2026 -- H 8203

========

LC005147

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

____________

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

REQUESTING THAT A CONDITION PRECEDENT BE PLACED ON ALL FUTURE STATE

FUNDING OR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO BROWN UNIVERSITY HEALTH AND

AFFILIATED ENTITIES TO ENSURE MAINTENANCE OF THE NEWPORT HOSPITAL

BIRTHING CENTER

     Introduced By: Representative Lauren H. Carson

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2026

     Referred To: House Finance

     WHEREAS, The Newport Hospital Birthing Center provides vital inpatient labor and

delivery services to the community of Newport and surrounding areas, ensuring safe and timely

access to hospital-based obstetric care; and

     WHEREAS, The continuous operation of a hospital-based birthing facility is essential to

maternal and neonatal health, including the availability of obstetric physicians, certified nurse

midwives, anesthesia services, nursing staff, and neonatal support on a continuous basis; and

     WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island, through appropriations, grants, Medicaid

payments, supplemental payments, rate enhancements, capital distributions, and other forms of

financial assistance, provides significant funding and support to Brown University Health and its

affiliated entities, including hospitals; and

     WHEREAS, It is critical to ensure that state funding is contingent upon the maintenance

and operation of essential healthcare services, including hospital-based birthing facilities, to

protect public health and access to care; and

     WHEREAS, For purposes of this resolution, "maintain and operate the Newport Hospital

Birthing Center" shall mean:

     1. Continuous, year-round operation of inpatient labor and delivery services at Newport

Hospital, without seasonal, intermittent, or temporary suspension;

     2. Twenty-four hour, seven-day-per-week availability of hospital-based obstetric

services, including on-site or immediately available obstetric physicians, certified nurse

midwives, anesthesia services, nursing staff, and neonatal support consistent with safe delivery

standards;

     3. Staffing levels sufficient to support safe and timely deliveries, including emergency

obstetric care, without diversion, routine transfer, or redirection of patients to other facilities due

to staffing limitations;

     4. No reduction in the scope of services offered at the Birthing Center including, but not

limited to:

     (i) Elimination of inpatient labor and delivery;

     (ii) Conversion to outpatient-only, triage-only, or stabilization-only services;

     (iii) Routine diversion of laboring patients to other hospitals;

     (iv) Restrictions that effectively require planned deliveries to occur off-island; and

     5. No administrative, financial, or operational action that renders the Birthing Center

functionally unavailable to the community it serves, regardless of whether the facility remains

nominally "open"; and

     WHEREAS, Brown University Health and its affiliated entities shall certify compliance

with this condition to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the Rhode Island

Department of Health, and the House and Senate Fiscal Advisors prior to the release of any state

funds, annually thereafter, and within ten (10) days of any change that could reasonably affect

compliance; and

     WHEREAS, Failure to comply with this condition shall result in the immediate cessation

of all state fund distributions and may trigger recoupment of funds distributed during periods of

noncompliance, and no waiver, emergency exception, or administrative approval shall supersede

this requirement unless explicitly authorized by the General Assembly; and

     WHEREAS, This condition shall remain in effect as a continuing requirement for all

fiscal years following the passage of this resolution unless expressly repealed by the General

Assembly;

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

requests that a condition precedent be placed on all future state funds, grants, supplemental

payments, rate enhancements, Medicaid payments, capital distributions, or any other form of

financial assistance to Brown University Health and any affiliated entity requiring that the

Newport Hospital Birthing Center remain fully operational in accordance with the standards set

forth above; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is directed to transmit duly

LC005147 - Page 2 of 4

certified copies of this resolution to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the

Rhode Island Department of Health, Brown University Health, and the leadership of all affiliated

entities.

========

LC005147

========

LC005147 - Page 3 of 4

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

REQUESTING THAT A CONDITION PRECEDENT BE PLACED ON ALL FUTURE STATE

FUNDING OR GRANT ASSISTANCE TO BROWN UNIVERSITY HEALTH AND

AFFILIATED ENTITIES TO ENSURE MAINTENANCE OF THE NEWPORT HOSPITAL

BIRTHING CENTER

***

     This resolution would condition the distribution of any state funds to Brown University

Health on the continued operation of a birthing center in the city of Newport.

========

LC005147

========

LC005147 - Page 4 of 4