RHODE ISLAND PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION
2023 General Assembly Activity
Bills Pending in the General Assembly
1. Insurance Coverage for Prevention of HIV infection
Purpose: Requires coverage for the treatment of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of HIV and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for treatment of HIV infection
Click on each of the links below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
Senate S0563 - 06/08/2023 Placed on Senate Calendar (06/13/2023)
House H6150 - 06/08/2023 House passed Sub A
House H5744 - 03/21/2023: Recommended measure be held for further study
2. Prescribing, Dispensing and Administering HIV Prevention Drugs
Purpose: Provides for the prescribing, dispensing and the administering human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention drugs.
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Senate S0585 - 05/09/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Purpose: Permits a licensed pharmacist to prescribe, dispense or administer HIV prevention drugs to an individual who is HIV negative, does not report any signs or symptoms of acute HIV infection, and does not report taking any contraindicated medication.
Click on the link below to view the full description of the proposed Bill;
Senate S0570 - 03/21/2023: House Health & Human Services recommended measure be held for further study
3. Healthy School Meals for All
Purpose: Requires free lunches to be provided for all elementary and secondary students attending public schools, to the extent state and federal funds are available.
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Senate S0068 - 05/17/2023 Referred to House Finance
House H5141 - 02/16/2023 Withdrawn at sponsor's request
Purpose: Establishes new programs for free breakfast & lunch meals in all public schools
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House H5639 - 05/02/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
4. Lead Hazard Mitigation
Purpose: Relieves property owners from implementing lead hazard mitigation for pre-1978 rental dwelling units that are comprised of 2-3 units, one of which is occupied by the property owner.
Click on each of the links below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
Senate S0656 - 06/06/2023 Senate passed Sub A
06/09/2023 Placed on House Calendar (06/12/2023)House H5946 - 06/08/2023 House passed Sub A
06/08/2023 Placed on Senate Calendar (06/13/2023)5. Lead Poisoning Prevention Act
Purpose: Establishes a lead water supply replacement program for public and private service lines and requires disclosure to tenants and buyers of real property of the presence of lead service lines.
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Senate S0002 - 05/30/2023 Senate passed Sub A
05/31/2023 Referred to House Finance
House H5007 - 04/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Lead Poisoning Prevention Act - Funding
Purpose: Establishes a lead service line replacement program, using federal funds provided by IIJA for public and private service lines.
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House H5318 - 04/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
6. Emergency Management
Purpose: Limits governor's emergency declaration to 60 days unless extended by the general assembly and prohibits eliminating religious exemption regarding mandatory health injections or inoculations and an unlawful employment practice
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House H6065 - 04/05/2023: Committee recommended measure be held for further study
7. Covid-19 Vaccination Mandate Prohibited
Purpose: Prohibits a private employer from mandating a COVID-19 vaccination upon any full-time, part-time, or contract employee without providing individual exemptions that allow an employee to opt out of such mandate.
Click on each of the links below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
Senate S0569 - 03/07/2023: Introduced, referred to Senate Health and Human Services
House H6080 - 03/15/2023: House Labor Committee recommended measure be held for further study
8. Hotels And Public Places - No Discrimination of Unvaccinated Persons
Purpose: Prohibits discrimination against individuals who refuse to be vaccinated.
Click on each of the links below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
Senate S0296 - 02/16/2023: Introduced, referred to Senate Health and Human Services
House H5884 - 03/09/2023: Committee recommended measure be held for further study
9. Covid-19 Vaccination Mandate Prohibited
Purpose: Prohibits any governmental entity from mandating the COVID-19 vaccination, or from discriminating against any individual or issuing a civil or criminal penalty upon any individual for refusing any COVID-19 vaccination.
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House H5916 - 03/09/2023: House Judiciary Committee recommended measure be held for further study
10. Uniform Telehealth Act
Purpose: Allows an out-of-state health care practitioner to provide telehealth services to a patient located in this state if the services are consistent with the practitioner's scope of practice and state and federal professional standards.
