. S0059 SUB A by Ruggerio ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT – STATEWIDE PUBLIC SAFETY COMPUTER AIDED RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
9. S0060 by Goldin ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS – RHODE ISLAND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES REPORTING
10. S0263 SUB A by Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES – CHILDREN
11. S0264 SUB A by Coyne ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS – THE ELDER ADULT FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION PREVENTION ACT
12. S0392 by F Lombardi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY – CONDOMINIUM LAW – RESALE OF UNITS
13. S0398 by Burke ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS – MARRIAGE LICENSES
14. S0412 by DiMario ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES – ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN
15. S0600 by Paolino ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE-PROCEDURE GENERALLY – FEES
16. S0607 by McCaffrey ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO AERONAUTICS – THE PERMANENT AIR QUALITY MONITORING ACT
17. S0679 by Archambault ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS – SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES
18. S0858 by Goodwin ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS – EMPLOYMENT SECURITY – GENERAL PROVISIONS
19. S0749 by Goodwin ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY – JOINT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
20. S0850 by Calkin ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY – PERMANENT JOINT COMMITTEE ON NAMING ALL NEW BUILDINGS, BRIDGES, EDIFICES AND OTHER STATE CONSTRUCTIONS
21. S0863 by Felag ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE – RHODE ISLAND VETERANS’ HOME
22. H6037 by Kazarian ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO A TAX AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF EAST PROVIDENCE AND EXXONMOBIL OIL CORPORATION

Senate Consent Calendar

IN ORDER:

1. S0888 by Burke ENTITLED, SENATE RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING THE WEST WARWICK HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL TEAM ON WINNING THE RHODE ISLAND GIRLS VOLLEYBALL DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP
2. S0889 by Euer ENTITLED, SENATE RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING MAY 17-23, AS “QUAHOG WEEK 2021” IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
3. H5504 by O’Brien ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES – REGULATION OF SALES
4. H5907 by Marszalkowski ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF NEW ENGLAND REAL ESTATE MARKETING SERVICES, INC.
5. H6131 by J Lombardi ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF ROBERT O. CERRONI AUTO REPAIR SERVICES, INC.
6. H6143 by Caldwell ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF SALON VOGUE, INC.
7. H6233 by P Morgan ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF RIVER BEND CONDOMINIUM HOMEOWNER’S ASSOCIATION, INC.

5pm House Finance Subcommittee on Education

Agenda

• RI State Council on the Arts

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
• Elementary and Secondary Education:
  • FY2021 Supplemental and FY2022 Budgets
  • March Student Data Update

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

• S0828 by Pearson ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION – FOUNDATION LEVEL SCHOOL SUPPORT (Extends the time period that schools have to commence construction to correct health and safety deficiencies in order to qualify for increased school housing aid.)

6pm House Committee on Corporations

SCHEDULED FOR CONSIDERATION

• H5270 by Diaz, McNamara, Slater, Perez, Giraldo, Felix, Biah, Tobon, S Lima, Abney ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS – HOTELS-HUMAN TRAFFICKING REPORTING AND PREVENTION ACT (Creates the Human Trafficking Reporting and Prevention Act applicable to hotels, requiring them to educate their employees about identifying, reporting and preventing human trafficking, on their premises.)
• H5644 by Solomon ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PROPERTY – CONDOMINIUM LAW – RESALE OF UNITS (Allows a condominium association to impose a fee of up to $125 for preparation of a resale certificate.)
• H6064 (Secretary of State) by Caldwell ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS – MERGER AND CONSOLIDATION (Amends the Rhode Island Nonprofit Corporation Act regarding consolidation and merger.)

SCHEDULED FOR HEARING AND/OR CONSIDERATION

• H6276 by Williams ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – COMMUNITY ANTENNA TELEVISION SYSTEMS (Requires cable operators to provide 60 day and 30 day notices to subscribers prior to the expiration of a contract six months or longer and would prohibit automatic renewal of same.)
• H6277 by Williams ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – REIMBURSEMENT AND OVERCHARGED ELECTRICITY CUSTOMERS (Directs the public utility commission to order electricity suppliers to return to its customers that were wrongfully overcharged, concerning the underwater electricity transmission cable to the town of New Shoreham project.)
• H6278 by Quattrocchi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS – WATER SUPPLY (Provides that water utility companies be responsible for all costs associated with maintenance, operation and delivery of water to individual parcels of land.)
• H6279 by Quattrocchi ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF HOPE SANITARY ASSOCIATION H6300 by Casey, Kennedy, Kazarian, Edwards, S Lima, Messier, Noret, O’Brien, Williams, Phillips ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES – OUT-OF-STATE DIRECT WINE SHIPMENT LICENSE (Creates an out-of-state direct wine shipment license along with numerous regulatory provisions.)
• S0855 by Lombardo, Archambault ENTITLED, AN ACT TO VACATE THE FORFEITURE OR REVOCATION OF THE CHARTER OF PAINT & COLOR, INC.