2026 -- H 8366

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LC006077

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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 -- AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS

REQUIRED AT PUBLIC PLACES AND HEALTHCARE FACILITIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Fascia, and Corvese

     Date Introduced: March 27, 2026

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-6.5-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-6.5 entitled "Automated

External Defibrillators Required at Public Places and Healthcare Facilities" is hereby amended to

read as follows:

     23-6.5-4. Definitions.

     The following definitions govern the construction of this chapter:

     (1) “Healthcare facility” means any healthcare facility licensed by the department of health

including any institutional health-service provider, facility, or institution, place, building, agency,

or portion thereof, whether a partnership or corporation, whether public or private, whether

organized for profit or not, used, operated, or engaged in providing healthcare services, including,

but not limited to: hospitals; nursing facilities; rehabilitation centers; kidney disease treatment

centers; health maintenance organizations; and facilities providing surgical treatment to patients

not requiring hospitalization (surgi-centers); hospice care; and physician ambulatory-surgery

centers and podiatry ambulatory-surgery centers providing surgical treatment; and any center for

independent living pursuant to § 42-12.2-2. The term “healthcare facility” also includes organized

ambulatory-care facilities that are not part of a hospital but that are organized and operated to

provide healthcare services to outpatients, such as: central-services facilities serving more than one

healthcare facility or healthcare provider; treatment centers; diagnostic centers; outpatient clinics;

infirmaries and health centers; school-based health centers; and neighborhood health centers. The

term “healthcare facility” also includes a practitioner’s (physician, dentist, or other healthcare

provider) office or group of practitioners’ offices (whether owned and/or operated by a hospital or

an affiliate of a hospital or an individual practitioner, alone or as a member of a partnership,

professional service corporation, organization, or association).

     (2) “Public place” means an enclosed area capable of holding three hundred (300) people

or more and to which the public is invited or in which the public is permitted, including, but not

limited to: banks; bars; educational facilities; laundromats; public or private golf courses; public

transportation facilities; reception areas; restaurants; retail food production and marketing

establishments; retail service establishments; retail stores; shopping malls; sports arenas;

government offices; theaters; and waiting rooms. A private residence is not a “public place” unless

it is used as a childcare or adult daycare facility.

     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 -- AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS

REQUIRED AT PUBLIC PLACES AND HEALTHCARE FACILITIES

***

     This act would add centers for independent living pursuant to § 42-12.2-2 to the healthcare

facilities required to have automated external defibrillators on site.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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