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House H5556 - 03/15/2023: House Health & Human Services Committee recommended measure be held for further study
11. Workers’ Compensation for Adverse COVID-19 Medical Event
Purpose: Requires the employer's workers’ compensation insurance carrier to cover all of an employee’s associated medical expenses from any adverse medical event resulting from the employer mandating that the employee receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
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House H5585 - 03/01/2023: House Labor Committee recommended measure be held for further study
12. Council On Postsecondary Education
Purpose: Prohibits discrimination in postsecondary education of students, faculty and staff based upon medical or religious vaccine exemptions.
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House H5279 - 03/29/2023: House Education Committee recommended measure be held for further study
13. Public Health And Workplace Safety Act
Purpose: Repeals the exemption granted to parimutuel facilities and casinos from the smoke free workplace requirement contained in the Public Health and Workplace Safety Act.
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Senate S0438 - 05/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House H5237 - 04/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
14. Healthcare for Children and Pregnant Women - Equality in Abortion Coverage
Purpose: Provides for abortion coverage in the Medicaid program and repeals the abortion coverage exclusion for state employee insurance plans.)
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Senate S0032 - 05/18/2023 Signed by Governor
House H5006 - 05/18/2023 Signed by Governor
15. Health Care Accessibility And Quality Assurance Act
Purpose: Provides that dental services and treatment rendered to patients in Rhode Island would be reimbursed by standards governed by the general laws of Rhode Island.
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House H5677 - 03/15/2023: House Health & Human Services Committee recommended measure be held for further study
16. Operation Of Bicycles--Highway Safety Act
Purpose: Amend several chapters regarding the operation of bikes on state highways and interaction with motor vehicles, reckless driver accountability program & speed limits in thickly settled areas/business districts.
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Senate S0407 - 05/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House H5577 - 03/09/2023: House Judiciary committee recommended measure be held for further study
17. Special License For Motorcycles, Motor Scooters And Other Motor-Driven Cycles
Purpose: Requires any operator of a motorcycle, motor scooter or motor-driven cycle to wear a helmet. Violations would be punished by a fine of $100 and would increase the fines for failure of a passenger to wear a helmet to $100.
Click on each of the links below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
House H5229 - 02/14/2023: House Judiciary Committee recommended measure be held for further study
18. Safe Storage of Weapons
Purpose: Requires the safe storage of firearms and would provide civil penalties and criminal penalties for violations.
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Senate S0321 - 04/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House H5434 - 04/17/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
19. Safe Storage Violations
Purpose: Changes the name of ยง 11-47-60.1 to Safe Storage – Dillon’s Law and makes any violation of storage that results in serious bodily injury or death a felony.
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House H5369 - 04/17/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
20. Assault Weapons
Purpose: Bans the possession, sale, and transfer of assault weapons. Possession of assault weapons owned on the effective date of this act would be "grandfathered". Violations are punishable by a fine or imprisonment.
Click on each of the links below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
Senate S0379 - 04/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House H5300 - 04/17/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
21. Out Of State Concealed Carry Permits Weapons
Purpose: Allows reciprocal concealed carry permits from out of state to be valid in Rhode Island, which is either authorized by the attorney general or subject to other reciprocal restrictions.
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Senate S0354 - 04/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House H5045 - 04/17/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
22. Concealed Carry Without A Permit For Under 21 Year Olds
Purpose: Permits Rhode Island residents, twenty-one (21) years of age or older, to carry a concealed handgun, without a permit.
Click on the link below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
Senate S0626 - 04/25/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
23. Smoking Cessation Resources
Purpose: Adds a new section which sets forth conditions for pharmacists to prescribe tobacco cessation drug therapies.
Click on each of the links below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
Senate S0292 - 04/04/2023 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
House H5555 - 03/28/2023 House read and passed
05/15/2023 Referred to Senate Health and Human Services
24. Town and City Ordinances to Regulate Tobacco Products
Purpose: Allows cities and towns to create and enforce ordinances related to the sale of tobacco products; provided the regulations are at least as stringent as state law.
Click on each of the links below to view the full description of the proposed Bill:
Senate S0349- 02/16/2023 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
House H6091- 03/28/2023 House Municipal Government & Housing Committee recommended measure be held for further study