2026 -- H 7931

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LC005339

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- LICENSING OF HEALTHCARE FACILITIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Sanchez, Giraldo, Cruz, Potter, and Tanzi

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2026

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-17-54 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-17 entitled "Licensing

of Healthcare Facilities" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     23-17-54. Provisions of interpreter services.

     (a) Every hospital and freestanding emergency-care facility shall, as a condition of initial

or continued licensure, provide a qualified certified interpreter, if an appropriate bilingual clinician

is not available to translate, in connection with all services provided to every non-English speaker

who is a patient or seeks appropriate care and treatment and is not accompanied or represented by

an appropriate, qualified interpreter or a qualified sign-language interpreter who has attained at

least sixteen (16) years of age.

     (1) In instances where a national or state certification for a specific language does not exist,

the facility shall provide a qualified interpreter who has demonstrated proficiency in English and

the target language, and is familiar with biomedical terminology and ethical principles of

interpretation.

     (2) A patient may decline the services of a certified or qualified interpreter in favor of a

family member or friend; provided, however, the facility shall document such a request in the

medical record. The facility reserves the right to provide a certified or qualified interpreter to

observe the encounter to ensure clinical accuracy and safety, at no cost to the patient.

     (b) Each hospital and freestanding emergency-care facility shall post a multi-lingual notice

in conspicuous places and on its public website, setting forth the requirement in subsection (a) in

English and the, at minimum, three (3) most-common foreign languages used by the hospital or

freestanding emergency-care facility as determined by the hospital or freestanding emergency-care

facility. The determination of languages for the translation of vital documents and notices shall be

governed by the Safe Harbor standards established under Section 1557 of the Patient Protection

and Affordable Care Act (45 CFR Part 92), specifically:

     (1) The facility shall provide written translations of vital documents for each limited

English proficient (LEP) language group that constitutes five percent (5%) of the population of

persons eligible to be served or likely to be affected or encountered, or one thousand (1,000)

persons, whichever is less.

     (2) If there are fewer than fifty (50) persons in a language group that reaches the five

percent (5%) threshold, the facility is not required to translate vital written materials but shall

provide written notice in the group’s primary language of the right to receive competent oral

interpretation of those written materials, free of cost.

     (3) These determinations shall be updated following the community needs assessment

conducted by the facility every three (3) years, utilizing the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data

and the Rhode Island division of statewide planning’s limited English proficiency plan metrics.

     (c) The receipt by a non-English speaker of interpreter services shall not be deemed the

receipt of a benefit under any provisions of law restricting benefits or assistance on the basis of

immigrant status.

     (d) Every hospital and freestanding emergency-care facility shall, as a condition of initial

or continued licensure, provide mandated training to providers on how to access and utilize certified

and qualified interpretation services.

     (d)(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect or limit any rights, remedies, or

obligations under chapter 24 of title 11 or under chapters 87 or 112 of title 42.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- LICENSING OF HEALTHCARE FACILITIES

***

     This act would amend the current law on interpreter services to mandate that hospital and

emergency-care facilities provide a certified, rather than qualified, interpreter for every non-English

speaker, except in instances where a national or state certification for a specific language is

unavailable so that a qualified interpreter may be used.

     The act would also require that the facility provide written translations of vital documents

depending on the size of the population of the LEP group.

     The act would further require every facility to train their staff in how to access and utilize

certified and qualified interpretation services and to conduct a community needs assessment of their

language interpretation needs every three years.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005339

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