Rhode Island

EDUCATION -- RHODE ISLAND LITERACY AND DROPOUT PREVENTION ACT - Redefines dyslexia to mean a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both and vary depending on the orthography.

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- INDICTMENTS, INFORMATIONS AND COMPLAINTS - Provides that the statute of limitations for second-degree sexual assault shall be 10 years from the date of the offense, or, in the case of a victim who is under the age of 18, ten years from the victim’s eighteenth birthday, whichever is later.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- CHILDREN - Prohibits the sale of over-the-counter diet pills and muscle-building supplements to minors in Rhode Island and require age verification, restricted access, and civil penalties for violations.

ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - Creates a cause of action for the intentional or negligent injury or death of a pet.

COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES - Provides that certain actions taken by pharmacy benefits managers are deceptive or unfair trade practices.

INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES-DENTAL INSURANCE COVERAGE - Clarifies the manner in which certain dental insurance benefits are paid directly to the provider.

FOOD AND DRUGS -- THE RHODE ISLAND CANNABIS ACT - Updates the Rhode Island Cannabis Act to remove the current requirement to express cannabinoids as the dry-weight percentages.

MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGULATION OF BUSINESS PRACTICES AMONG MOTOR VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS, AND DEALERS - Extends certain protocols applicable to vehicle manufacturers to their distributors and factory branches, updates definitions relative to common entities and sales.

INSURANCE -- LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES AND RESERVES - Prohibits the use of genetic information for purposes of determining eligibility, setting premium rates, or imposing preexisting condition exclusions for life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance.

INSURANCE -- PRIMARY CARE CONTRACTING GOOD FAITH ACT - Creates the Primary Care Contracting Good Faith Act.

HEALTH AND SAFETY -- HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES TRANSACTION REVIEW AND SIGNIFICANT EQUITY INVESTOR DISCLOSURE ACT - Creates and establishes the Health Care and Social Services Transaction Review and Significant Equity Investor Disclosure Act designed to enhance disclosure for material changes involving significant equity investors.

PUBLIC FINANCE -- STATE FUNDS - Establishes a restricted receipt account for the benefit of the Rhode Island public transit authority funded by sales taxes collected from ride-share companies; and provided further, the account would be exempt from indirect cost recovery provisions.

INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES - Requires health plans that provide prescription benefits to cover at least one type of glucagon auto-injector, nasal spray, or formulation that does not require reconstitution to treat hypoglycemia. No copayment or deductible would be required.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- UNLAWFUL SALE OF PROHIBITED FIREARMS - Restricts the possession of prohibited firearms.

BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS - Allows foreign-trained dentists and dental hygienists to obtain limited licenses if they graduate from reputable dental colleges or universities, work under a supervising dentist, and pass a board-approved exam.

INSURANCE -- PRIMARY CARE ADMINISTRATIVE FAIRNESS ACT - Prohibits payers from requiring uncompensated referral coordination by primary care providers, require either elimination of referral prior authorizations, and prevent denial of lab coverage based solely on diagnostic coding differences.

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.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS -- CURRENCY TRANSMISSIONS - Expands the definition of operator to anyone who enables customers to purchase virtual currency. Expands the definition of a transaction to include a digital product or application where payment is made in person or through a third party intermediary.

ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- CRUELTY TO ANIMALS - Increases the penalty for cruelty to animals, first offense, from eleven months to twelve months incarceration.

STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- 2021 ACT ON CLIMATE - Requires oil spill responsible fee from 5 cents to 10 cents. Funds to support climate change initiatives.

FOOD AND DRUGS -- THE RHODE ISLAND CANNABIS ACT - Updates the Rhode Island Cannabis Act to eliminate the statutorily required subcommittees under the cannabis advisory board.

PARKS AND RECREATIONAL AREAS -- GENERAL PROVISIONS - Adds to those persons exempt from payment of parking fees at any recreational facility owned and operated by the state those individuals determined by the executive office of HHS, or its designee, to be disabled for purposes of Medicaid eligibility.