Rhode Island

MILITARY AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE -- NATIONAL GUARD - Raises the amount of life insurance the state provides at no charge to Rhode Island National Guard members called up for federal duty to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- PUBLIC HEALTH DATA PRIVACY AND PROTECTION ACT - Creates the public health data privacy and protection act to regulate the reporting of information relating to reportable disease data in the possession of the department of health.

TAXATION -- STATE TAX OFFICIALS - Caps delinquent tax interest rate at 12%. Prohibits audits beyond 3 years from date of tax filing, 7 years for fraudulent filings, and in no event beyond 10 years from date of filing or required filing date, whichever is later.

PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS - Includes the deputy chief of inspection and inspector within the provision of law related to retirement on service allowance relating to correctional officers.

INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES - Requires insurers to develop plans for coverage and access to nonnarcotic, nonopioid and nonmedication pain management for moderate to severe pain. It further restricts utilization review for nonopioid drugs.

INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES - Mandates insurance coverage for scalp cooling treatments for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatments.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OPEN MEETINGS - Allows advisory bodies to participate in a public meeting using videoconferencing, subject to certain requirements.

INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES - Provides that no contract between a dental plan or other healthcare entity and a dentist requires the dentist to accept exclusively by virtual credit cards.

HIGHWAYS -- CROOK POINT BRIDGE AUTHORITY ACT - Creates the Crook Point Bridge Authority for the purpose of maintain the Crook Point Bascule Bridge and any property related thereto.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - Prohibits the state from seeking reimbursement for expenditures made on behalf of disabled Rhode Islanders from an ABLE account after the death of the designated beneficiary.

EDUCATION -- MAYORAL ACADEMIES - Provides that only a mayor or town administrator could be a voting member of the board of directors or trustees for a mayoral academy.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- PRIMARY CARE TRAINING SITES PROGRAM - 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.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- MOTOR VEHICLE OFFENSES - Clarifies that a magistrate or sentencing judge sitting in a court with jurisdiction over motor vehicle offenses has the discretion to grant a conditional hardship license for a first-time offender upon request.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PATIENT PAYMENT INFORMATION - Prohibits a healthcare provider from requiring patients to provide electronic payment information to be kept on file as a condition to receiving treatment and makes it a violation a deceptive trade practice.

HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE -- LONG-TERM CARE SERVICE AND FINANCE REFORM -- ASSISTED LIVING SERVICES - Provides that licensed assisted living community is not required to hold a residential unit for a Medicare-eligible resident absent from the facility for a period exceeding 10 days unless EOHHS provides payment to the facility to hold the bed.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PROTECTIONS OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ACT - Provides that the prescription label for medication abortion prescription drugs may include the name of the dispensing healthcare practice instead of the name of the dispenser.

FOOD AND DRUGS -- UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT - Prescriptions for testosterone not allowed to be transmitted or reported within the prescription drug monitoring database and removes from the records all existing information concerning prior testosterone prescriptions.

PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- MEMBERSHIP AND SERVICE CREDITS - Allows members of the retirement system who served in the national guard or reserves and qualify as veterans, to purchase retirement service credits based on their years of service in the National guard or reserves.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- ADJUDICATION OF TRAFFIC OFFENSES - Increases the fine for speeding 1-10 mph in excess of posted speed limit in a residential or school zone to $125 and would increase the fine $250 for speed in excess of 11 mph in a residential or school zone.

TAXATION -- CIGARETTE, OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS, AND ELECTRONIC NICOTINE-DELIVERY SYSTEM PRODUCTS - Reduces the cigarette tax imposed by 75% for any modified risk tobacco product as defined in § 21 U.S.C. 387 k as a tobacco product sold/distributed to reduce the harm/risk of tobacco-related disease associated with commercially marketed tobacco products.

HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE -- LONG-TERM CARE SERVICE AND FINANCE REFORM - Authorizes the secretary of the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) to increase resource eligibility limits for persons with long-term care needs who reside at home to $12,000 for single persons and $18,000 for couples.

TAXATION -- CIGARETTE, OTHER TOBACCO PRODUCTS, AND ELECTRONIC NICOTINE-DELIVERY SYSTEM PRODUCTS - Amends the definition of "distributor" under the chapter relating to taxation--cigarette, other tobacco products, and electronic nicotine-delivery system products.

LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE USE AND FAIR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES - Creates a comprehensive statutory framework to address and regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace, considering the interests of employers and employees.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- RHODE ISLAND PROGRAM TO ADDRESS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE - Creates the position of dementia services coordinator within the department of health to coordinate the departments' approach to Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.